There is often a worry about whether to have loads of kids running around at your wedding. Follow a few of our suggestions below and you should find they not only have a great time but they even enhance the day too.
The pinterest boards all seem to have perfect, beautiful children in perfect, beautiful outfits being ridiculously adorable. But most of us (especially if you are a parent), will have been to a wedding where the ceremony is interrupted by screams/ nappies/accidents of one kind or another. My nephew needed stitches after falling off a pew last year at my brother's nuptials, and I've dealt with some pretty embarrassing situations and missed bits of several ceremonies.
Never mind how child friendly you are or not, this bit of the day is the serious part, and should be focussed on your vows and promises to each other without distraction. So we have come up with 5 of our tried and tested top ways to make sure your ceremony is as you planned it (we can't help if the best man loses the ring, though, so maybe let his girlfriend hang onto it).
1. Let them join in
If you want a really family-friendly feel to your wedding, provide an area with cushions, rugs, musical instruments, ribbon wands and a bubble machine- this works particularly well at outdoor ceremonies
2. Organise a separate area with a childminder
If you are happy that the children will be there, but really don’t want anyone disrupting your vows, organise some childcare in a side room of church or venue, or book a fabulous little top tent! Make sure you include a well worded insert with your invites- ‘we can’t wait to celebrate our day with all of our favourite people, young and old, but it is very important to us that our ceremony and vows are about the 2 of us and our promises to each other, so we will be providing childcare for during this time’ should stop any confusion.
3. Keep them occupied
Weddings usually mean that everyone misses lunch, which adults can mainly cope with, but children less so! Make sure you have some snacks to keep them going, then give them some small toys or games to mean they are too busy to even think about having a tantrum. We offer our 'treats on seats' bags with games, biscuits, toys and stickers to pop on each little guest's pew, or our wedding survival kits filled with enough to keep them buy for much longer!(treats on seats £5.95, wedding survival kits £ 17.95, the little top)
4. Give them a job to do
Children are much more likely to be restless and cause disruption if they are busy- they love a job! Get your little guests on confetti cone production prior to the wedding then they will be super proud handing it out, they can hand out order of service, helping the ushers, or give them a disposable camera and tell them it's extremely important that they are there as photographer's assistants.
5. Bribery
As they arrive make sure every child knows that if they behave, there will be an ice cream waiting for them at the door. And make sure someone brings the mini milks. And wet wipes. Ok, maybe not ice cream. Biscuits are less outfit-destroying that early on perhaps!