Kids and babies: to invite or not to invite?
Let’s face it, it’s a tough question for most couples. Do you invite your nieces, nephews, friend’s kids and risk the disruption or do decide to let your loved ones enjoy your ceremony, kid-free without distraction?
Ultimately, it’s up to you (ugh, I know, sorry I don’t have the easy answer). I’ve put together a list of pros and cons for you to consider in deciding ether into include the kiddies or ask that they be left at home.
Pros:
You may feel having all your loved ones present at your ceremony is important (regardless of their age)
Kids can be super cute flower girls and page boys
Including children may be important for your guests who wish to celebrate your marriage as a family unit
Family and friends won’t need to organise and pay for babysitters
Cons:
Babies can be startled by clapping, cry unexpectedly and disrupt the ceremony
Kids need to be supervised to ensure they don’t disrupt the ceremony space (kids running around, playing and making noise may not be something you want at your ceremony, nor something you want your family and friends to have to manage on the day)
Your family and friends may not be as present for your ceremony (or may need to leave the ceremony space unexpectedly) if they are supervising or caring for children
Addressing the cons
If having kids at your ceremony is really important to you, invite them! Any possible distraction or unsettled behaviour can be managed by your celebrant and family members. To ensure your ceremony goes smoothly with children present, you may want to:
Talk to your family and friends with children and ask them to supervise their children at the ceremony to ensure they remain settled and seated
To avoid distraction, ask your family and friends with babies to leave the ceremony space temporarily while they settle their crying baby
Tell your celebrant whether you want them to wait for distractions to be handled or to proceed as normal with your ceremony
Your celebrant will be experienced in managing a range of distractions during your ceremony, so children or no children, you won’t need to stress. Your celebrant has got your covered.