I’ve just booked a lovely couple for their wedding photography in Sussex at the Ravenswood next year, and whilst we were chatting about their day the subject of receiving lines came up. We talked about the advantages and disadvantages, luckily it’s really one of those things you don’t need to decide about until very close to the day - or even on the day itself! But I thought it would be a good idea to post these pros and cons, in the first of an occasional series of wedding day tips - as perhaps the only supplier who is with you for the whole day, your wedding photographer will have lots of experience in how things run on the whole wedding day, and not just certain parts of it. So obviously, while every moment is up to you, you might still find these ramblings useful!
A receiving line usually consists of the bride and groom, plus each set of parents - although I have seen some with just the couple, and some with the entire party of parents, best man and chief bridesmaid. At the entrance to your wedding breakfast room, the receiving line stands and greets each guest as they enter. Guests then go in to be seated.
Venues tend to like receiving lines because it means guests enter to be seated in a controlled way rather than a mad hungry rush! However, they can sometimes underestimate how long it’s going to take. It’s not unusual for a couple to be told it will take 15 minutes for 100 guests. I’ve yet to see that happen!
But it does still have its advantages -
* Guests are seated in a steady manner, rather than a crowd of people trying to find their seats
* It means you will definitely have a chance to talk to all your guests and thank them for coming
* It can make parents feel involved - especially the groom’s parents, who don’t have a formal part in the day
* It can make for some great photos of you laughing and talking with your guests
Disadvantages -
* You need to allow around 20-30 seconds per guest. For 100 guests, expect it to take anywhere between 30 minutes to 50 minutes
* For guests at the end of that 50 minute line, it’s a long wait until they get to you. For guests at the start of it, they’ll be sat in the room for almost one hour. It’s probably a good idea to make sure the elderly and infirm go through first.
* It will take that time out of your drinks reception time, when you could be mingling and greeting your guests naturally
* If you don’t have a receiving line, the venue will take about 20 minutes to gather and seat the guests - I tend to use this time to do the brde and groom portrait session. If you have your heart set on a receiving line, we’ll need to find some other time during the day to do this.
So, it does have its pros and cons. Whether you decide to have a receiving line will probably depend on the type and size of your wedding - with a more informal celebration you probably won’t feel the need, but for a larger formal one you might worry that otherwise you won’t get to say hello to everyone. As with everything, as long as its timing is realistic and built into your day, it will all be fine whatever you decide.
