Receive or Leave?

Receiving lines following a ceremony have been a tradition for years. The purpose is to allow the bride and groom (and their parents, and sometimes the bridal party) the opportunity to properly greet their guests and thank them for coming to the wedding.  A receiving line can also be formed at the beginning of the reception, but I have not seen this at all recently.

If you are torn about having a receiving line at your wedding, consider the following to help you decide:

Pros:
- You get the greeting of your guests "out of the way", leaving you more time to party at the reception.
- It takes up time between the ceremony and reception if you have time to kill, which is typical if you are having a church ceremony. Not so much if the ceremony and reception are at the same place.
- You're guaranteed to get to say hello to just about everyone.

Cons:
- It can take up a lot of time and sometimes there is not that much time between the ceremony and the reception. Consider how long it takes to get to the reception and what time your cocktail hour is, etc.
- If your parents are older, they may not be able to stand long enough to make it to the end of the line.
- The gets towards the end of the line often get bored and antsy.

A few more things to consider:
- If you DO NOT plan to have a receiving line, make sure that you go directly into the limo or elsewhere immediately following the ceremony. If you stand around, people will come up to you and before you know it, a receiving line will have formed against your wishes.
- If you DO NOT plan to have a receiving line, make sure to do "table visits" at the reception. Go to each table and thank your guests for coming. The best time to do this is between courses (salad, pasta, entree, usually). Start with the older guests who tend to be a bit old fashioned and will be waiting for you to say hello. Your friends and younger guests may not care as much. They'll see you on the dance floor!
- Time of day and time of year. If you plan to take pictures outdoors during your cocktail hour, consider what time your ceremony will end and your reception will being. If its going to be dark out at 5:00, like it is in the fall and winter, you may not have time for a receiving line.
- If you have chatterboxes as your guests, you may not want to have a receiving line.
- Are many of your guests going to be your parents friends? It could be awkward if you don't know them and they approach you to congratulate you.

No matter what you decide, you MUST make an appoint to thank your guests somehow. They came out on your big day and likely will be giving a generous gift, so you want to make sure you properly show your appreciation.