Kids!!!!

Is there a niece/sister, someone in babysittingbage who could watch the kids in another room for the reception for a small fee? Not ideal, but doable...


We're having kids at ours, but putting together age appropriate activity bags for each of them.

***sorry: babysitting age

I didn’t have them at ceremony but had them at reception. However for the ceremony I had a nursery room with the church caretaker looking after them

I hope to. I've heard of hiring a day of babysitter or team of babysitters though and that definitely something I'm interested in.

We will be having kids for both the ceremony and reception. I would definitely look into a babysitter/caregiver. 45 mins is quite a distance.

If you don't want them at the reception, I'd leave them out.


Also, if you do choose to have them, don't forget that their food should be served with the adult first course (or earlier). The last wedding I went to, the kid's meal came out at 8pm and the kids at my table were so hungry and overtired that two cried (not tantrum, just overtired). Their parents will also likely leave earlier than they otherwise would.

We are only including my two much younger brothers as the only children (plus a couple older teens). They will be at both the ceremony and reception. I think you either include them in both parts of the day or neither. Seems like it would be hard to send them home mid way through? Who would take them? Would that person then also miss the reception?

We’re having having them present for everything. Parents are, of course, welcome to leave early for bedtimes or get sitters and not bring them. I have six nieces/nephews, and I think including kids adds a fun element to things. We are requesting that our DJ play radio appropriate versions of songs. My siblings usually bring someone (one of their in laws) to watch the kids after bedtime, though. They have a system.

I definitely feel like kids are all or nothing. I don’t think it’s fair to say they can come to part of the event but then have to leave, especially since ceremonies are boring for them and receptions are the fun part with music and food. The ceremony is the shortest part, so it sounds like they’d be in the car more than they’d be at the event.

Yes! Our oldest boy is a groomsman, our oldest niece is a jr bridesmaid, all of our youngest nieces are flower girls, and our two youngest nephews are ring bearers. They will all join us after for the reception too!

Full disclosure, we had kids at our wedding. I would go all or nothing. Most kids think of the ceremony as boooooooring and the reception as fun. Additionally, a 45 minute round trip in the middle is going to have a lot of people just leaving when their kids have to go home - or not coming at all.

I agree with all others but just want to add that before you decide on hiring babysitters for the reception, talk with the children's parents to see if they would participate. Some people will not leave their children with a "stranger" and/or will want to keep their kids with them, so it might not work out the way you would hope. As others suggested, I think you should plan on all or nothing (with the exception of your own child who can -- and probably should -- be included even if they are the only child at the wedding & reception). Daughter only had the four children (relatives) who were in the wedding and no others; she was glad. The 8 & 10 yr-olds were on the dance floor all night and had a blast; the 4 yr old started yelling that she was tired and wanted to go to bed before the wedding party entrance to the reception. Her parents put her on a lounge chair on the outer edge of the reception space where she slept the entire time. The six year old walked around in a daze all night sucking his thumb.... Kids of different ages may be more or less suited to participating in a wedding reception.

We did not have any kids at any portion of our wedding. It was one of the best decisions we made! I did not want kids screaming, crying, or talking during our ceremony. Also, I wanted all of our guests with children to enjoy a night out.

At my ceremony it’s only son who is 6 and my daughter who is 1 and nephew who is 2 but my kids are in the wedding ceremony but it’s a small gathering after the ceremony due to covid and don’t mind the intimacy with close family only. So I say with the 45 minutes away just have someone close to you that know have someone watch over them or ask the parents to help out 💛 good luck on working things out and I hope they do work out 🌹

Kids are just like any other guest in that they should be invited to both the ceremony and reception, or neither.

View Quoted Comment Completely agree with this

Only the children in the ceremony are invited to our wedding, so our 2 nieces and our nephew. All other kids are kindly asked not to attend at all. It's hard to invite them to the ceremony, but not the reception, or vice versa, because people are more likely to just not come because finding childcare becomes more complex.