Children Welcome!

Re: Children Welcome!

• hoffse member

  

  February 2012 edited February 2012

  That's sweet that you want kids at your wedding.  You're friends are right: plenty of people don't.

  
  

  The way you let them know is by addressing the envelopes to everybody in their family, including children.  If you have inner envelopes it would be something like:

  
  

  Mr. John Smith

  Mrs. Jane Smith

  Master Tommy Smith (for a little boy under the age of 13)

  Mister Jimmy Smith (for a boy aged 13-18... though some etiquette guides say no title is appropriate for boys in this age bracket)

  Miss Tammy Smith (for a little girl)

  
  

  Or you can leave off the titles if you want to go informal.

  
  

  If you don't have inner envelopes, you can address it to Mr. and Mrs. John Smith and Family or more informally, "The Smith Family," which implies all are invited.

  
  

  EDIT: Spelling

  

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• hoffse member

  

  February 2012

  I forgot to mention: another way to let people know children are invited is to provide a line on the response card to effect of:

  
  

  Please indicate each guest's meal preference:

  _____ Chicken

  _____ Steak

  _____ Children's meal

  
  

  That tells guests that children are being accounted for at the reception.

  

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• ElisabethJoanne member

  

  February 2012

  Yay! Someone else inviting children.
  
  hoffse's got it right on the details

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• hoffse member

  

  February 2012

  Except I think gave you the wrong order.  Somebody correct me if I'm wrong on this, but I think the inner envelope would actually go:

  
  

  Wife

  Husband

  Oldest daughter

  Middle daughter

  Youngest daughter

  Oldest son

  Middle son

  Youngest son

  
  

  Women come first, correct?  Or incorrect?

  
  

  Whereas you do put the man's name first on the outer envelope, because it is Mr. and Mrs. John Smith... unless they couple is not married in which case the outer envelope follows the convention for the inner envelope above:

  
  

  Miss Kathy Doe

  Mr. John Smith

  Street

  City, State, Zip

  
  

  Can anybody confirm?  My copy of Amy Vanderbilt is on the other side of the room, and I don't feel like moving

  

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• luciintheskii member

  

  February 2012

  Ok, that's a great suggestions to list each person on the inner evelope. Now, does their address have to be on the inner envelope? Another question about the RSVPs: we do need to have our guests choose their entrees beforehand. Now, for our reception dinner we are having family style penne pasta and assorted rolls for each table and then each guest will also get their choice of chicken or fish with vegetables. Now, the venue doesn't charge for children because the penne pasta will be family style and the kids meals will basically be the penne pasta so plates will be provided for them for that. How would I word that on the meal selection portion of the RSVP? Would I make a check box for kids meals?

  

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• ElisabethJoanne member

  

  February 2012

  haha. Mine's in another county. I've found some of it on google books, but can't now.
  
  It's either like hoffse says, or it's oldest to youngest. I can't remember, either. Also, for large families, it might be OK to say "The Misses Smith" and "The Masters Smith," rather than listing them all individually. I've got friends with 6 kids. My invitations will be large, and we're doing inner and outer envelopes, but perhaps not that large.

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• hoffse member

  

  February 2012

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_children-welcome?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:43ca9683-763b-4ed7-818e-5e3b179f346fPost:356425de-9a23-4548-bb21-b6a6269860e8">Re: Children Welcome!</a>:
  [QUOTE]Ok, that's a great suggestions to list each person on the inner evelope. Now, does their address have to be on the inner envelope? Another question about the RSVPs: we do need to have our guests choose their entrees beforehand. Now, for our reception dinner we are having family style penne pasta and assorted rolls for each table and then each guest will also get their choice of chicken or fish with vegetables. Now, the venue doesn't charge for children because the penne pasta will be family style and the kids meals will basically be the penne pasta so plates will be provided for them for that. How would I word that on the meal selection portion of the RSVP? Would I make a check box for kids meals?
  Posted by luciintheskii[/QUOTE]<div>
  </div><div>Addresses go on outer envelopes only.  The inner envelopes usually cost a bit extra, but personally I think they're worth it.  The inner envelopes only list out names individually.</div><div>
  </div><div>As for your entree choice, I would still have a section on your RSVP card that either indicates a kid's meal or "number of guests under age 12" or whatever, so that you can let your caterer know.  That way you won't get charged for their meals.
  
  </div>

  

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• luciintheskii member

  

  February 2012 edited February 2012

  I've been noticing on some boards that people said they got babysitters for the kids at their wedding? Is this a good idea? I would think that the parents would not want to leave their kids with a 'stranger' (even if it's someone I know and trust it may a stranger to them). There is a loft area of our venue that would be a good place for the kids to 'hang out' if they want; I had thought about making goody bags with coloring books and crayons for them. Thoughts?

  

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• ElisabethJoanne member

  

  February 2012

  My family's with you, luclin, on babysitters. If money were no object, I'd have a  "nursing room" with a teen babysitter, TV, sofa, microwave, changing table, etc. Parents wouldn't exactly drop their kids off, but could take them there for a time out or to change a diaper or to nurse. The teen would be there just in case they needed anything. A couple shopping malls around here have areas like this.
  
  I wouldn't do goodybags, because, while I'm inviting children to my wedding, I'm aghast at how weddings have become like five-year-olds' birthday parties. Themes? Favors? Snacks? I left that stuff behind at age 12. I appreciated the weddings I attended as a child, precisely because they were grown-up events (with no goody bags or children's areas). I want to provide that experience to the kids I invite to my own wedding. But that's just my opinion.

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• luciintheskii member

  

  February 2012

  That's an excellent point Edie; I don't really think a babysitter is going to be needed. Thanks for the advice ladies!

  

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