[Untraditional Bride]

Hello!
My fiance' and I are hosting an nontraditional wedding. One of the things we want to do is greet our guests before the ceremony. We do not like the idea of a receiving line and would probably have very little time to eat if we visited with all of them during the reception. Ideally guests would come in, sign the book, talk with us for a few minutes, then be seated by the ushers. Do you have any good suggestions on how to transition into the ceremony? I feel that if we just disappeared 5 minutes before the ceremony started then we might miss some of our guests...

[Nancy Tucker]

Greeting your guests prior to the ceremoney is a great idea in theory, however, it would be so disruptive and would cause disorganization. That impression at the beginning of your ceremony could very well create a lengthy delay. Also the clery may not allow this. What many couples are doing now is greeting and releasing the guests after the ceremony as they leave their seats. This will also require additional time which you should be sure to ask for permission from the clergy and of course, let the photographer know this ahead of time. Enjoy.

[Etiquette Now]

I agree. While there is nothing "etiquette-ly" incorrect with this, it just might be awkward for your guests. Of course, the wedding would have to be very informal as well.