Children Issue: Siblings of flowergirl not invited

If you and your fiancé don't want children then you just need to say no otherwise you will risk upsetting other guests if you allow some children, but not others. While your sister might be upset by this decision, she will get over it.

I feel you with this. Our venue offers childcare during the reception, and FH and I are specifically paying for that service because we do NOT want children there. Honestly, children are only allowed at the ceremony because childcare is only offered during the reception. The best man has a wife and daughter and they spent almost a month trying to get us to make an exception for them because they don't want anyone else watching their kid. (She's honestly very well-behaved, but they definitely coddle her and she's 6 years old.) We stuck to our guns, which sadly means the best man's wife will not be staying for the reception so that she can watch their daughter. That sucks for us, but we can't make the exception for them especially since the ring bearers won't even be at the reception - they'll be in childcare.

It's a tough spot to be in. As someone who is very much a people pleaser, I totally get how hard it is to say no sometimes. That is especially true when people are being so persistent about it or trying to make you feel like the bad guy for wanting what you want. So I'd like to affirm a few things for you:

1. Your request for no kids is perfectly reasonable. Their insistence for an exception is not.

2. You have just as much right to the wedding you envision (regarding children being there or not) as anyone else does.

3. Sticking to your guns absolutely does NOT make you a bridezilla.

4. (This is the super hard one for me...) You don't owe anyone an explanation. When they ask why their kids can't come, you don't have to tell them it's because you don't want kids yelling or running around or what have you. All that does is give them an opportunity to argue by saying their kid is so well-behaved or they'll make sure that doesn't happen. Don't give them that opportunity. "This is what FH and I have decided." That's it. End of story.

5. "No" is a complete sentence.

6. You are not responsible for how your sister (or anyone else) feels about your decision to not have kids at the wedding. Their reactions and feelings are THEIRS to have and control, not yours. Anyone trying to say something like "You've made my kid sad because they really want to be there," is feeding you some massive BS. They can be sad/mad/upset (which sucks), but you didn't make them feel that way.