Couples often wrestle over whether to include children at their wedding reception. It can be a prickly topic when the groom's side doesn't want to include children at all and the bride's family wants them at the head table! Some families wish to create an affair that celebrates the love of all ages whereas other families feel strongly that the little ones will spoil the solemnity of the special evening. We have seen impassioned reactions on both sides of this topic! If you want to include children (other than the flower girl and ring bearer) at the wedding meal, we recommend having a stationed dinner. Include a station that you know they will enjoy like a burger bar or pasta station. The informality of a stationed dinner creates a more forgiving ambiance if a mishap occurs and the extra bit of noise adds to the fun. If you are planning on having a formal multi - course seated dinner we suggest asking the venue if there is separate room that the children can play in and have a kid friendly meal. This way they are nearby but not included in the dinner. It is almost impossible for children to enjoy a 2-hour dinner and therefore the parent’s don’t enjoy it either. Be sure to get a babysitter to help keep the children entertained and provide crayons, coloring books, and a few games. Request that the venue provide a DVD player and ask the parents to bring some of their kid’s favorite movies. Once the band strikes up we often find the children are the first ones on the dance floor! There is something very sweet about a little girl dancing with her uncle on his big day or a bride twirling her little nieces. With proper for-thought, children can definitely bring joy to any wedding celebration. Their energy and excitement will be contagious!
Image 1, 5, 7, 8, and 9 courtesy of Patricia Lyons, Image 2 courtesy of Paul Morse, Image 3, 4, and 10 courtesy of Jen Fariello, Image 6 courtesy of Lucy O.