One of the most discussed topics when planning a wedding is having kids in attendance. Weddings are celebrations of families coming together, and sometimes kids are part of that equation. Kids can bring a sense of fun and excitement to the wedding day, but can also add a bit of stress when planning for the extra chaos and cost of having them attend. Whatever you decide will require intentional planning and communication with everyone involved.
Consider the tone of the wedding, as well as the timing of the ceremony and reception
Is your wedding a black-tie affair, or will it be a more casual atmosphere? Will the ceremony start earlier in the day, or will it be an evening affair? We have found that most weddings happening in the daytime or late afternoon tend to be a bit more kid-friendly. Most of our evening weddings are a little more on the formal side and tend to not have much for kids to do, and they get bored easily.
Decide your guest list
Kids allowed
For our family friendly weddings, having kids attend just brings excitement and wonder to the day. Make it clear that parents are responsible for their children at all times, and that kids cannot be anywhere unsupervised. You do not want anything to happen that could cause you to lose your damage deposit.
One thing to be very aware of is that kids can cause distractions and disruptions that could happen at any time. Be prepared to pause during your ceremony for a crying baby, or during your speeches due to kids running around. For weddings with kids allowed, the key word is patience. Consider setting up a kid zone to keep them busy during important moments throughout the wedding.
There are professional services that can come to the venue and supervise the kids so the parents can enjoy the evening. Black-Tie Babysitting offers this service and they do a wonderful job! Some ways to word this on your invitation or wedding website could be:
- Kids are welcome! We will also have on-site childcare for those who want to enjoy the party!
- Children are welcome at our wedding. There will be a kids zone of activities to keep them occupied.
Specific kids allowed
You have several nieces and nephews on both sides of the family, and want them included on your big day. Or you have your own children and want them a part of your day. Whatever you decide, be sure to communicate this as kindly as possible on your wedding website, so as to avoid hurt feelings. Some ways to work this on your invitation or wedding website could be:
- Children of immediate family only.
- Children in the wedding party only.
Adults only
While this is pretty self-explanatory, you might have some guests decline due to lack of childcare. You could offer to have off-site babysitting for those out-of-town guests with children, or those who can’t find their own childcare. Some ways to word this on your invitation or wedding website could be:
- There will be an adult-only (21+) reception to follow.
- We politely request no children attend the ceremony and reception. Thank you in advance for understanding.
- We hope you’ll join us at an adults-only reception that will immediately follow the ceremony.
No matter your decision, be sure to communicate it clearly and effectively to your guests. The sooner they know this information, the better prepared your guests will be when it comes time to RSVP for your wedding.