Table Visits

We have been having the debate - but have about 50 guests. We were thinking of doing the receiving line as people left the ceremony to go to the cocktail hour but are now considering table visits. Hopefully someone who has done them well can provide some feedback!

We're doing table visits. And every wedding I've been to that has done them the bride and groom have gone together. My FH and I will be going around together. Our guest max is 150 (haven't sent invites out as it's still early). I think table visits will be faster than a receiving line and more enjoyable for the guests since they can chat at the table while you go around. If you keep it at a somewhat clipped pace it shouldn't take too long. We're planning on doing ours after the first dance and my change (into a traditional Chinese wedding dress) but before the cake.

Typically the couple visits tables together. For that many guests though, I don't think you'll have enough time. 150 guests is 15 tables at a minimum. At just 3 minutes a table, you're already at 45 minutes. You run the risk of dinner being over before you reach the back of the room, which means some guests will be left out.

DH and I were at 7 weddings before ours where the couple didn't make it to our table. It felt really rude.

We did a receiving line at the back of the church as people were leaving. Just the two of us, no parents or BP at all. It only took about 25 minutes for 180 guests. We had ushers dismiss guests row by row so no one was standing for too long, and our pianist played awesome fancy music the whole time. We got to say thank you to each guest individually and still sit and enjoy our first meal as husband and wife together.

If you do a receiving line, get a second boutonniere for FH. DH's was so squished after from all the bear hugs!

We were just discussing this!

Glad to know I'm not alone! @MrsSki(ToBe) glad it was successful for you! Our Ceremony and Reception are all at the same location which adds a bit of complications to the logistics of the receiving line.

I forgot one wedding I went to did it after dinner and cake, during dancing.

Oh and I misspoke (miss typed?) in my original post. We haven't "invited" 190 guests..yet....we've sent STD's to 190. @alison you are right that it's too early.

You go to them together. Spend 2 minutes at each table so 15 tables = 30 minutes.

That or spend 45-60 minutes with a receiving line and all your guests are waiting for their turn to greet you.

We will be doing table visits together during dinner. After FH and I finish eating we will be going around to each table and taking to them/getting a group picture

We're planning to do table visits right after the introductions and cake cutting. During this time, salad and soup will be served so we won't be interrupting people while they eat the entree and we'll be able to eat too. We only plan to be at each table for a couple minutes because we'll have our associate photographer with us to get a group shot. This will be the last half an hour the associate photographer is there so we have to make it quick to get through all the tables

Even in the same place, you can stand at the back of the aisle and dismiss from the front to back. Any guests who aren't interested could sneak out the sides too. It would actually be a nice transition between ceremony and party!

We are doing table visits

Hmm. I did a receiving line so I'm Team Receiving Line. For less than 110 guests, we got through the line in about 15-20 minutes. It just feels so awkward to me personally to hide from my guests after the ceremony while they leave and then I take photos (that's how my church did it). I also didn't want the pressure of not reaching a table in time for table visits. We ate pretty quickly and then we also did table visits for a little more relaxed feel. We had 13 tables. DH and I started at the same table but by the 3rd or 4th table, he wanted to chat chat chat and I kept moving on especially to tables that were "my side". He said I was moving too fast for him--- which was essentially my wedding day in a phrase. I moved too quickly for everyone or they moved too quickly for me- one of those , haha!

Team Receiving Line!

For table visits, I have always seen the bride and groom do them together. It would be awkward to do them separately. It IS possible to visit all 190 guests but you can't spend a lot time at each table. Do not get into lengthy conversations with guests. Quick hellos / thanks you's / photos and move on to the next table. Unfortunately, you likely won't get much time to eat either.

Ok thanks all for the feedback

I had around 85 guests and we did table visits together after we finished eating. Most of our guests were done eating at that point, too.

We only had 9 tables to visit though.

I've only ever seen bride and groom visit the tables together. At my friend's wedding a few weeks ago they had the photographer take a group photo with the couple at each table which I thought was a cute idea.

It's funny because when I think back to the weddings I've been to where the couple went to each table (at least 10) the couple always came to our table seperatlly with the exception on one time where they came together. Maybe the couples started together but at a certain point their paces varied and they drifted apart. I do really love the idea of a group photo at each table. We have a second photographer which would be great for this.

We did table visits during dinner and had 9 guest tables to get through. We ate quickly, but because DH is a type 1 diabetic, we made sure he had eaten everything he wanted from each course before we got up to visit tables.

We went to all the tables together. I agree that it would have been awkward for him to walk up to a table and not know he was talking to a friend of mine from college he's never had the opportunity to meet or for me to walk up to a table and chat with his relatives that I don't know, yet. This way, we were able to make introductions for each other and nothing felt awkward.

One thing I can recommend is to not waste a bunch of time at the tables where your WP members are sitting. You've seen your BMs and GM all day. Stop at the tables to greet their SOs and any guests that are sharing a table with them, but you don't need to carry on and on with your BMs and GM.

I wasn't looking at a clock, but I'm pretty sure we finished our table visits before the end of dinner hour and had enough time to eat our dinner, as well. Some of our table visits could have possibly gone a little faster. One of our first tables got chatty and I know we weren't moving our fastest.

For those considering having a photographer take group shots at each table when you visit, don't forget that your photographers need to take a break to eat dinner, too. We served dinner in an adjacent room for our photographers and DJ during dinner because it was the easiest time for them to take a break and not have anyone notice. The DJ had a dinner playlist running and we didn't need pictures of guests stuffing their faces. They cut out after the toasts and blessing and came back on before it was time to start our first dance. You'll want to discuss with your photographer regarding dinner breaks and the possibility of them accompanying you during table visits.

All good points to think about @bluehenbride thank you!