To invite or not to invite the kids...

Spoke to my caterer, he said he could do a chicken finger and pasta meal for the kids at $35 pp. Big improvement, though... still hard to look at that $$ for chicken fingers for a 3 year old!

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I would have never thought to go back to him without y'alls suggestions!

Remember that cost per plate isn't the only cost of hosting your guests. We rented floor length tablecloths (plain ivory), chair covers (ivory again), rental table décor and centerpieces, so just to provide a seat averaged around $25 per guest. (i.e. $120 a centerpiece divided by 8 guests per table = $15 per person right there).

Oh, I'm fully aware of all the extras by this point! I was amazed at how many ways these vendors can add on to a reasonably priced meal plan! I'm pretty happy with my caterer now (I had to dump the first one I was working with), they're providing a bunch of the extras at very reasonable prices!

Don't invite them just out of obligation. If you can't imagine your day without them then invite them. If not, have a kid free event. I have a lot of little cousins, FH has 2 kids and all my friends have kids who I am Auntie Erin to. I couldn't not have them there. We have 24 kids coming between the ages of 5 and 14.

I cannot imagine getting married without my 2 flowergirls and ring bearer. I have known them since they were negative aged! My 4 year old FG has become obsessed with my wedding and might have a career in wedding planning in the future!

Now, my cousin's kids... i don't know them. Whether that's because of schedules or distance or just that we're not that close... who knows. But, since I am having some kids in the bridal party, and those kid's siblings, and because my family is coming in from around the country, i do feel obligated to invite other's kids.

I'd not invite the extra kids. At the end of the day it is your money. If someone is insisting you invite all kids, and they are willing to pay for it, then by all means... but otherwise it is $$$

Our venue charged the full adult rate, for all guests 13 and up. (No discount for 5 hours of open bar). And if guests 12 and under wanted the adult entrée = full adult rate. The venue also had the right to ask for a photo ID for every alcoholic beverage ordered, had we invited kids. And if any kid was caught trying to order or was seen drinking an alcoholic beverage, the bar could have been shut down, for the rest of the night. Not a risk or price that we were willing to pay ....

So we went with 21 and up, which is what almost every wedding we've ever been invited to has been.

I would say no and that's the reason why we said a no kid wedding unless you have to bring them because of the people such as adults that will be there and I want to have enough food and not go over budget.

Sometimes weddings ARE FAMILY REUNIONS. Unfortunately, weddings and funerals are really the only reasons many families get together. A family wedding would be a wonderful thing if that's what you want. If you don't, just keep in mind your family may be disappointed that it is NOT a huge family reunion. In my family, that's the only way we can get everyone together in one place. So, while I'm on team no kid, it can be very nice to have everyone together. I am not having children at my wedding, but that is because my whole family will hopefully be getting together for my sister's wedding a year later.