Some people see weddings as grown-up affairs. If children are invited, they want them to be as unobtrusive as possible. Others love the idea of having kids at weddings so much, they will plan their wedding around their needs. The second choice does make sense. If you are going to have children at a wedding, you would want to keep them happy. Not only is the happiness of the children about a desire to see them enjoy themselves, it’s also about how they are unlikely to be quiet if they are unhappy.
Plan your wedding in the morning or around noon
Children quickly get tired, and often need a nap after a few hours of activity. An early wedding around noon can make childcare work easy for parents. Children are likely to feel fresh and energetic around this time, as well, and are likely to enjoy everything happening around them.
Ask the venue about a children’s menu
Many wedding venues offer a choice of menu items that children, even picky ones, are likely to appreciate. Even when the venue doesn’t serve up such a menu, it’s always possible to have the children specially catered to. You only need to ask the venue about bringing in outside food. Fun, entertaining food is likely to put children in a good mood, making them great to have around all through the day. Adding a special, fun, chocolate treat, such as a custom wedding candy bars will appeal to your young wedding guests.
Rethink the place card plan
People often think of children no differently than they think of adults. If they set place cards at tables where adults are to sit, they do the same thing for children. Children hate to sit still, however. It would be a good idea to set a separate area aside for the children. Once the children get in there, there should be fun activities for them. In most cases, board games and coloring books are more than enough.
Make sure that you hire babysitters
Whatever activities children may enjoy in the children’s area, parents wouldn’t be comfortable having them play there if they couldn’t keep an eye on them. To make sure that all guests can have a good time at the wedding, you’ll need babysitters who make sure that everyone stays safe. In general, hiring one babysitter for every three children is a rule to go by.
The DJ or band needs to be child friendly
Children tend to have musical tastes that are different from those of adults. A selection that doesn’t please them can result in a great deal of resentment. The only way out is to consider their tastes. DJs can plan playlists just to make the children in the audience happy.
Make children a part of the wedding plan
It can be a lot of fun to make children responsible for various little things. From ring bearers to flower girls, to handing out wedding favors, kids can bring a lot of fun and character to weddings. Children can feel special at being included in the plans, too. It’s important to think of ways to make the children a part of everything.
Finally, make sure that you talk to the venue about your plan to make a kid-friendly wedding. The venue may be able to help. For instance, they may have a room that you can turn into a children’s area. It’s important to realize that it’s when the children at a wedding have fun that the parents have fun, too.
