The First Family Fight...Children at the Wedding

[MsShelley]

on the other end~ I invited kids, I had a ringbearer and a flowergirl, and then both parents decided to leave them home so they could have a vacation. But kids do add a certain atmosphere to a wedding and for the most part~ IMO it's usually a good one!!

[NATASHA]

OH NO! I can't upload images. Hmm. Well, here's what I can summarize:

 

-First Dance picture - kids sitting together watching intently (and they're young boys!)

 

-Dance train - MIL dancing with 5 kids - not bothering family - off on the side

 

-My third favorite photo of the whole wedding - three girls (including flower girl) ages 5-8 all jumping in the air with this really cute, full of life expressions which I feel totally explains how all of us felt that whole day and night.

 

-Family photo taken during cocktail hour with my MIL, SIL, and my SIL's sister's family and all of their families kids. I love my SIL's sister's whole family (just saw them on Sunday and they were still talking about the wedding) whose kids range from 6 to 18. This was their last chance to travel together as a family before their son graduated and it's the first time that the sisters' (my SIL) families had all traveled abroad together.

 

-Aunt Toni holding my new niece in a funny pose in front of the mariachi during cocktail hour.

[Alisarosenbaum]

I did not mean to spark such a debate! My post was more on the what do you do when a guest calls and asks you to change something about your wedding than the actual no kids policy. No tickets had been booked, I had arranged babysitters for anyone who wanted to use them, and was clear on our website about it being adults only events. When she called me, I explained that I understood going to a DW was difficult, and when we decided to get married at a location almost 7 hour playride away from DC (and thats witha good connection) not many people would be able to go, so no feeling on my end would be hurt. I was more surprised someone would call and ask me to change this, instead of just saying they couldnt come, or working it out with the 5 other family members of them who are coming to take turns watching the kids for the 2 night. That is all I was saying...

[MsShelley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alisarosenbaum I did not mean to spark such a debate! My post was more on the what do you do when a guest calls and asks you to change something about your wedding than the actual no kids policy. No tickets had been booked, I had arranged babysitters for anyone who wanted to use them, and was clear on our website about it being adults only events. When she called me, I explained that I understood going to a DW was difficult, and when we decided to get married at a location almost 7 hour playride away from DC (and thats witha good connection) not many people would be able to go, so no feeling on my end would be hurt. I was more surprised someone would call and ask me to change this, instead of just saying they couldnt come, or working it out with the 5 other family members of them who are coming to take turns watching the kids for the 2 night. That is all I was saying...

I think it is totally up to you and your FI, whatever you decide~ afterall it is your wedding... I don't think anyone meant anything by what they said... just different opinions that's all...

[michelle08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LALA I don't think this is worth discussing anymore. We all know everyone has their own opinion on this. I've been to weddings where I haven't been able to hear vows because kids were crying. I've been to weddings where there were 20 kids and they were all well behaved and fun. I was at one wedding where a kid snuck under my table and stabbed me in the foot with a fork! I've been to weddings where they were super boring and watching the kids play was the only entertainment. It goes both ways and everyone has their own opinion on what they want.

Well Said!!! I couldn't have said that any better! I think no matter what everyone will have their own opinions and that's okay!

Jen: I don't think anything you said was offensive...I totally understand what you were trying to say.

Kate: Sorry about your foot!! That sucks!

[NYJen]

I'm sorry I'm still adding to this. Not that I feel the need to justify myself but I did want to let you girls know another major reason why we opted not to invite kids (besides our 4 nieces and nephews.)

 

We are inviting 117 people to our wedding. There are 43 kids attached to those 117 people. Realistically I expect about 60 people to come. There are 37 kids attached to those 60 people. 37 kids!!! Most of your complete guests lists are less than that. I can't have 37 kids running around - it would literally turn into a kiddie party and I might as well get a clown at that point.

 

You have to realize, we're in our 30's and almost everyone invited has kids. I can't tell some people that they can bring their kids while I tell others that they can't, so we opted to say no to everyone except our sisters. Especially since our nieces and nephews are playing a role in our wedding (ring bearers and flower girls.) I hope this explains things a little better.

[jak27]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JenandBrendanWedding We are inviting 117 people to our wedding. There are 43 kids attached to those 117 people. Realistically I expect about 60 people to come. There are 37 kids attached to those 60 people. 37 kids!!! and I might as well get a clown at that point.

OMG that is a lot of kids. Seriously. That's not a cute flower girl here or there, but a massive kid's party.

And clowns scare me, so that freaked me out...a clown at a wedding...my dad always jokes that he's going to hire one just to be funny, but it's not funny, it makes me cry. Clowns are creepy.

[gkashmira]

i agree - clowns ARE creepy! Especially the "happy" clowns that are actually depressed and the "sad" clowns that are actually downright scary...

[michelle08]

Your guys are funny about the clowns... they don't scare me but they are weird and annoying at times!

 

That is seriously alot of kids!! yikes!

[CourtneyV]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gkashmira i agree - clowns ARE creepy! Especially the "happy" clowns that are actually depressed and the "sad" clowns that are actually downright scary...

Yep, that's what nightmares are made of! lol. I think my view of clowns was ruined after "IT". (that was the movie, right..??)