It's tradition for weddings to have a receiving line after the ceremony is over. Some do this at the church as the guests leave, while others have this at the reception venue as the guests arrive, but a receiving line isn't a requirement in wedding.
"To be honest, the practice isn't as popular today as it once was. The idea is to ensure that the happy couple spends a moment with each guest, thanking them for coming to the wedding and making introductions as needed," said wedding expert Amber Harrison via Huffington Post.
The problem with receiving lines is that it takes a lot of time for guests to be comfortably seated, especially when the wedding has more than 50 attendees. They won't likely enjoy the long wait just to be able to give their wishes to the couple, according to Paper Swallow Events.
Today, the newlyweds can interact with their guests without a receiving line. This can be done during the usual photo opportunities at each table as the bride and groom make their rounds during the party after the guests have eaten. For smaller weddings with fewer than 50 guests, receiving lines could also be switched with a cocktail hour before the formal reception, as suggested by Project Wedding.
"We actually want to have some time to talk with our friends, not the 30 seconds or so you get in line. And for family that one or the other of us doesn't know, we are pretty sure we won't even remember them after just shaking hands," said a bride on the Wedding Bee forum.
"We did the traditional table thank you's after dinner and toasts, so we were able to eat, there was some mingling, people got to drink and digest, and then we went into cake cutting/rest of the evening. It went smoothly and our guests were comfy and happy, which was our #1 priority," shared a user on Reddit.
"My favorite is a receiving line while drinks and apps are served. It worked well because everyone kind of milled around eating and drinking, and then got in line when it had fewer people in it," shared another Reddit member.
