Kids or no kids

maggiematurani · June 2011

I say no kids, he wants kids because he thinks it is rude to not invite them. How do we handle this without a constant fight.

mb2712 · June 2011

You just have to make a decision and stick with it. My wedding is allowing kids, but I was just at a wedding that kids under 12 were not invited. I'm sure it was hard for people that had kids under 12 to find a babysitter, but I've also seen where they have a babysitter on site.

jeheckma · June 2011

We are doing no kids except for those in the bridal party. I have seen weddings ruded by screaming kids. Nothing like a kid crying while you are trying to say your vows.

brownhenry · June 2011

We have one two year old coming because its FI's nephew and the only other kids are family and they are 9 and over so they can control themselves.
We decided not to have them there because we don't have baby sitters and I know how people can be (I work in a hotel and people just let their kids run wild) so I know that people won't be watching the little ones as closely as they should and there is a pool and two balconies at my venue... not very kid friendly

slpankuch · June 2011

It's hard to tell people no kids. You have to remember many people might decide that they don't want to go because they have to find a babysitter.

You might try other alternative ideas. Like my venue suggest hiring a babysitter that the young ones can sit with during the ceremony in a special room if you're worried about active children running around during vows. You have to remember that many mothers might not like this idea if you have young babies.

I am having kids only because our family is filled with them. What we are offering is a room where they can go with a sitter if they are too crazy to sit at the ceremony. At the ceremony if they are a little older I have a fan program with a game/puzzle on the back to keep them busy. Then at the reception we are offering a kids table to keep them busy. We have games, crayons, candy. They also will have that room all day so if mothers need to change/nurse their child they can go there. There will be a tv so they can watch a movie if they want or even have nap times!
I would suggest having kids only because it's easier on your guests (some people might be a little put off if you say no kids) but having activities to keep them occupied.
Having a good venue helps too. I have an outside area where they can also run and play.

thesupernovagirl · June 2011

Early in my wedding planning process I realized that my FI didn't have a whole lot of demands/ requests but the very few that he did have I fullfilled because I got to pick/ plan just about all other aspects of the wedding and he hasn't pitched a gripe about a single thing I wanted to do. He wanted kids there so I complied.

It's a very personal decision. Perhaps you can ask around more on the boards as far as pros/ cons of having children there. You could also talk to your caterer about kids pricing. I saw a lot of ladies complain about having to pay for a meal for children. Don't forget that everything is negotiable to a degree. The ideas about having a sitter and separate area are nice too. Weigh your options well.

I'm looking for ways to keep the kids busy at my wedding and i'm putting together craft totes, toys and games for them to play. Our venue also has a separate area that I'm planning to make a kids play room.

Good luck!

EmmaT683 · June 2011

I like the idea of having the kids there but offering the babysitter option. This may be a nice compromise for you and fh. Check out justplaypa.com. They offer full on site childcare and there are different activity packages to choose from.

Good luck!

Lynne101 · June 2011

Well i think what ever way you choose you need to FULLY stick with the plan. I will NEVER EVER forget how offended I was when my sister said NO KIDS for her wedding.... And then thought it fine her friend brought her young kids while my kids and our other sister'sweren't allowed.

cashmerekisses · June 2011

While I would love to have kids at our wedding, we are opting not to have them for a few reasons. First, I feel that if you allow some children, you must allow ALL children, and if we did that, we'd seriously have about 25 more guests at our venue, which we do not have room for. Second, our venue is not a safe area for kids. It's outdoors on fairly large grounds, and you can't see everywhere from where you stand. It is technically still in town, and I'd spend my entire night terrified that a little one would wander away and find the road. Third, alcohol will be provided, and I can't guarantee that everyone will behave themselves they way they should in front of children. And finally, most of the people who have children rarely get a night without them. This gives them a chance to have a good time without having to spend the night chasing little ones.

The only children at our wedding will be our own (1 boy & 1 girl = built in ring bearer and flower girl!), and hopefully they will be leaving shortly after dinner. I love my kids more than anything, but like I said, I can't guarantee everyone will behave 100%.

I have been to a few weddings with my kids, and while I stil enjoyed myself, I couldn't have as good a time as I could have sans children. My children are young (5 and 18 months) and need constant supervision. I want everyone to be able to fully enjoy themselves.

Kids or no kids

Re: Kids or no kids

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