Should We Have Kids at Our Wedding?

So, you’re planning a wedding and getting ready to send out invitations. You might be wondering if you should let your friends and family members bring their kids. There are no right or wrong answers to this question. It’s just a matter of what’s right for you and your wedding. Here are some of the things to consider when asking yourself “Should we have kids at our wedding?”

WHAT TYPE OF WEDDING DO YOU WANT?

Is this going to be an upscale affair with a huge floral budget and fine dining vibes? Or will it be more of a casual, laid-back gathering? Will the dance party be a huge, blowout drunk fest with all of your college friends pouring liquor into each other’s mouths? Or will it be a smaller, more intimate shindig with the Macarena and other kid-friendly songs?

Again, there are no wrong answers, but if you take a moment to imagine children within the context of whatever vision you have for your wedding, you should quickly arrive at your answer.

ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS AT WEDDINGS

Other than dancing, will there be anything for kids to do during your wedding? Some examples we have seen are board games, arcade games, lawn games, coloring books, scavenger hunts, arts and crafts stations, among others.

You can always keep these activities in a separate area of your wedding venue if you don’t want them to kill the mood. But it is important to have something for kids to do or they’ll likely be bored out of their minds by the time toasts roll around.

WHAT DAY OF THE WEEK IS YOUR WEDDING?

Non-Saturday weddings (and off-season weddings) are becoming more and more popular, which means your wedding very well might be on a school night. If all of your friends have their kids in tow, then the party is likely going to die out early as everyone makes for the door. If you’re an early riser, this might be a benefit, but if you’re a party animal, you might want to encourage your guests to find childcare instead.

DESIGNATED WEDDING BABYSITTER

While on the topic of childcare, it’s becoming more and more popular in the wedding industry to designate a babysitter to watch over all of the kids while the parents cut loose. This is usually a paid position (not a family member or guest). After the ceremony or after dinner, the appointed individual will take the kids to a separate area in the wedding venue to play games, or screen movies, or do any of the activities mentioned above.

HAVING KIDS AT YOUR WEDDING CREATES GREAT PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES

Kids say the darndest things, but they also DO the darndest things. Especially at weddings. I might be a bit biased as a wedding photographer, but one of the biggest pros of having kids at your wedding is getting to enjoy all of those crazy moments for years to come. And their parents will love those photos too.

The key here is letting go of the idea that the kids should behave like perfect little angels all day. Don’t worry too much about their hair and wardrobe being “perfect.” Don’t worry about them standing straight and putting on a big, fake smile for the camera. In other words, just let the kids be kids. If you can do that, the photos will be far more unique and impactful.
 

SO, SHOULD WE HAVE KIDS AT OUR WEDDING OR NOT?

There’s no right or wrong answer here. It just depends on what type of vibe you want to have for your wedding. If you’re on the fence, you can always allow kids to be at your ceremony only. Or the ceremony through dinner and them ship ‘em off somewhere before the party kicks into full gear.

Thanks for taking the time to read and if you’re still wondering “Should we have kids at our wedding,” feel free to reach out and we’ll talk you through it. Cheers!