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| Greeting Your Guests |
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| Because friends and relatives
will travel from far and wide to wish you well on
your wedding day, it’s important to greet each guest
individually. The manner in which you do so will
be determined by the number of guests, the level
of formality, and your personal preference. |
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THE RECEIVING
LINE
The traditional way to welcome guests is with a
receiving line, formed either at the wedding site
just after the ceremony or at the reception location
as people arrive. A receiving line is most practical
if you have a large number of guests. |
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Whom to
Include
The shortest receiving line comprises, in this order,
the bride’s mother—who is historically the hostess,
and so stands at the head—the groom’s mother, the
bride, and the groom. Fathers often join the line,
although it is perfectly acceptable for them to
circulate among the crowd instead. If one dad joins
in, however, the other should too; each would follow
his wife in the line. |
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| The bride’s honor attendant,
sometimes followed by the bridesmaids, can also
line up, standing after the groom. Some couples
choose to include the best man—he would stand after
the bride’s honor attendant—but traditionally this
is the time he discharges some of his responsibilities,
thanking and paying the officiant on behalf of the
groom. That done, he joins the groomsmen to mingle
with the crowd. |
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Special
Situations
There’s no rule that says you can’t create your
own mix—you’ll just want to exercise a little flexibility
and tact about whom will be included and in what
order they will stand. Divorced parents, for example,
may present a situation that calls for sensitivity,
not only to family members but also to those moving
down the line. Even if all spouses are on good terms,
the guests may be confused as to who’s who. In this
case, some clever placement will make everyone more
comfortable—try having divorced parents stand on
either side of the newlyweds. If there are four
sets of parents, try alternating the bride’s and
groom’s families. Some couples avoid this scenario
altogether by sending all but the mothers of the
bride and groom out into the crowd to circulate. |
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| If one or more parents are
deceased and there are no stepparents, another close
relative can stand in—a grandmother or an aunt,
an uncle or a brother. If someone other than the
parents is hosting, such as the couple’s best friends
or the couple themselves, they may choose to be
at the head of the line instead. No matter what,
the best strategy is to discuss the plan ahead of
time with all the parties to prevent any confusion
or hurt feelings on your wedding day. |
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Receiving
Line Procession
Guests usually start with the bride’s mother (or
hostess), who greets them with a handshake or kiss
and a few words. In turn, the bride and groom thank
the guests for coming and make any necessary—and
brief—introductions to the others in the line. Brief
is the operative word, because a receiving line
can be slow going, particularly if it consists of
more than six members and the crowd is large. Wedding
experts say to expect about thirty to forty minutes
per two hundred guests. |
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| You can keep the festive mood
from stagnating, and keep everyone in good spirits,
by asking the caterer to have waiters circulate
with refreshments for guests while they’re waiting
their turn. You might want to ask that a table be
placed near the start of the line so people can
put their glasses down, freeing their hands. |
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