For those who went 'Adults Only'

I feel ya. I'm curious of the responses.

Following!!!

You will never please everyone, it is about pleasing you at this point. I am all about team adult only and most weddings I have been to have been adult only.

There are plenty of events that do not include children. I don't understand why it seems to be a given that every couple welcomes them. For the most part, they do NOT want to be there, it is an event that is NOT structured in a way that is child friendly, and yes, you have to pay for them.

I'm on team no kids (well, except those in the bridal party or the couple's) I will spare you all my ugly stories of misplaced kids but I think it is really up to yu.

Stand your ground. I'm having an adult only reception. Be prepared for people to not come. I'm prepared, but I just don't think children have a place at a reception unless they are in the wedding, or they are babies and the mother is still breast feeding.

Once you allow ONE parent bring their child, then you have to let others.

There is nothing wrong with having an adult only wedding as long as you remember that also means having an adult only bridal party (no junior bridesmaids, no flower girl, no ring bearer) because everyone in the wedding party must be invited to the reception. Just stand firm when people ask and you don't get to be mad when people decline the invite.

FutureMrsRidley, that isn't entirely correct. You're allowed to invite some kids and not others. You invite in circles. I'm allowed to invite my goddaughter without inviting my co-workers kid, for example.

Following! A large portion of mine and FH's friends and family have stated they're excited for a "night out" without their kids for our wedding. Of course there's those who will make their remarks, but overall we knew what we wanted for our wedding. Also, our venue does not make exceptions on the price per plate for children, so due to that, it made our decision a bit easier. Good luck!

Everyone is pretty good about it except for FH's cousin. Her son is 10 and is going to be with his dad that day. She told me we should have a babysitter at the venue to watch the kids (there are 44 total that we just decided to not have).

So I told her, you want us to feed 44 children, pay babysitters and have them in a mansion from the 1800's because you can't spend the day without him even though he'll be at his dads anyway??

Yeah. No.

I had an adult only wedding.

We just told people when they asked if they could bring their kids. Other than that we addressed the invites specifically and people got the hint.

We really only had a few make a huge deal about it. One couple decided not to come; while the others figured it out.

Really it's an invite. It's not obligatory that they attend and if they have issues leaving their children or finding a babysitter- "I am sorry you won't be able to come. We can always celebrate another time."

I wouldn't give those giving you a headache too much attention because ultimately that will just feed the issue.

So far it's been well received by my family who have asked if there will be kids invited. Not sure how FH family will think of it but can't imagine them having a huge issue with it. FH and my friends all know that kids don't attend weddings unless the child is in the wedding so that part is a non-issue.

Elizabeth, I haven't thought about that aspect. That is true.

'She told me we should have a babysitter at the venue to watch the kids'

See it's this kind of entitlement that irks me. They're your kids, you find the babysitter!

We only invited children in our family (i.e. my niece and nephew and younger cousins). So far we've only had one couple include an extra person on their response card, I had FH call them to explain and they were very understanding and said they would figure out a babysitter. Some of his other friends with kids said they were excited to "have an excuse for a night out", so I don't think we'll have too many complaints!

We HAVE to have kids. His parents are paying and he has a lot of little cousins. But don't budge. It is your decision and people will find sitters if they really want to be there.

@ Elizabeth Why can we not have under 21 in the BP if it's okay to invite in circles? From what I've read on here is that kids in the BP is okay and you can have adults only besides those in the BP. Unless one is splitting kids/families, which is not okay.

Ours was 21 and up, which has been the norm at almost every wedding I've ever been invited to.

We only had a 10% decline rate, on the Sunday night of a 3-day, summer holiday weekend.

We sent save the dates out 10 months before the wedding.

One couple said they didn't have a babysitter, despite the 10 months notice and the fact that no one invites kids around here. The wife did call my MIL/her friend to tell her why.

My uncle and his wife boycotted and didn't have the courtesy to RSVP, because they're kids weren't invited. To say they're distant/estranged is an understatement; my parents don't even have their home address.

My grandmother might have grumbled, but I didn't hear it and she sure didn't volunteer to pay for their plates. My sister heard from her the following year when she married, and hosted 40% of the number of guests we did. Grandmother sent her multiple, nasty e-mails (sister was furious) demanding her uncle's entire family be invited, the week the RSVPS were due. They weren't and grandmother ended up being among the first to leave. Don't let the door hit you in the ass ...

My exH and I only had one problem, his aunt and uncle who apparently had NEVER left their 6 year old with a sitter. That kid was totally spoiled and actually the entire reason we decided to go no kids was to avoid his attention-seeking tantrums at the wedding. They declined, we were 100% fine with that.

I have been fortunate enough for far that everyone loves the idea of getting a night away without their children or for others to not have to worry about children being there. One of my bridesmaids is just having her mother come with them to watch the kids and take them out that day. The only children that will be at the wedding is my cousin's baby because she will have just had him a month or two before our big day. I would say just stick to your guns. I know that is what I am going to do if someone questions us.

We only had one couple say something (and not even to us - to FH's parents) about it, and one of them just stayed home while the other came to the wedding.

My kids are no one's responsibility but mine. Finding a babysitter for any event is on me and my husband, and if we can't find one, then one of us doesn't go. I will never understand the mindset of some parents who think that their children should be invited to any event, no matter what it is.

FH and I REALLY wanted to do a an adults only reception. We haven't ruled it out yet there is still time. When people ask now we just say " if you do not have a Babysitter then we want you to still celebrate with us but we would hope that on NYE you would find a sitter so you can fully enjoy yourself" . Lots of our friends and families have small children and I wouldn't want them to NOT come because of it but I REALLY want them to find a sitter. LIKE REALLY lol My hopes are that its NYE so the parents will want a night out without the kids. *PRAY FOR ME* lol