Emma's answers to Order for recieving line

Question

When greeting guests into the reception, who should be in the receiving line and in what order?

Answer

The receiving line can either take place as people arrive at the reception or as they make their way into the dining room if drinks are being served first.

The confettiquette section on our website states the following:

the receiving line

A formal receiving line is where the bride and groom line up with both sets of parents and greet each guest as they go to sit down for a meal. However, it can be just the couple that receives their guests. If both sets of parents are in the line, it is advisable to go through the guest list together before the day so that everyone is acquainted with the guest's names.
Traditionally the order of people in the line is as follows:


Bride's mother
Bride's father
Groom's mother
Groom's father
Bride
Groom
The bride's mother and father come first in the line, as traditionally they are the hosts, although this is not always the case nowadays.

If you have lots of guests attending the reception, it is wise to keep the receiving line as short as possible. Perhaps just you and your new husband can greet the guests, thus avoiding long queues.

Emma x