The Ins and Outs of Wedding Receiving Lines

The receiving line might seem like an antiquated or outdated tradition, but the truth is that they still have an important role to play in a wedding. For a celebration of any size, a simple receiving line is by far the easiest way to ensure that the host greets all of his or guests, which is a must. Conversely, it is also the simplest way for every guest to have a chance to extend best wishes and congratulations to the newlyweds, which is a must for guests. With the reasons to have a receiving line at your wedding clear, this is what you need to know about how to arrange one.

First of all, a receiving line should never be held inside a house of worship. That is because you cannot act as host inside God’s house. There are two very good options for the receiving line location. One is to have it at the reception venue as guests arrive. The other possibility is to receive your guests outside of the church immediately following the ceremony. This is often the easiest thing to do logistically, as so many couples will have photo sessions during the cocktail hour of the reception, making it hard to find a good time to arrange a receiving line at the reception site.

There is much uncertainty about who should participate in a receiving line. The people who absolutely must be there are the bride, the groom, and their mothers. The fathers of the happy couple will often stand in the line as well, but they may duck in and out to mingle if the line is long, especially if it is being done during the cocktail hour. If any of the parents of the newlyweds have remarried, their new spouses should absolutely be invited to participate in the receiving line. Deal with any animosity between the exes and the new spouses by separating them in the receiving line. Although customary, it is not absolutely necessary for the entire group of bridesmaids to participate; if you are trying to keep the line moving, it would be okay to ask only the maid of honor to stand in the line and set the other ladies free.

There are some standard things to say in a receiving line, and of course, you may personalize them if you wish. Always offer best wishes to the bride and congratulations to the groom. Tell the bride’s mother how beautiful the ceremony was and tell the groom’s father what a lucky man his son is to have found such a wonderful bride. It is always appropriate to tell any of the wedding party how pretty they look or to admire their wedding jewelry. When introducing yourself to a stranger, a few words about how you know the bride and groom would be nice. As for the people in the wedding party, they should thank all of the guests for joining them and express appreciation for their kind words. Other safe comments include telling a guest how pretty her dress and jewelry are or saying how perfect the weather is for a wedding. Don’t worry too much about being original, as long as you are pleasant and brief, the receiving line will be a success.

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