It can be a tough decision for many couples - should we invite children to our wedding? Children at weddings can be a wonderful thing, but it’s worth having a few tricks up your sleeve to make it as stress-free as possible, for both you and the parents of little ones.
Food
You may love the idea of duck a l’orange for your wedding meal, but your cousin’s fussy eight-year-old may not. You know your guests best but it’s usually a good idea to put on some child-friendly meals and snacks for the children at your wedding.
Have a small sweet or ice cream bar for the young ones (and some sneaky older ones), to treat them in the evening.
Favours
Why should grown ups get all the fun wedding favours? Consider putting together a little personalised goodie bag for the kids at your wedding, for them to use or play with on the day or on the way home. Show their parents you’ve really gone the extra mile to make their whole family feel welcome.
Activities
Keep kids of all ages occupied and well-behaved at their tables during dinner by providing age-appropriate games or crafts for them. Some popular ideas are chalkboards (also doubles up great as a placename), a scavenger hunt or iSpy - give them something to concentrate on so their parents can mingle with the other guests at your table.
Wouldn’t it be fun to see your wedding through a child’s eyes? Why not give them their own disposable camera at their place setting and encourage them to get snapping!
Hire a Professional
If budget allows, hire professional entertainment for your youngest guests. A magician or puppet show works wonders for distracting children during the reception. Or put on a movie in another room with a chaperone to ensure a peaceful 90 minutes for parents at your party!
Quiet Spaces
For parents of small babies, it can be helpful to know there is a quiet space to run off to for feeding or just to let their baby cry it out while you say your vows. A room off to the side with cosy seating and refreshments can be a godsend to lots of parents.
Until next time.....
Val x
Photo credit: Camera Hannah Photography
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