Photo of the Week - the Receiving Line

Weddings Redefined

Stories and advice from Bernadette Smith, visionary owner of 14 Stories, the nation's first firm specializing in creating legal LGBT weddings. Our weddings are unique, personal, beautiful and still, historical. We have offices in Boston and New York.

Photo of the Week - the Receiving Line

Bernadette Coveney Smith - Friday, October 16, 2009

I should tell you that gay weddings almost never have receiving lines. In fact, I urge my clients to disappear somewhere secret for a few minutes after the recessional to avoid an accidental receiving line.

These 2004 brides wanted to greet their guests so immediately after the recessional, they headed into the Cambridge Multicultural Arts Center (following the ceremony in the courtyard) and waited on the steps for guests to slowly follow. There was no bottleneck, no prolonged greetings - and it was quick and painless - just the brides welcoming guests to their party.

Inside awaited cocktails, tea, wedding cake, mini sandwiches and live jazz. That was just the beginning. 90 minutes later trolleys swooped all their guests up and off to the real reception at the Harvard Fogg Museum.