Lyla Dejesus
Planning a wedding is a complex affair, with many factors to consider. One such factor is whether or not to invite children. There are valid arguments for both options, and it is a contentious issue that can upset friends and family. Some believe that kids add a certain magic to the atmosphere, while others feel they can be a distraction and a source of disruption. Ultimately, it is the couple's decision, and there are ways to accommodate and entertain children if they are invited. This can include hiring a children's entertainer, setting up a craft corner, providing busy bags, or creating a kids-only table.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Inviting kids to a wedding | It is acceptable to have an adults-only wedding, but kids can add a certain magic to the atmosphere. |
| Communicating about kids | It is best to be direct and honest about whether kids are invited. It is also important to address wedding invitations properly. |
| Keeping kids entertained | Options include hiring a children's entertainer, setting up a craft corner, providing busy bags or coloring books, creating a kids-only table, or having a photo booth. |
| Childcare at weddings | Hiring wedding nannies or creche services can be a good option to ensure kids are safe and entertained, and can also enable guests who are parents to attend. |
| Kids' meals | It is expected that the wedding hosts provide dinner for each guest, including children. A simple menu for kids can be offered, and they can be seated at a separate table. |
| Wedding timing | Daytime weddings are more suitable for kids, while evening weddings may be too late for little ones. |
| Wedding location | Choosing a location with outdoor space, such as a country park, can provide a play area for kids. |
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Daytime wedding
Keeping children entertained at a daytime wedding can be challenging, but with some creative ideas and preparation, it can be done. Here are some tips to make your daytime wedding a success for your little guests:
Separate Space for Kids
Consider setting up a separate space for the children, especially during the ceremony. This can help prevent kids from getting bored and seeking attention by talking, crying, or running around during the more solemn parts of the wedding. The separate space can be in a room or outdoors, where they can play and make some noise without disrupting the wedding proceedings.
Babysitters or Childminders
Hiring babysitters or childminders to supervise the kids is an excellent way to ensure the children's safety and entertainment. This allows parents to relax and be mentally present at the wedding without constantly worrying about their little ones. You can hire professional services or ask responsible guests or older children to help out.
Goody Bags and Activity Packs
Prepare goody bags filled with age-appropriate treats, toys, and activities. These can include colouring books, crayons, stickers, small toys like toy planes or cars, sunglasses, playdough, and more. These bags can keep kids entertained throughout the wedding, from the ceremony to the reception.
Outdoor Games and Activities
If your venue has a garden or outdoor area, take advantage of the space by setting up some old-school outdoor games and activities. Giant Jenga, Connect 4, and Twister are excellent options that are both fun and budget-friendly. These games can be enjoyed by kids and adults alike, creating a playful atmosphere for all your guests.
Crafts and Creativity
Set up a mini arts and crafts area with pots of crayons, stickers, pipe cleaners, playdough, and other craft supplies. Wedding-themed crafts like decorating a cake, designing wedding dresses, or making cards for the newlyweds will keep kids engaged and creative. They can also make DIY masks for a fun photo booth experience.
Movies and Quiet Areas
Create a quiet area with comfortable pillows, bean bags, and chairs, where kids can relax and watch movies. This is especially beneficial for children with sensory issues who might find the crowds and noise overwhelming. You can even provide mini bags of popcorn to complete the movie-watching experience.
By implementing these ideas, you can ensure that your daytime wedding is enjoyable for both the children and their parents, creating a memorable and fun-filled celebration for all.
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Childcare options
Hiring Nannies or Creche Services
Hiring wedding nannies or creche services is a popular option for weddings with lots of children. These professionals can supervise and entertain the kids, allowing the wedding party and guests to relax and enjoy the celebrations. Creche services often provide activities such as art and craft, games, DVDs, and video games to keep children occupied. They can also provide sleep cots for tired little ones.
Separate Kids' Area
Designating a separate area for children can be a great way to keep them entertained and contained. This could be a kids' table, a craft corner with paper, crayons, and pens, or even a mobile creche bus, if your budget allows. You can also set up a photo booth, which is sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike!
Hiring Entertainers
Consider hiring children's entertainers such as magicians, face painters, or storytellers. You could also organise activities like a bouncy castle or a disco to keep the kids active and engaged.
Timing and Food
The timing of your wedding and food service can also impact the experience for children. A daytime wedding with food served around 6 pm can be more family-friendly. You can also provide a simple, child-friendly menu and seat children at a separate table supervised by teenagers or caregivers.
Busy Bags and Activities
Prepare "busy bags" filled with colouring books, disposable cameras, small toys, or other age-appropriate activities to keep kids occupied during the ceremony and any waiting periods. These can be purchased or personalised and given as wedding favours.
Remember, the key is to ensure that both the children and their parents are comfortable and able to enjoy the wedding celebrations. By providing a range of childcare options and activities, you can create a fun and inclusive atmosphere for all your guests, big and small!
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Child-friendly food
When it comes to feeding lots of kids at your wedding, it's a good idea to provide a separate children's menu with familiar, kid-friendly foods. This will ensure that the children are content and full, and it will be appreciated by parents, too.
Presentation and Place Settings
To elevate the children's dining experience, you could use the same fancy place settings as the adults, including matching plates, flatware, and napkins. This will make the children feel grown-up, while still allowing them to enjoy fun, child-friendly food.
Finger Foods
Finger foods are a great option for kids at weddings. They are easy to serve and eat, and can be made to look elegant. Some options include:
- Chicken nuggets
- Mini grilled cheese sandwiches
- French fries
- Fresh fruit
- Mini cheeseburger sliders
- Mini grilled cheese with a cup of soup
- Macaroni and cheese ball bites
- Mini pancakes or blinis with caviar
- Crispy chicken goujons with triple-cooked chips and tomato sauce
- Mini lasagne
- Veggie sticks with hummus or ranch dip
- Fruit kebabs on a soft bamboo stick
- Cheese and crackers
Allergies and Dietary Requirements
It's important to consider any allergies or dietary requirements when planning a children's menu. Listing the ingredients on all items served to kids can help parents feel at ease and avoid any potential issues.
Desserts
Kids will love the option of desserts at a wedding, but it's a good idea to provide low-sugar and less messy options. Bite-sized cookies, mini cupcakes, chocolate-covered strawberries, and marshmallow bites are all fun and elegant choices.
Drinks
To avoid spills, consider providing reusable cups with secure caps that match your wedding style. Fruit juices, water, and sodas are often favoured by children, and you could add straws and labels to each cup to prevent spills and mixing.
Activity Packs
To keep kids entertained throughout the meal, you could provide activity packs with colouring books, puzzles, and even small toys. This will ensure they remain occupied and happy during the speeches and other adult-focused parts of the wedding.
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Entertainment
If you're looking for ways to keep children entertained at a wedding, there are plenty of options to choose from. Here are some ideas to keep kids of all ages happy and occupied:
Pre-Wedding Activities
Before the ceremony even begins, there are ways to engage the younger guests. Welcome activity bags can be prepared for children, including custom colouring books, crayons, and kid-friendly treats. These can also be turned into goody bags with age-appropriate toys, retro goodies, and activity packs.
Outdoor Games
If the wedding venue has a garden or outdoor space, take advantage of it by setting up some old-school outdoor games. Giant versions of Jenga, Connect 4, and Twister are fun for kids and adults alike. Sack races are another classic option that's easy to organise. For something more relaxed, a kids' picnic within view of their parents can be a nice way to keep them occupied.
Indoor Activities
For indoor entertainment, set up a kids' room or station filled with dress-up outfits and props. Toys like building blocks or Lego are great for keeping younger children busy. For older kids, crafts and colouring sheets can be provided, or even wedding-themed activities like designing a wedding dress or making cards for the newlyweds.
Food and Snacks
Food is always a great way to keep kids happy. In addition to a kid-friendly menu, treats like popcorn, cookies and milk, and pre-scooped ice cream cones can be served throughout the event. For a fun activity, consider setting up an ice cream station where kids can create their own flavour combinations.
Professional Entertainment
If your budget allows, hiring professional children's entertainers like magicians, clowns, or balloon modellers can be a great option. Alternatively, companies like Toy Box Tots offer boxes of themed books, toys, and activities for rent.
Childcare
Finally, consider the option of hiring babysitters or childminders to supervise and entertain the children. This can be especially helpful during the ceremony and more adult-oriented portions of the event, ensuring that both kids and parents can enjoy the wedding without worry.
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Invitations
If you're planning to have children at your wedding, it's important to be clear about this on your invitations. This will help to avoid any confusion or upset later on. The traditional way to indicate that children are invited is to include their names on the invitation. If your invitation has both an outer and inner envelope, the child's parents' names should be written on the outer envelope, and the child's name should be written beneath the parents' names on the inner envelope.
If you are inviting children from some families but not others, it's best to make your rule clear and stick to it. For example, you might decide to only invite the children of immediate family members. In this case, you should invite all the children of the immediate families of both people getting married. Make it clear on the invitation which children are invited by writing their names on the inner envelope.
If you are inviting children to the wedding, it is customary to also invite them to the reception. However, some parents may prefer to treat the reception as an evening out without their children. Consider asking the parents whether they would like their children included in the reception festivities. If you are having a purely adult reception, it is polite to at least invite the flower girl and ring bearer to the cocktail hour and offer to find them babysitters for the rest of the night.
If you would prefer not to have children at your wedding, it's important to be direct and honest. You could include two layers of communication on the invitation. Start by only putting the couple's names on the outer envelope. Then, on any inclusions in your invitation, such as a reception card, you can specifically note 'Adults-Only Reception' or 'Our wedding is adult-only, thank you'. You could also include a part under the FAQ section of your wedding website that addresses your decision.
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Frequently asked questions
It's best to be direct and honest. You could include an adults-only announcement on your wedding website and address your wedding invitations properly. Only put the couple's name on the outer envelope, and if you have any inclusions in your invitation, such as a reception card, you can specifically note 'Adults-Only Reception' or 'Our wedding is adult-only, thank you'.
There are many ways to keep kids entertained at weddings, such as hiring a children's entertainer like a magician, face painter or storyteller, setting up a craft corner with paper, crayons and pens, or providing busy bags with colouring books and disposable cameras. You could also have a separate kids' table or dance floor, or hire a mobile creche.
It's a contentious issue, and opinions vary. Some people think kids add a certain magic to the atmosphere, while others feel they can be distracting and rowdy. Ultimately, it's your wedding and your rules, so do what is right for your wedding, taking into account your budget, venue capacity and the potential to upset friends and family.
Wedding nannies or creche services can free up the bride, groom and guests to enjoy the day without worrying about the children. They can also enable guests who might not otherwise be able to attend to come to the wedding, and alleviate stress for everyone, ensuring the day runs more smoothly.
