What do I do if guests bring kids to a kid-free wedding?

Viczaesar · April 2014

NYCBruin said:

Out of curiosity, is anyone on the side of this argument that is saying "I wouldn't ask them to leave" having a child free wedding?

I'm not having a wedding, but I wouldn't have a wedding without inviting the children.

RebeccaB88 · April 2014

If I told you 'your child is not invited, please do not bring them' and you bring them anyway, hurting your feelings is going to be the absolute LAST thing on my mind. Your blatant disrespect for my wishes has already terminated our relationship. Asking you to leave would just be a formality at that point. But it WOULD happen.

wrigleyville · April 2014

Children age 2-20 were charged a flat rate of $42/pp. If anyone had shown up with an uninvited kid, I would have been LIVID. Just because "they don't eat much" doesn't mean I don't have to pay full price for a child's plate.

Not to mention, we had 100% attendance, so that would have thrown a huge kink in the seating.

And, no, children cannot "just sit on laps". Parents need to eat and socialize too. Have you ever tried to hold a wiggly four-year old on your lap for four hours straight?

thesummersky · April 2014

@Maggie0829 @HisGirlFriday13 I was joking, of course I don't blame higher education for the poor choices and behavior of individuals. Though I do wonder if well-meaning people learn these kinds of behaviors from social situations during those formative years of their lives.

Edited, wanted to explain further.

LondonLisa · April 2014

Children are not part of their parent's social unit. If you invited two friends out to a bar at 9pm, wouldn't you be flabbergasted if they showed up with two children who clearly weren't invited. Of course you could, because not every place is acceptable/ appropriate to have children.

I love children and yes, I am having children at my wedding. But society has gotten so ridiculous about allowing children to go EVERYWHERE. I have had ballet tickets, opera tickets, films etc all ruined by people thinking it is OK to bring, and not escort out, a screaming, tired child at a 9pm performance. Yes, this is rude parents, and not the child's fault, but parents also need to realise that it is not appropriate to bring your child everywhere and they are not invited everywhere you are! I'm sorry that you will have to miss events if you cannot find/afford a babysitter, but you chose to have children. They need to live with that decision and act like an adult!

pabride56 · October 2014

I read a story on an internet wedding board, sometime over the last couple of years (wish I had kept the link), about a wedding where four different couples brought their uninvited children. The father of the bride explained to each set of parents, who completely knew the kids weren't invited or welcome, that they were free to leave and come back, without the children, after securing childcare. Only one couple took them up on it. None of the children were nursing infants; there wouldn't have been seating or food, for the additional guests. What were the parents thinking?

My friend had an incident occur, at her wedding over 20 years ago, that still angers her today. She had a tented reception, on the grounds of a family member's estate; black-tie, big band, the whole nine yards. Someone brought an uninvited 12 year old and had the nerve to tell the bride "My Angel doesn't like any of the food. Do you know where we can get her a pizza?"

It's always the idiots, who make the largest impact.

jynxiie · October 2014

I don't even know what I will do if someone does this next week. We are having a child free wedding except for our 2 flower girls. My venue is pretty cool and doesn't charge if they're under three years old. Knowing my venue they probably wouldn't charge if they're kids regardless... But it's not the point that you guys are making, and I understand that. It's just out of this world rude.

My invites were pretty clear... Names on the invites... amount of chairs saved for them. So I am hoping no one does bring children, but would I kick them out? Probably not. I really don't know... If someone brought a child I know they'd be a young child, so I at least wouldn't be charged for them being there - but it would cause an issue finding more seating.

I have had threats of wedding crashers... Full grown rude adults... Now that's a completely different story. I get charged for those people and I am not paying $100/person for some random that I don't know or have met once. They'll be getting their asses kicked out.

So yeah I guess I wouldn't kick people out that brought kids... Just to save face. But I'd be pretty annoyed by it and the only difference would be the fact that I wouldn't be charged for it. Would it be a different story if I was charged for them - most likely.

slothiegal · October 2014

Closing zombie thread....@pabride56, this is the second one I've noticed you've ressurected. Please make sure to check the dates on old threads before posting!

What do I do if guests bring kids to a kid-free wedding?

Re: What do I do if guests bring kids to a kid-free wedding?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards