Things to consider when you are going to have children at your wedding

There are many questions around this topic. How many children should I invite? How can they be part of the ceremony? Do I need a special area or activities for children? What if I want an adults-only wedding? Should I write it on the envelopes?

If you are making the guest list for your wedding and realize that most of your family have children, you should start thinking about inviting them if you want your family to attend the wedding, most people understand when it is not allowed take children to weddings, but if they don’t agree or simply don’t have someone to take care of them. It is likely that your guests will not attend your special day.

In any case, it’s your wedding, your rules. If you don’t want children at your wedding, just try to send out the invitations in advance, you must be very clear about who is invited to the reception so that the parents do not get confused.

Topic to discuss about Children at my wedding day (reception and ceremony)

1.1. Why have children at my wedding?

1.2. How can you include children at your wedding ceremony?

1.3. Ways to includes kids at your wedding ceremony

2.1. Where can we seat the children at the wedding reception?

2.2. What kind of activities or attractions should I have for children at my wedding? Should I invest money in this task?

2.3. Some ideas to add if you have more than 10 children at your wedding reception

2.4. Should I have a special children’s menu for children at my wedding?

3.1. What if you want an Adult-only-wedding? What do I have to do? How can I tell my loved ones that they are not allowed to bring their kids?

3.2.  Why not have children at my wedding?

1.1. Why have children at my wedding?

Children are light, they represent new life, joy and give the environment something special and magical, especially when they are part of the ceremony, with their innocence they make you and all your guests fall in love. It is also easier for your guests to take their children to the wedding.

1.2. How can you include children at your wedding ceremony?

You might have a little cousin, nephew or any child in your family that you would love to include on your wedding day. You may know about flower girl or ring bearer boy, they are the most common and they really make your ceremony different and special. But you are wondering what else they can do or if you can add more kids on your list.

1.3. Ways to includes kids at your wedding ceremony:

• Could be 2 flower girls, that way it will be easy for them and more comfortable to walk down the aisle. Ages recommend for this task is between 3 – 8 years old 
• Make a choreography with them, something really simple that you can mix with different ages and give your guest a performance.
• Have two ring bearer boys to bring the rings to the a
• Assign responsibilities to the older kids like help you with your veil when you are walking down the aisle 
• Ask them for their opinions when you are choosing the pictures that you would like to put in your memory table, that way they will feel part of your wedding.

2.1. Where can we seat the children at the wedding reception?

If the children are between 8 and 15 years old, you can seat them at a separate table, only for children. But for children under 8 years of age I recommend that they sit next to their parents, so it will be easy for them to help them or simply be with their children, also if any of the children during dinner, speeches or other special moments feel bad, the child is bored or crying their parents can do something like take them outside, and you don’t have to worry that the child will ruin your video with a crying child in the background in addition to the special moment. 

Most people sit kids with their parents because even when kids make friends so fast, if they don’t know each other, parents sometimes don’t agree with it. So when you list children, make sure to ask their parents or see if they have any connections or relatives.

2.2. What kind of activities or attractions should I have for children at my wedding? Should I invest money in this task?

   If you have the possibility in your budget to hire a children’s entertainment, making a space or room for children next to the reception is smart, the parents will be very grateful to you. But we know that weddings are very expensive and maybe you were not thinking of that.

I recommend that you hire a children’s entertainment if you have more than 10 children. Think about how they’re going to get bored, running around the tables, accidentally fall over or knock someone else over (we don’t want to see a waitress fall over with food or drinks), so having something to keep them busy will be great for you and your guests. Even when their parents should be there to calm them down, you want them to enjoy the party with you, so there are plenty of things you can add for the kids and make sure you all have a good time.

2.3. Some ideas to add if you have more than 10 children at your wedding reception:

• If your wedding is outdoors, you can rent a bouncy castle.
• Children’s
•  entertainment company (one person for every 10 children)
• Little girls painting babies’ faces
• Event Babysitter (You have to hire a person
•  from a special company, that way you have a reference and someone to call if something happens)
• You can even make a space in the same reception where they can play or paint.
• Room with TV for watch movies 
• Babies loves bubbles activities

2.4. Should I have a special children’s menu for children at my wedding?

Definitely YES, the children’s menu is usually half the price of an adult menu, so it’s a great idea to have your wedding planner or yourself talk to the vendor/caterer to add a children’s menu, that way the children will enjoy dinner and leave their parents eating too. You don’t need to add anything else on children’s food besides water, lemonade or soda. However, the candy table is a favorite place for children and is something that everyone enjoys as well as a wedding cake.

Ideas for Children’s Menu:

• Chicken Fingers
• Macaroni and cheese
• Veggie
• Fruits
• Sodas, lemonade, water, juices, etc.

3.1. What if you want an Adult-only-wedding? What do I have to do? How can I tell my loved ones that they are not allowed to bring their kids? 

It’s completely fine if you don’t want kids at your wedding, as I said before “Your wedding, your rules”, also I know having kids involves another task on your list, more money, etc. So if you think having kids at your wedding which it’s a space you consider is not for children because there will be alcohol, aloud music, and other kinds of stuff that you would not like to share with children is OKAY!

Having kids at weddings if you or your wedding planner don’t have good ideas to keep them busy, they can really make your wedding a disaster, they can start crying in the middle of your ceremony, they can drop drinks or food off, things that are accidentally but anyway will ruin your special day. 

So, what you can do is send out your invitations in advance (1 months before of the normal time for those who are parents) or call them before to explain them that you are not going to allowed kids at your wedding (you do not really explain why), it will be so kind of you to do that because you will show them your interest for them to attend your wedding. Be clear on your envelopes and just write down the names of the people you are inviting, some parents don’t think their kids are not inviting to the wedding and probably they assume they can bring them. Also you can add a phrase like “Guest Number:” or “Our wedding is Adult-only-wedding”, etc.

3.2. Why not have children at my wedding?

Even when children are magical, they are still children too, which means they will be running around, some of them bored and trying to get attention, plus it’s a late party, so children need to go to sleep early and make their parents go away. Sometimes, if the couple is thinking about having a few drinks, games that involve sensual dances or just adult conversation can be a bit strange and inappropriate for them.