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children and the reception HELP!!

sewdrs10sewdrs10 member
10 Comments
in Wedding Reception Forum
So alot of people we are inviting to the wedding have children and i am trying to figure out how to help so they won't leave the reception early

i thought about hiring a babysitter but i'm sure alot of them would not want to leave their children with a "stranger" and i don't want to hire one and then nobody use them 

my FI said it's their problem not ours but i just want everyone to be able to have a good time it's not that i don't want children at the reception i just know they won't be able to stay because of bedtimes and also we will be drinking and things like that

Suggestions please!!!!!!!!!
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Re: children and the reception HELP!!

  • artbyallieartbyallie mod
    Moderator Eighth Anniversary 5000 Comments 500 Love Its
    Your fiancé is right. Some people will get a babysitter for the night and attend the wedding without them. Some people will bring their kids and leave early. You can't decide for any of them. You could skip inviting the children at all, but some people will decline rather than leave them at home.
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  • AddieCakeAddieCake member
    10000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary 25 Answers
    Ditto Allie. This is one of those things that you really can't "help" people with b/c they will handle it in a variety of ways.
    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
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  • MNbride1991MNbride1991
    10 Comments
    edited December 2012

    I am "hiring" teenaged cousins, so family already knows our "babysitters." So that solved that dilemma for us!

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  • MrsGandthebeagMrsGandthebeag member
    2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    We had a kid free wedding, actually 21+.  Most of our friends have kids.  I don't remember anyone leaving early to get home to their children. They stayed until 10 or later enjoying the evening.  
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  • Avion22Avion22 member
    2500 Comments 5 Love Its
    We had a lot of kids under 10.  The only one who left early was a mom witha  6-month-old.  Everyone else stayed until the end or close to it (we were done by 10:45).   We were at a private venue, and it had a small room with sofas and chairs that was right next to the reception hall.  My SIL let my 5-year-old niece crash on one of the sofas:-)   
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  • kmmssgkmmssg mod
    Moderator Knottie Warrior 5000 Comments 500 Love Its
    Is your wedding scheduled to start during the evening?  If so, what time?

    I understand where you are coming from, but there are some things you can't control and this is one of them.  FWIW, when I was little it never stopped my mom from staying at a wedding late.  I remember a couple of weddings in my childhood where we were there quite late.  I also took my girls to a wedding or two when they were little and we stayed late.  We would have left early if they were tired/cranky/misbehaved, but in general, if they were doing well, we stayed.
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  • NYCMercedesNYCMercedes member
    Sixth Anniversary 2500 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    edited December 2012
    It's not going to change bedtime for the adults as well. When our children were young, we were always so tired we couldn't stay up late and left every party early, regardless whether or not our children were with us.
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  • sewdrs10sewdrs10 member
    10 Comments
    thanks it's not that i don't want children there trust me and i don't care if they stay till 2AM i just want every one to have fun and stay and party 
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  • sewdrs10sewdrs10 member
    10 Comments
    any ideas how i could find out if people would want to use a babysitter that i would hire before i waste money on it?
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  • Knottie1450123632Knottie1450123632 member
    2500 Comments Fifth Anniversary 25 Love Its Name Dropper
    i say call the parents and ask them if they would use your sitter
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  • Summer2011BrideSummer2011Bride member
    5000 Comments Third Anniversary 25 Love Its Combo Breaker
    There's nothing you can do to control or help this. H and I have ducked out of weddings early and we don't even have children. We were tired, didn't know anyone and got bored, we had a long drive, etc. Many different reasons. On the flip side, just because someone brings kids doesn't automatically mean they'll leave super early. One of our BMs/Gms (husband/wife) brought their 4 year old daughter and were one of the last to leave. They considered it a special occasion and their daughter was hopped up on sugar and still running around like a madwoman come 11 PM when our reception ended.

    I wouldn't hire the babysitter. Not everyone would want to leave their child with someone they don't know, even if it's at the same venue, and that still may not keep them from leaving early.


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  • nafallonnafallon member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments
         We had a kids party in a separate room during my daughter's wedding reception  I hired a preschool teacher that I know and a student teacher so the parents were comfortable leaving their kids with them.  They had pizza and cupcakes and there were movies for them to watch and lots of craft activities. BUT we did this because all of the guests were from out of town and had to stay overnight. Therefore they did not know anyone in the area to watch their kids.  I've been the "out of town" guest at many family weddings in the past and know what a problem it can be.  However if most of your guests are from the area I would expect them to provide their own babysitters.
         We did have a separate sheet that we sent with the invitations for the parents to RSVP for the children's party (we actually had several more children than the number that had returned RSVPs).  We also included questions about food allergies, emergency contact information, who was allowed to pick them up, etc.
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  • TheBaysideBrideTheBaysideBride member
    250 Love Its 500 Comments First Anniversary
    I think the real question is whether you want kids at the reception. I'm not inviting children (i don't want a kids table, or kids food, etc), but since most people are traveling to our wedding, and it's a fun spot for families, I am having a few babysitters. Most people are staying in the hotel where the wedding is, so hopefully it's not a problem.

    And, I agree with your FI, beyond that, it's up to them.  if they don't want to come without their children, we understand.

    Good luck!!
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  • OwningAHome1981OwningAHome1981 member
    Ninth Anniversary 1000 Comments 100 Love Its Name Dropper
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_children-and-the-reception-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:a3442e84-0a28-4534-8116-1d38fe75ef06Post:5fe5aeee-e27f-4e65-b7be-ccb1b783d5b4">Re: children and the reception HELP!!</a>:
    [QUOTE]Just a suggestion for the kiddies.  My daughter had a special dance where the bride danced with the children.  They all came up in a circle and danced the hokey pokey.  If there had been any older children, she might have done YMCA, because they all know that.  Anyway, it was a wonderful photo op, and the kids felt special.
    Posted by CMGr[/QUOTE]

    I would absolutely hate this. I think a lot of brides would hate this.
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  • GroziknGrozikn
    10 Comments
    That's great part of why we are asking only kids 13 and up attend and gave everyone plenty of time to find sitters. 
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