Kid-free

I put this "Unfortunately due to space limitations, we are having an adults-only reception. The only children attending are those who are part of our wedding party." all over our website. And it's just not up for discussion. Also, none of my invites say "The Smith Family" unless kids are invited. And as a fail safe, my RSVPs will have the # of seats reserved listed on them.... if people don't like it, they don't have to come. Simple as that.

I am sorry if you are experiencing backlash. Everyone I invited understood and knew we were paying for the wedding ourselves and only had so much space. I only have one friend who is refusing to come to the reception because she doesn't want to get a babysitter for her daughter. This is disappointing, but I understand. In the end you will be happier doing what you want and not caving to others whims.

I told my mother I wanted a kid free wedding and reception (beside the ring boy and flower girls) and she said people might not come and I told her thats fine saves me money. If people really want to make it to the wedding they will, my family is too large and my cousins have multiple children. If I let everyone come the guest count will have to double in size.

We have officially decided against children at our wedding except for the wedding party. If anyone asks I’m simply going to say it’s adult only and if I feel like explaining then I can tell them we aren’t able to accommodate children. I am not going to go to much into it. It’s one day and I think it’s totally fine and acceptable to not have children there.

View Quoted Comment Wedding party kids and nieces and nephews are invited. We have a total of 7 guests under 21 coming aged from 2-19. Our venue has a kids playroom/Netflix/video game room so they can hangout in there if they get bored instead of running around.

I’m not even allowing my bridal party. They’ll get over it!!

View Quoted Comment Something so few people realize! Do the kids like a party with desserts? Always. Do the young ones like a room with 100-200 other people, more than half strangers, where they must be on their best behavior, no running around, mostly in a chair, or standing looking into the skirts of big people talking and drinking, for SIX HOURS ? With meals at the wrong time, strange bathrooms, and up 4 or more hours after bedtime routine ? And ten strangers an hour insisting on hugs, and kisses ? Rarely. None of my five kids actually enjoyed anything but a movie or ice show for more than 1 .5 hours, until age 9 or ten. Great for formal restaurant meals for up to 90 minutes in a seat, after that, no. People build up their kids , oh you are going to have a wonderful time. Then say, the kids will be devastated if not invited. Actually, in my experience, if the parents say, do you really want to spend hours and hours and hours, as long as a whole school day, on perfect company manners, always by parents side with most of it in one chair, no choice of food, you eat what they give you, listen to what the DJ plays, no choice ... Reality is that most would prefer parents go alone, but plan a trip to the park the next day and go out for ice cream. Teens begin to be interested in formal parties, and are capable of the attention to adult activities and conversation, increasingly by age. But anyone not planning a daytime into early evening, very casual wedding where there is a time and place for kids to go play, should not worry about the kids missing out. Everything in our society allows kids of different ages, even in the same family, to be allowed at developmentally appropriate things by age group. When a 7 year old neighbor has a birthday, no one says, my 7 and 8 year old cannot go if you do not include my 5 and 12 year old. And I do not recall ever seeing 7 and 10 year old kids going to dances with 16 and 17 year olds, because you cannot allow one child in the family to go if not all the kids. So do not feel you should take any pressure, as long as you are fair. For a formal evening, you can decide only people with clients see to adult social behavior, and take high school kids and adults. Or only above high school, or over 18. No guilt. Parents decide to have children, and are responsible for their childcare. Hosts are not required to spend 40-120 dollars per child for children they do not consider appropriate for the event to begin with.

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HAHA! This is exactly how we feel.

Like PP have said, just let them know bluntly that your mind is made up and it's not up for negotiation.

Luckily, my guests have been very receptive to no children at our wedding (except for our total of 6 nieces and nephews) and view it as a night out with their significant other without their children.