Ah! The big kid debate.
Should they or shouldn’t they be invited.
I love children and have been to weddings where they were present and weddings where they weren’t. When your battling with huge guest lists, cutting out children seems like an easy option {and something we did consider in the early days} but having thought it through it’s not something we felt 100% comfortable with, forcing our friends to have to leave their children at home. When we floated the idea, a number of people made it clear that they wouldn’t attend if their kids weren’t invited or that they would just bring them anyway {the latter scenario I witnessed at an event last year where a guest had blatantly decided to ignore the ‘no kids’ rule and there were these two children sat at table in a sea of adults}.
I love the innocence that children bring to weddings. Their laughter, their questions, their boldness. The cute lone ranger who is the first onto the dancefloor and encourages the ‘big people’ to get their groove on. There is an atmosphere children bring that you just can’t recreate. Plus weddings are about family, children are family. It’s good for them to be there.
On the attendant side we are having a flower girl and a page boy, both of whom are under 6 years old, we cherish them dearly and have good relationships with their parents.
What’s your take on children at weddings?
Photo {Jide Alakija}
Just as long as the child is well behaved. I think they are adorable and extra cute when they are in a wedding.
ReplyDeleteMost weddings that I have attended in Canada do not have many children in attendance, and with the exception of the very young children who need to have their mom around, I think most people there don't bring kids.
ReplyDeleteIf kids are expected at my wedding, I would have someone there to mind them and ensure they're fed and entertained during the wedding, thus giving the parents a break and ensuring that no rambunctious kids get into trouble.
I think its a lovely idea for kids to be there. The weddings I attended when I was a kid are still fresh in my memory till date. There is this sense of joy it brings to kids and their presence there is even a blessing to the couple...
ReplyDelete- LDP
@Lady A - trying to control kids can be the funniest especially when they don't want to be controlled. They can also be very cute when they do what you need them to do!
ReplyDelete@Good Naija Girl - it's only just started to happen over here in the UK, with people not inviting children. However it doesn't go down well at all! Parents moaning. It's not until they have to plan a wedding for their own child do they realise the implications of having to have loads of children at a reception and not cater for them.
We're definitely considering having a separate room for the children at the reception so that they can have their own entertainment and own food.
@LDP - very true. I remember the time when I was a flower girl. The only time I have ever been in a wedding. I was about 6 but I remember it clearly. So it is true, kids will remember.
We had my flowergirl niece who was 5 and a few babies. But no other kids. Depends what sort of wedding it is I guess.
ReplyDeleteWe had kids at the weddin, but most seem to be babies these days. I have to say that during our lovely sand ceremony there was some SERIOUS wailing going on in church! lol.
ReplyDeleteWe didn't have any kids in the wedding party though, as I have awful memories of being a flowergirl at aged 3! and there were no suitably aged children to fill the shoes! : )
@Mrs T - how did you manage that? Did you tell your guests not to bring their children?
ReplyDelete@Mrs O - crying children can be so annoying. I'm not a mother {yet!} but I would be really embarrassed if my child was wailing at an event. I would take them out. A lot of people don't do that these days and just leave the kids to cry.
we had them!! we had two conference rooms at our venue (included in the price) so we split it into age 3-7 then 7-12. 3-7 had face paints, arts/crafts and colouring books i got from pound shops beforehand.
ReplyDelete7-12 had the other room where there was an old tv (with no antennae) so we told them to bring consoles and hand held games which they plugged in. we hired 3 girls who normally run the creche at church for 4pm-8pm to supervise the 3-7year olds.
ALL the kids were then welcome to join their parents in the main reception after 8pm.