ADVICE
Kid-Friendly
T H E K I D CO N U N D R U M With a little planning and a little luck, the little ones on your guest list will stay happy and content all wedding-long. PHOTOS BY JANINE MCCLINTOCK STUDIOS
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f course, you're not required to invite children to your wedding (some venues don’t allow it or demand licensed sitters on-site). Nor are you responsible for helping parents figure out or pay for child care. But if you have a lot of guests with wee ones, it’s worth considering your options.
WHEN CHILDREN AREN’T INCLUDED The proper way to let parents know that their kids aren’t invited to the wedding is to omit the children’s names from the invitation’s outer envelope. If you get RSVPs with the kids included, politely explain in person or in a phone call (not an email) that although you adore their kiddos, the wedding is adults-only. To prevent hurt feelings, be consistent and don’t allow any children. However, one frequent exception is newborns who may be nursing every couple of hours, aren’t mobile on their own and won’t stay late. If you have out-of-town guests who are traveling with their kids, be thoughtful and research the best sitter options for them.
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SPRING & SUMMER 2013 weddingessentialsmagazine.com
WHEN THE KIDS ARE INCLUDED If you opt to allow kids, it’s the parents’ responsibility to care for them during the event. That said, there are a few things you can do to make the experience more pleasant. Serve kid-friendly foods like mac-and-cheese, chicken fingers and fries. To avoid boredom-induced tantrums and poorly timed chatter, place a favor/activity bag at each child’s seat, or arrange for a kid's table stocked with coloring books, colored pencils or crayons, picture books, puzzles, games and quiet toys. -CTW Features