Not inviting kids to a wedding.

We're not having children at our wedding, either. I know it's going to upset some people, but it's not their wedding; it's ours. As much as I love kids, I'll be damned if anyone is going to stick their finger into my wedding cake, or start howling during the ceremony. I agree with Marcy, most parents would LOVE to have a night of fun, away from their children (and that DOESN'T make them bad parents). Kids can "run around and carry on" at the playground - not at your wedding! If your future brother & sister-in-law can't respect your wishes on YOUR day, then they can stay home and watch Spongebob. Don't let them guilt you into making the day about their kids; that's what birthday parties are for. Good luck!

Uh at my wedding the kids started doodling around the signatures for my collage picture frames. parents can't control them and they laugh like it is so amusing. but it's frustrating. i think parents are just tired and have no vested interest in making it be calm or organized for the bride. i just felt bad having to look at doodles and almost graffiti like names on my nice framed collage of e pics. yikes. it bothers only the bride most of all. and another thing, if a guest sees them doing it, why doesn't anyone stop them? oh boy, i could go on. but you know, i totally love kids too...it's just my picture frame! oh well.

The PROPER thing to do when you have kids who become "uncomfortable" is to excuse yourself and take your kids out of the sanctuary. But many people have a problem realizing that everybody don't like kids and even if you do like kids, some settings are not appropriate for small kids - especially those who are not well-behaved. i mean who the hell really wants to hear someone's crying kid in the background of their wedding video. so the brother and his wife never go ANYWHERE without their kids? i find that hard to believe.

Oh and we are having an adult only reception (with the exception of a few teenagers). but i'm hoping that since the reception is almost immediately following the ceremony, that will encourage folks to find a babysitter for the day.

Im having kids at my reception...but i agree with ladylee! who wouldnt use a wedding as an excuse to have a night out without kids! LOL....your kids cant go to things like weddings especially if their parents proclaim them to be rowdy, and unbehaved!!! thats just rude!!! i would find myself loving it if my friend said no, dont bring your kids!! (its a night out to enjoy yourself!!!) lol

Okay if you don't want them their they don't invite them. It is your wedding and the last thing you want to be thinking about is whether or not some kids will be behaving. You could get someone to come and watch them there off to the side or in another room but in all honestly that is up to them to find someone. I am having the 3 kids in my wedding her my cousins and they are 8, 11, and 15 and are well behaved and then my sister's little boy who will be two but that is because he is my nephew and I know my sister and her husband will be keeping an eye on him. They are actually booking a room at our venue incase he gets fussy. But that is it. On your invitations put "adult only reception."

I wish I could ban kids (FH's daughter is going to be almost 6), but I got out of having her in the wedding, so it was a little much to say she couldn't be there. I know that sounds awful, but weddings are not always good places to have children. I used to babysit for weddings. I remember one where the fathers of the bride and groom sat at the entry to the site and sent everyone who brought a child to the next room where I was watching them- made for some really ticked off guests, but they knew ahead of time that kids were not invited. I had a set of parents that night who between the two of them would check on me every half hour (really annoying!!!!!), but at least the bride and groom didn't have to worry. Like it has been said before, you are going to have to be firm, so you might want to designate a person to help you keep kids out.

If i didn't know you i'd probably keep checking on my kids too lol. no diss against you. it's not personal. i just don't know you.

This was a hard one for me too, i have about 40 nieces and nephews and 15 of them are under the age of 5 so i decided to hire a baby sitter for the reception part, and they will be in a room provided by my vendor

OMG that is to funny LovelyUnique i am LMAO over here reading your post i can just picture someones child acting up and me stopping to tell them to get out with their child but to avoid all of that i will have my little cousin baby sitting for a small fee

I am fortunate because both sets of parents agree a wedding is not a place for children. However, I am concerned because my FH's family is all from out-of-town and don't want the fact they would have to leave their children at home for days with either a babysitter or extended family to stop them from coming. My parents offered their home as a place for all the children to go and we are going to pay for one or two babysitters, depending on how many children there are. However, the only reason we are doing that is for guests coming out of town because I want his family to be able to come!

Keep standing your ground...we went to a wedding recently where the children cried during the ceremony and ran around screaming during the first dance. It broke my heart that such special moments were essentially ruined for the bride and groom because of unruly children. Even the best behaved children can become a problem.

Piece of advise if you do decide to allow them, do not have a 'kids table'. I have seen this done, and although it might be nice, it is not. The parents sometimes get the idea that because the kids are at another table, they do not have to deal with them. If you make the kids sit next to their parents, they are more likely to behave. You could also print out some wedding related coloring pages and put out crayons for the kids to help keep them busy. They could leave them for you and fh to put in a scrapbook.

Wow I can't believe so many people are against kids at a wedding! I'm not saying you don't have a right to your opinion I just didn't realize so many people thought kids distract from a wedding. I had 15 kids at my wedding and the only thing that happened that could be somewhat construed as bad behavior is while they were waiting for their food and when they had finished while others were eating they were on the dance floor dancing to the background music. Personally I thought it was adorable and I think my guests did as well. I also know that if I would have had a problem with it, I could have mentioned it to either the child directly and they would have gone back to their parents or I could have mentioned it to the parents and they would have got them. My husband and I feel that kids are the future of our family and should be part of family functions and what says family more than a wedding? I'm not trying to change your mind but give you another perspective. contd...

... I also had 6 flower girls and 2 ring bearers so I kinda like kids. lol

Thank god all the people invited have kids who aren't toddlers...lol by the time my wedding hits my youngest will be turning 4 and he knows how to behave. I don't blame you for not wanting them there if the parents want to throw their hands up and just act as if all kids act up when they are bored. What do their kids do in church for christs sake? Seriously...DONT FEEL BAD. It's your wedding, you set the rules.

I really don't know why people get so offended when you ask them not to bring their children to the wedding? Do they remember when they got married??? did they want screaming kids at their wedding? Anyway, family especially should be accomodating to you and your FH wishes for your important day. Don't feel bad, in the end they are the ones who will end up apologizing to you!

I went to a wedding where the only 2 kids were the rb and fg, and by the end of the night I wanted to kill them (and I REALLY love kids) If you have children that don't know how to behave it can ruin your day. These kids threw rice right in the brides face (hard), pulled her vail off ruining her hair, kept going under her dress and hiding in there, running around the guests while they danced and hanging on to the back of their legs. I was all for children at my wedding, until that tramatizing night lol. If those kids show up at my wedding I might have a bridezilla meltdown

I had the same problem with my family when I said no kids..but I said too bad...I put my foot down and if they choose not to come thats their loss..not mine..

I had ONE kid at my wedding and he pulled the fire alarm. Enough said.

I went to a wedding in january. the groom's niece had a 3-4 week old which SHOULDN'T have even been out in the first place. that baby pretty much cried during the entire ceremony and the mother didn't have the decency to take him out b/c she didn't want to miss the wedding. someone else on that side had a small child that whimpered the entire time too.

BUT WAIT. THERE'S MORE.

there was also a little boy about 4-5 years old who talked to his mother the entire time. Mommy this. Mommy that. And instead of her telling him to be quiet, she proceeds to engage him in conversation. And neither of them are whispering. Are you serious?!

I know when they got their video all they heard was kids crying and talking in the background. That is so hideous! I made up my mind right then and there I would not have kids at my wedding. And I haven't even told yall about the kids running around at the reception!