Receiving line and mingling with guests?

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MrsCrazyPete

New member
So immediately after our wedding ceremony, we're going to have a short receiving line just outside of the ceremony room. It will just be my fiance and I. Our reception room is just about 100 feet away, in the same building, just a different room. So after the guests go through the line, they can head straight into the reception for cocktail hour.

Since we'll have greeted everyone in the receiving line, are we also required to mingle with our guests during the reception? We'd actually really like to dance a lot. Obviously we're not going to just ignore everyone, but should we also go around to all the tables? I feel like we're going to spend all of our time talking to our guests and then the beautiful reception that we paid for will be over.

What do you think?
 
J

Jen

Member
You can dance some other time. Your guests have given at least a half a day out of their lives to come to your wedding, dont ask them to spend the whole time watching you dance.
 
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goingcrazybride

New member
Did you run this question by your mother I am sure she would give you a better answer than us. Like you two I really want to dance and am paying for most of the reception, but come on how rude is that its pretty awful to do that to the guest. The way we are doing it is that I will have an estimated time at each table and if i run over or short oh well. With a goal of two hours to dance. Try something like that maybe it will work maybe it wont but im sure you will enjoy talking to your guest having them tell you how beautiful you are just as much as dancing.
 
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MathNerd

New member
I am so with you on this. I am completely against wasting the night away walking to tables to have an insincere..."hi thanks for coming" followed by a ugly group picture (because it's always ugly when people are eating to just jump up for a picture) and then you just rinse and repeat. I'm all about mingling on the dance floor and we paid for a really awesome expensive band so I'm not wasting a minute of it. My fiance and I have decided that during dinner we are gonna hit as many tables as we can (probably the ones that we know won't dance) and spend no more than a minute at each and no pictures during that time. Dinner is buffet and takes approx. 30 minutes according to the venue so that is like 25-30 tables we will talk to and we are having 34 tables so we'll get to most. Another thing you can do which we are doing is attend your own cocktail hour if you are having one. That way you have already mingled with your guests but it won't cut into the time for dancing. Good luck!
 
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Grammie

New member
It will take 10 min. most to go from table to table. Not everyone will be at the ceremony.

The bridal couple usually finish eating first, so while the guest are eating you can begin at the tables.

Will it hurt to talk to people more than one time? This is a big pet peeve of mine, People expect to talk to the bride and groom, not just a hello during the receiving line. You have to show how happy you are that people took the time to come to your wedding.
 
M

MathNerd

New member
I am so with you on this. I am completely against wasting the night away walking to tables to have an insincere..."hi thanks for coming" followed by a ugly group picture (because it's always ugly when people are eating to just jump up for a picture) and then you just rinse and repeat. I'm all about mingling on the dance floor and we paid for a really awesome expensive band so I'm not wasting a minute of it. My fiance and I have decided that during dinner we are gonna hit as many tables as we can (probably the ones that we know won't dance) and spend no more than a minute at each and no pictures during that time. Dinner is buffet and takes approx. 30 minutes according to the venue so that is like 25-30 tables we will talk to and we are having 34 tables so we'll get to most. Another thing you can do which we are doing is attend your own cocktail hour if you are having one. That way you have already mingled with your guests but it won't cut into the time for dancing. Good luck!
 
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luv2answer

New member
Yes, you need to mingle with everyone. Shaking someones hand in a receiving line and then ignoring them the rest of the night is rude. Most brides and grooms do both and visit each table. The bride and groom are served dinner first. You eat and then walk around while other tables are still eating and being served. It won't take long and won't cut into the other part of the wedding. As for cutting into the reception, well, the point of a reception is for the guests, to thank them for coming.
 
L

luv2answer

New member
Yes, you need to mingle with everyone. Shaking someones hand in a receiving line and then ignoring them the rest of the night is rude. Most brides and grooms do both and visit each table. The bride and groom are served dinner first. You eat and then walk around while other tables are still eating and being served. It won't take long and won't cut into the other part of the wedding. As for cutting into the reception, well, the point of a reception is for the guests, to thank them for coming.
 
L

luv2answer

New member
Yes, you need to mingle with everyone. Shaking someones hand in a receiving line and then ignoring them the rest of the night is rude. Most brides and grooms do both and visit each table. The bride and groom are served dinner first. You eat and then walk around while other tables are still eating and being served. It won't take long and won't cut into the other part of the wedding. As for cutting into the reception, well, the point of a reception is for the guests, to thank them for coming.
 
K

kbk823

New member
I was told (by my Mom) that the wedding was for me, and the reception was for everyone else. You are pretty much working your entire reception. Make it a point to visit each table, and thank everyone, even if it takes awhile. You probably won't get to dance as much as you'd like to. The reception is the party that you are hosting for your guests to celebrate your wedding and to thank them for being part of it.
 
K

kbk823

New member
I was told (by my Mom) that the wedding was for me, and the reception was for everyone else. You are pretty much working your entire reception. Make it a point to visit each table, and thank everyone, even if it takes awhile. You probably won't get to dance as much as you'd like to. The reception is the party that you are hosting for your guests to celebrate your wedding and to thank them for being part of it.
 
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Liz

Member
Well, you want to go around each table just to tell everyone thank-you and to ask them if they are having a good time. Do you not want to do both? If this was me, I would do both. You do not have to do a lot of talking with each guest and you will have plenty of time for dancing and such.
 
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Liz

Member
Well, you want to go around each table just to tell everyone thank-you and to ask them if they are having a good time. Do you not want to do both? If this was me, I would do both. You do not have to do a lot of talking with each guest and you will have plenty of time for dancing and such.
 
V

Val

Member
You should make time to do both and mingle! How about when your dancing, dance around the dance floor and mingle that way? Or dance around the room and get people off their butts and make them dance with you. You can do both at the same time and still enjoy your evening! You are the bride, you make the rules!
 
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