Planning a wedding is stressful enough, and then you have to consider the sensitive and awkward topic in regard to your guest list: kids or no kids?
As a couple, it’s not an easy question to answer but it’s inevitable. While you may not want to offend any of your guests by having an adults-only wedding, there can be challenges with having a family-friendly event, so it’s important to consider all factors including your preference, the venue’s comfortable count vs maximum capacity, how many close friends and/or out-of-town guests have little ones and more.
Whether you choose to have children at your wedding or not, here are some tips to make your decision a smooth one.
Kid-Friendly Wedding
If you decide to include kids, consider including one or more of the below items at your wedding:
Table Activities
A fun pack of coloring sheets, puzzles, stickers or other items like this at the child’s place setting will help keep them entertained during your reception.
Children’s Menu
Work with your caterer to have one or two simple, kid-friendly meals as options for children to eat during the reception. Adults will appreciate your multiple-course menu, but kids will be more interested in chicken fingers, fries and mac & cheese.
Childcare
Whether it’s for the ceremony or reception or both, hiring childcare to watch a collective group of kids will keep them busy and you stress-free.
Entertainment
Along with childcare, it may be worth it to hire an entertainer, like a magician or balloon artist, to keep them occupied during your wedding.
Kid-Free Wedding
If you decide to not include kids, consider communicating one or more of the following to your guests:
Properly Word Invitations
Make sure to address the invitations to exactly those who are invited. For example, Mr. & Mrs. Smith implies two adults are invited to the wedding, whereas The Smith Family implies that the whole family is welcome.
Carefully Use ‘Adults-Only’
It’s not polite to print adults-only on your invitations, but it is appropriate and encouraged to mention it on your wedding website. It’s also recommended to have your family, wedding party and close friends spread the word to other guests, so they have ample time to figure out their childcare options.
Keep Explanations Brief
Some guests may question why kids are not invited to your wedding, which can be awkward. Avoid feeling the need to over-explain—it is your wedding at the end of the day and you can do as you please—so keep the reasons short and simple. One of the best reasons is there’s a guest limit or venue constraints. Just remember you don’t need to give a lengthy explanation.
In any case, make sure to communicate to your guests what the kid policy is and do it with tact.
Wednesday, June 30, 2021
