Not inviting kids to wedding rehearsal

k&t2011

We are getting married at our local courthouse (I am a lawyer, it is a historical building).  We have to have the wedding rehearsal during normal business hours of the courthouse - Friday afternoon at 4:00. Since it is during business hours, I would like for people not to bring their children with them to the rehearsal.  I know you "can't" say no children on the invite, but can I say it on the invite for the rehearsal?  There are no kids in the wedding. 

mica178

Are you sending out formal invitations to the rehearsal?  You shouldn't write who's not invited on invitations.  Many brides give rehearsal information by word of mouth or email, so if your MOH was thinking about bringing little Johnny along, hopefully she'd ask and you can tell her.  For the rehearsal dinner, I'd address everything clearly just to the people invited so that they know who's supposed to show up.

k&t2011

I was either going to send an email to those involved in the wedding or an evite.  My parents are in charge of the rehearsal dinner and they are sending out formal invites (however more people are invited to the rehearsal dinner than the rehearsal). 

lazydayz2003

On my RSVP's I made sure to add at the bottom "Adults Only Please". No one has seem to minded or has gotten offended that I know of.

GeauxTigers17

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_not-inviting-kids-wedding-rehearsal?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:17046156-e8df-425f-83e2-ccb867c080fePost:c2c306bb-16c4-4012-a945-b13deb3c5a96">Re: Not inviting kids to wedding rehearsal</a>:
[QUOTE]On my RSVP's I made sure to add at the bottom "Adults Only Please". No one has seem to minded or has gotten offended that I know of.
Posted by lazydayz2003[/QUOTE]

I think it far more likely that those offended were too polite to point it out to you. I've received rude invitations that included registry poems, or cards listing the stores (complete with store logo!) and I have never once said a word to the couple. First, it is too late to correct it, so there is no reason to embarrass them, and second, it is rude to point out another's rudeness.

mica178

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_not-inviting-kids-wedding-rehearsal?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:17046156-e8df-425f-83e2-ccb867c080fePost:c2c306bb-16c4-4012-a945-b13deb3c5a96">Re: Not inviting kids to wedding rehearsal</a>:
[QUOTE]On my RSVP's I made sure to add at the bottom "Adults Only Please". No one has seem to minded or has gotten offended that I know of.
Posted by lazydayz2003[/QUOTE]

OP, please don't follow this advice.  Invitations should only mention who is invited, not who is not.  Even when we commit etiquette faux pas, polite guest will usually not call us out on them, but it does not mean that they weren't offended.

kgettingmarried

Instead of just not inviting kids, can you arrange someone or someones to provide babysitting during the event?  Do you have any single friends or sisters/girlfriends/teenagers in your neighborhood who you could pay to babysit for the duration of the event?  You can get two teenagers for like $10/hour to babysit 4-10 kids.

People will appreciate this!!!