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Monica
Dedicated June 2018

Table visits

Monica, on June 8, 2018 at 10:51 AM Posted in Etiquette and Advice 0 21

I was just looking at another brides BAM (sorry I didn't write down her name, but if she sees this post thanks for your advice because it was awesome). and she said to not stop and hug everyone during table visits and to just stop and thank each table without staying too long.

I really like this plan, but I'm not sure if my guests will already plan on getting up to hug me (1. I'm not a hugger and 2. we only have 2 minutes per table if we want to get to all of the tables).

Any ideas on how to quickly execute table visits: what to say, how to avoid hugging and how to escape the chatter boxes?


I won't care if someone hugs me, I just don't want to end up hugging every single person at every single table if I can avoid it, but if I can't avoid it it's not a big deal

21 Comments

Latest activity by ThePeoplesBride, on June 10, 2018 at 12:03 PM
  • Erika
    Devoted August 2018
    Erika ·
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    Following!!!

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  • FutureMrsS
    Expert October 2018
    FutureMrsS ·
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    I guess I don't understand....Why do you not want to hug/talk to everyone? I understand not liking hugs, but I have never thought about having to schedule time at tables? I would just say to try to relax and try not to think about it too much. Just enjoy yourself and if you want to stay and talk to a table a little longer, than just do it and enjoy yourself. If you have a wedding coordinator she should be able to come and get you if it's time for something.

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  • Bride107
    Expert October 2018
    Bride107 ·
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    Following! right, and so many times people hugged me and got makeup on me or vice versa. some might want to take pics. I would thank them and asked to be excused?

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  • OG Kathryn
    Champion May 2016
    OG Kathryn ·
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    You're stressing for no reason. Just go with it. There is no way to stop people from hugging you. It wasnt that bad and I hate being hugged.

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  • emcknight1517
    Super April 2018
    emcknight1517 ·
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    This is what we did as well. I think it depends on the structure of your wedding. We had a first look which allowed us to go to the last half hour of the cocktail hour. We mingled and said thank you to as many people as possible in those last 30 minutes. Cocktail hour was when we got the most hugs. (It's your wedding, you're going to get them.) Then we passed by each table (11 tables) to say hi after our dinner plates were being cleaned up. People said their congratulations, we chatted briefly, and then moved on. Guests tend to know that the bride/groom are busy and can't have a long chat with everyone. Also because they're sitting already they feel less inclined to stand up to hug you. During the night we went back to those who wanted to talk more.

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  • Monica
    Dedicated June 2018
    Monica ·
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    The point of this post wasn't the hugging thing, I already said I don't' care if someone hugs me, it was more about making timely visits and just a general plan for how to properly execute table visits since we only have like a 40 minute window where people are at their tables.

    As mentioned, the bride in her BAM said that hugging everyone made her table visits take way to long and then realized it halfway through their visits.

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  • Sara P.
    VIP October 2018
    Sara P. ·
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    I went to a wedding where the photographer followed the couple around to table visits. The photographer moved them along nicely. A DOC can do this as well. Don't worry about this at all. Let someone else worry about it.
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  • DC Wife 10.27.18
    Master October 2018
    DC Wife 10.27.18 ·
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    I agree with this. We are doing a cocktail style/lounge wedding reception where people will be moving and mingling the entire time. We'll just be greeting people as we see them. Our DOC will make sure we don't get stuck. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

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  • FutureMrsKC
    Master January 2019
    FutureMrsKC ·
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    My friend did something similar, and she had round tables so what she did to avoid hugs was she kept walking. Slowly walk around the table in a circle, make eye contact with everyone (this sounds creepy but it really wasnt while it was happening!) maybe touch their chair or something and as long as you don't stop for too long people won't hold you up or hug you. As long as you stop and thank everyone and looking at everyone individually that should be fine.

    We have a lot of tables and people so our DOC will have our food ready to go for us after the first dance, we will immediately sit down and enjoy dinner. Once we finish eating, everyone else will still be eating and we will make rounds. If we don't get to every table during dinner we plan to talk to or thank everyone as we are out on the dance floor and what not. People dont care if you talk to them during dinner as long as you talk to them at some point.

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  • Emma
    Just Said Yes October 2019
    Emma ·
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    One dj we talked to suggested making it fun but fast by trying to get through it before the theme song of friends (or similar type of song) or two songs depending on size of room/amount of people ect.,completed would make an announcement so everyone would know what was going on, and that you could coordinate with the photographer so they knew. I don't know I felt about it personally, but it was an unique idea to get through it in a timely manner.
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  • M
    Dedicated June 2018
    Melissa ·
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    So we had 11 tables we literally stopped at each one said you know hey guys! Thank you so much for coming ‘ asked how their food was and sfuff if they get up to take a picture or a hug obviously yes but we finished in like shoot 25 minutes or less. And it was fine because then we started first dances and everything and got straight to the dancing that everyone was waiting for
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  • Mrs. Fall Bride
    Master October 2016
    Mrs. Fall Bride ·
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    Nope, unavoidable. Almost every person stood up to hug us when we visited their tables. But honestly isn't that what a wedding is all about? Sharing the love with family and friends? If you don't want to hug your honored guests on your wedding day, why even invite them?

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  • Monica
    Dedicated June 2018
    Monica ·
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    Once again not about the hugging, was just asking for time purposes. Thanks Future MrsKC good tips there!

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  • PrincessLawrence
    VIP June 2018
    PrincessLawrence ·
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    I think I am just going to go with the flow. We will eat dinner quickly and then walk. We know when we want dances to start so we will make sure someone is watching the time.

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  • WED18
    July 1993
    WED18 ·
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    Some tips to make sure you visit all your guests:

    Invite OOT guests to your RD

    Receiving line if your ceremony is in a church

    First look so you can attend all or some of your cocktail hour

    Tables visits - never seen every.single.guest stand to hug the couple - just stop by and say a quick thanks for coming and keep it moving along

    Party on the dance floor with your friends and family!




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  • Kimberly
    Expert May 2018
    Kimberly ·
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    My husband and I can both naturally work a room if you know what I mean. So we didn’t do any formal visits but found a way to have special moments with everyone. Some were on the dance floor, some at the bar, some came to us at our table, some was visiting tables. Some people wanted to share words of wisdom, commented on how much they were enjoying the wedding, give congratulations, hug, chat, dance, take a picture, etc. In the end I felt like we spent an appropriate amount of time with our guests, not too much, not too little.
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  • C
    Devoted November 2023
    Crystal ·
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    Maybe because different people have reasons why they don't want to be touched. To think that you have the right to hug someone just because you want to is rude.
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  • AmandaJHGV
    Devoted October 2017
    AmandaJHGV ·
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    Ask your photographer to be the "bad guy" for you. Have him/her follow you from table to table and get a snap (not an "everybody stand up and pose" but just candids) of you with each group and ask them to keep an eye on the time for you. After every 2 minutes your photographer's job will be to interrupt the hugging orgy with a verbal reminder that you and your honey need to keep moving if you're going to get to everyone. That's when you get to say "Oh, I'm so sorry, we do have to keep moving, but we'll see you on the dance floor!" and scoot right along.

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  • AF412
    Devoted March 2019
    AF412 ·
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    A coworker of mine just got married a few months ago. They had a Buffett dinner. They stood at the beginning of the Buffett line, chatting with people and giving out hugs while guests waited in the line. It really worked out well. They had to keep the line moving so nobody lingered for too long. And they were able to make sure they talked to every single guest.
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  • Nicole
    Dedicated May 2018
    Nicole ·
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    We went around during dinner and not one single person tried to hug us. We brought our photographer and smiled for a picture, said thank you for coming etc and moved on. Took maybe 1 minute per table, and then I went back to people who I wanted to speak to more after dinner.

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