Monday, March 7, 2011

Receiving Line: Do or Don't?


DreamGroup's Principal Planner Geneve McNally sheds some expertise on the question:

Traditionally, receiving lines include both mothers and sometimes fathers, bride, groom, and sometimes bridesmaids and groomsmen. In all honesty though the shorter the better.

I actually try and convince clients not to do it or just keep it to bride and groom. 30-45 minutes of shaking hands and swapping germs is no fun! I encourage clients to do a modern version of a receiving line in the form of a table meet in greet towards the end of or throughout dinner with or without champagne. Or to hand out favors.

This tradition of table toasting is taken from Asian cultures... And on that note most Asian weddings have a Farewell Line at the end of the night rather than a receiving line. Makes sense for the traditional banquet Chinese wedding as most guests leave after dinner all at once as there's usually no dancing. Modern couples are mixing it up though these days so doesn't always work.


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