Have a child-friendly wedding

Deciding whether to invite little ones to your wedding is a big decision. Some couples prefer the occasion to be strictly adults only as a wedding is long and young children can get grumpy and bored. However, not inviting children can alienate some guests who feel slightly shunned if they can’t bring their children with them. Guests may not be able to attend if they don’t have childcare arrangements. If there are young children in your close family then you should be able to make a few arrangements that will ensure they enjoy the day as much as the grownups, without it causing too much hassle.

Here are a few simple ideas to include children in your celebrations:

Goody bags and treats for kids

Goody Bags

This is a very simple idea that can make a big difference to the enjoyment of the day for the little ones. A welcome bag for the kids could contain colouring books, crayons, puzzles, chocolate cookies or anything else you can think that will keep the kids entertained. For Wedding Venues Essex, visit http://www.whitehartweddingvenue.co.uk/.

Cupcakes

Chances are the kids won’t like the rich food on offer and in particular, the wedding cake. Simple cupcakes in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry will go down a treat and can be served on a special dessert trolley to make them feel extra special.

Food, drinks and favours for young guests

Drinks for the toast

While the adults are sipping champagne, think about serving the children fruity mocktails, milkshakes or milk and cookies. If they feel as much a part of the day as the adults then they will be kept engaged and have a ton of fun.

Favours

Whilst you can choose exquisite nibbles or luxury toiletries for your adult guests, keep the kids entertained by handing out tubs of crayons, play doh, lego or any other treats that are age appropriate and safe.

Keeping children entertained during the day

Wedding Treasure Hunt

Prepare a question sheet before the big day to be handed out before the ceremony. Keep the kids engaged by asking them to spot different things about the day and answer questions on the sheet. How many people were wearing hats, what colour were the bridesmaid’s dresses etc. Have small prizes on hand for all those who hand in completed sheets.

Time Out Area

If there is adequate space, pick a relatively quiet corner and place a couple of beanbags there and a pile of books or magazines. This will also be very handy for sleepyheads later in the evening. You could also have a box of things like travel board games, bubble blowing toys and jigsaws for those moments when the children could do with a sit down for a bit.

Outdoor Fun

If there is lots of outdoor space at your venue then check to see if you might be able to bring some outdoor activities with you to entertain the kids. This is a great idea for Spring and Summer weddings and can include equipment like frisbees, a cricket set, boules, ring toss or giant chess. If ball games are not possible then why not hand out small bags to the kids and challenge them to a nature search. They can collect leaves, interesting pebbles or creepy crawlies if they want!

Summary

This article suggests ways to include children at a wedding, for couples who don’t want to make it adults-only. Ideas include goody bags of colouring books and toys, kid-friendly food like cupcakes and mocktails, party favours, a wedding treasure hunt with a question sheet, a quiet time-out area with beanbags and books, and outdoor games such as frisbee or a nature trail.

Questions this article raises

• How much extra does it typically cost to cater properly for children at a wedding?
• What age range do these activities and ideas suit best?
• How do you balance keeping children entertained without distracting from the ceremony?