Kids in unfriendly kid venue?

Website and word of mouth.
Just say something like:
Please note: our venue is an active art studio with many art supplies present, disorderly behavior will not be tolerated, and to take caution around the tools and art supplies that will be present during our festivities.
This also covers you if someone is unruly drunk. If you know a couple is bringing their kids and the wedding comes up just mention it in passing like
Oh it's at an art studio, I know you might bring (child's name) so I wanted to give you a heads up there might be paint or sculpting knives, I don't know if the kids will need an extra eye on them with the supplies laying around.
Most professional paint is fairly toxic, so it's well within reason to worry and give a heads up.

Have you sent the invitations? Because I’m going to tell you one thing I’ve come to realize - people won’t get the point unless it’s made blatantly obvious. Also, I have put the link to our website on so many platforms - no one uses it for legitimate information. We get views on our website but I still get asked the same questions over and over and over when all of the information is right there. If I were you I would insert a card into the invitation that explains the situation as it is. There really is no reason to sugar coat it - you have a legitimate reason as to why you would suggest kids be left at home. “Guests of all ages are welcome to celebrate with us, but please be advised that the venue is an active art studio with limited restrictions. In order for you to fully enjoy the evening, we ask that you use your best discretion in choosing who to bring along.” Then I would be sure that an announcement is made at the start of the reception about which areas should remain off limits for unsupervised children, and throughout the reception as needed.

I think I'd just tell ppl by word of mouth like hey it's an art studio so be careful with things around or take precautions

Our venue is the same way! It has secret passage ways and stairs. I asked that only kids under the age of 2 or kids who were over the age of 10 are in attendance. No one has had a problem with it so far.

Idk, I guess saying listing the dangers on a website. But be aware, not everyone will read the website. We had kid-scary-liability issue so we just didn’t invite kids 😳

Not everyone reads the website. It sucks. Especially when it's the easiest way to spit out all your important information. I'd maybe consider making invitation insert cards that ask them to make sure their younger kiddos have proper supervision. If anything, blame the venue. Say "the staff at _______ have asked us to make our guests aware that unsupervised children will not be tolerated".

Check your contract for wording. Ours states that “children may not be unattended at any given time” due to the fact that out venue was built around mid 1800’s and has a lot of antique furniture, art, and decor. If anything, take the excerpt from your contract and post it to your website, or even to a detail card included in your invitation, stating children are welcome, however...

View Quoted Comment I agree you need to be really upfront about a warning on the need for close supervision of children, not on the invitation, os only buried in a website, but on a very specific page sent with the invitation. . . . I also think the wording matters. Friend had a wedding at a summer artists and Craftsman league building. And described it as having material belonging to artists right there, not blocked off. But a major number of guests, parents and grandparents, took that to mean kids would be able to play with or use the materials. And dressed them super casually in jeans and tops . Only to arrive and find all things were do not touch. And no arts people minding their kids while adults we're off partying. . . . So make sure it is clear: although there are artists materials there, children may not touch anything, and parents who choose to bring children must be right with the children all evening, as many materials are poisonous, and there are cutting tools and other hazards within reach too . . . Our friends , who had not wanted the children present , got irritated all night by parents saying, we made a point to bring all the kids, even the ones who wanted to stay back with friends, because there were artists and activities areas. And that most would have left their kids home if they had known. Which would have saved friends about $3000 in costs for the kids! Parents got the message backwards. So make sure it is clear, artist areas are completely off limits, no activities there, close parental supervision of all kids at all times.

This seems so contradictory. You're welcoming children to attend the wedding, but you're having it in a very anti-kid location. I would be so preoccupied and nervous the kids would get into something that I wouldn't be able to enjoy myself. What happens if they do cause damage or hurt themselves with something? Who will be responsible, you, the venue, or the parents? What happens if an artist's work gets messed up? That's just too much of a risk for me. You said having a childfree wedding wasn't possible, but you're kind of asking for one.

I would prefer a child free wedding, to me weddings are a formal party for adults and simply aren't fun for children. My fiance strongly disagrees, so we are allowing it. I'm not a parent, so it's hard for me to judge why people would want to bring their kids. I just want to politely inform people that if they want to enjoy themselves at the wedding, get a sitter, if they want to babysit all night, bring their kids. Can you tell which one of us is better with kids?