The saying is true: Your wedding day will fly by and will be over before you know it. All of your guests will want at least a few minutes of your time during your reception – your wedding planner will occasionally steal you away from conversations to keep the event flowing and make sure everything happens that is intended to happen in the timeline. When contemplating how you will handle greeting all of your guests at your wedding, know that there are a few different choices you have to ensure everyone has a chance to briefly spend a few moments with you.

Option 1 – Traditional receiving line after the Ceremony:
This is the most efficient and quickest way to ensure that you greet everyone and thank them for attending your wedding. Typically the bride and groom, as well as their parents, will stand in a line immediately after the Ceremony in the lobby area of the Ceremony site – and all of the guests line up and offer hugs, kisses and congratulations to the happy couple and their family. The standing order is typically the bride’s parents first (if they host the wedding), bride and groom, and finally groom’s parents. If grandparents are able to stand for a long period of time, they could also be included. The bridal party can be included in the receiving line as well; however it can be awkward for guests who do not know them. A traditional receiving line is considered ‘etiquette’ if your guest list is over 50 guests.

Option 2 – Dismiss individual rows from the Ceremony:
This works similar to the receiving line, except that it is not a very quick process. Everyone remains seated until the bride and groom release their row. Guests tend to become restless, waiting for their row to be excused, if you have a large number of guests attending. This option would work best for a small wedding.

Option 3 – Greet guests at their tables during dinner:
Greeting guests while they are seated during dinner is my favorite option. This is a less formal option than the traditional receiving line, and while conversations must be brief, the bride and groom still have the opportunity to greet everyone. Something fun to incorporate is to have the Photographer follow the bride and groom around to each table to take a photo of the bride and groom with each table. Then they will have a permanent memory of each person that attended their wedding.

Option 4 – Mingle around the reception during the cocktail hour:
Mingling works best for a small group of guests, not a large group – otherwise it is very possible that some of your guests will never be greeted. You will need to keep conversations short and be prepared to let guests know that you need to visit with others. This process can be a bit more stressful than the others since it is possible that you may not be able to visit with everyone.

…Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and a Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe

I’ve always wondered about what this well-known phrase actually means. After doing some research, I thought I’d share with you what I learned.
 
Historically, this phrase likely began in the Victorian era. Each item represents a good-luck token for the bride to carry with her on her wedding day.
 
‘Something Old’ – is symbolic of continuity with the bride’s family and their past. It could be something like carrying an heirloom handkerchief, wearing your grandmother’s pearls, or carrying a silk flower bouquet that has been carried by brides in your family for generations.
 
‘Something New’ – symbolizes hope and optimism for a good future. You could buy new shoes, a new dress, new jewelry, a beautiful new hair clip…I think you get the picture.
 
‘Something Borrowed’ – is an item borrowed from a happily married family member or friend, and represents good fortune being passed along to you. It also is representative of the bond between the bride and her family and friends. Items you could borrow are numerous, but could include your mother’s wedding gown, your best friend’s diamond stud earrings, or even your sister’s strappy glam shoes.
 
‘Something Blue’ – signifies love, modesty, fidelity and purity. Ideas of something blue could be a blue garter, a blue sash on your dress, blue lacy panties or even painting your toenails a light blue color.
 
‘Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe’ – represents wealth and financial security. Sixpence coins are made of silver and are worth six pennies – originally minted in Britain from 1551 to 1967. Modern day tradition is to use a dime or copper penny, although you can find keepsake sixpences for weddings online.