I saw this and thought “how lovely”. The idea came from a lovely wedding in America, after the meal and first dance, the Bride and Groom invited all the married couples to join them for a “Special Dance”. At the end of the dance they asked everyone who had been married less than 5, then 10 years to leave the floor. This continued until the last couple other than the Bride and Groom were on the dance floor. The other couple had been married for 62 years! and to honour this the Bride presented her bouquet to the Lady – who happened to be her Great Grandmother – How lovely is that and what a super way to include others and to honour Marriage!

Things to remember if you do want to have a receiving line:

• If you are having a Toastmaster he or she will announce the names of each guest if you wish to keep everything Formal.
• If you choose to be traditional, the line up is as follows: Brides Mother, Brides Father, Grooms Mother, Grooms Father, Bride, Groom, Best Man and lastly the Chief Bridesmaid
• Children are not usually included in the line up. However in second marriages it is quite nice for them to be included.
• An alternative could be: – Brides Mother, Brides Father, Bride, Groom, Grooms Father, Grooms Mother, Best Man and the Bridesmaids.
• When parents are divorced the new partners generally do not stand in a formal line up.
• If you prefer something less formal your Guests can file past one by one or in family groups, greeting you informally, without an announcement.

What if you don’t want a formal start to the reception?

Many couples opt for a much more relaxed “meet and greet” beginning to their married life. They greet their guests together as a married couple, briefly welcoming each of them to avoid long delays and lengthy queues.

You could circulate and mingle with your guests as they arrive, have a welcome drink or you could visit each table during breaks in the meal service. This is also a good time to ask them to sign your wedding guest book if you have one. Ask the best man or an usher to take care of this for you – sadly you will be surprised how many go astray! This also actually gives a perfect opportunity for informal / natural photographs to be taken for your album.

There are equally an abundance of traditions and superstitions about the Bride’s outfit. Even today it is considered unlucky for the Groom to see the dress before the wedding. It was thought unlucky to try on the veil and dress together beforehand, or to finish the dress before the big day. Even now some mothers of the Bride sew in a lucky silver charm, tied with blue ribbon, to ensure happiness on the wedding day.

The veil was originally made of a heavy fabric, so that the groom could not see his bride before he took his vows. This is believed to have dated back to arranged marriages where the groom might not like what he saw!

Shoes were very special in weddings long ago. The guests used to throw shoes at the happy couple as they left, if one hit either the Bride or her Groom they were sure to have a long and successful marriage. Now we tie old boots and shoes to the back of the going away cars to symbolize this.

It is also considered lucky for the Bride to have a silver sixpence stuck in her left shoe, and small silver shoes along with horseshoes were used as decorations, on wedding cakes to symbolise wealth and good fortune in the marriage.

The Dowry was a custom practiced by wealthy families who would pay an eligible Bachelor to take care of their Daughter. It was given on the understanding that he could keep the money or goods only if they remained married, if not – then it all had to be given back along with the Daughter. It was thought that the giving of a Dowry was the reason why the Bride’s parents traditionally pay for their Daughters wedding. Nowadays most families share the costs between them and the happy couple.

The richness of the wedding cake was a symbol of fertility. It is considered a sign of a fruitful marriage for the Bride and Groom to cut the first slice of their cake. It is still a tradition carried out today when they make the first cut into the cake. In days gone by the cake was broken over the head of the bride, enabling the guests to gather up lucky pieces from the floor. Single girls put a slice under their pillow to bring them good luck and a fruitful wedding. It is thought that the traditional tiered wedding cake was made to resemble the spire on St Bride’s church in London.

The choice of the wedding date was very important in ancient times as May was thought to be unlucky, where as June was said to be a certainty of happiness because the month was named after Juno, the goddess of love and marriage.

Summer months were thought to be good as the land was at its most fertile, and the warm summer sun brought the crops to maturity and on to Harvest. The sun was thought to be a huge blessing, especially in Scotland where it was said that the Bride walked with the sun on the southern side of the church to gain its power and wisdom. By contrast, some people now believe it to be lucky if it rains on your wedding day! Some think that God is giving his blessing, just like the pouring of water at a Christening.

Whatever you believe is fine – it’s your day just enjoy it!