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To Kid or Not to Kid … Hosting younger guests on your wedding day can be a success if you think like a child 
“Send in the Clowns” was a command, not a song, when Leah Ingram got married several years ago. “I knew I wanted to have children at the wedding and I wanted the wedding to be kid friendly,” says Ingram, who lives in New Hope, Pa. “I hired a clown who did a magic show and balloon animals,” says Ingram, author of “Tie the Knot on a Shoestring” (Alpha Books, 2007). Like Ingram, more couples are welcoming children to their nuptials, according to Garen Gouveia who, with his wife Susan, operates Corporate Kids Events-VIP Babysitting Services in Monterey, Calif. However, including children means more than an added line on the invitation. Couples have to plan for their younger guests and may have to adjust their own agendas as well. Being flexible and accommodating is key, say the experts. “When you have children in the wedding you have to lower your expectations. You have no idea what a delayed nap or freaked-out flower girl will bring to your wedding,” says Ingram. To make everyone, even little ones, comfortable consider one of two options for the wedding reception. Either plan an event that’s appropriate to children’s tastes or provide childcare with appropriate activities. Ingram considered children’s interests by having food they preferred. The sushi bar wasn’t an option, she says. She also informed the caterer that children might migrate from the children’s table to sit with their parents. “You should not be wedded to the seating chart,” she says. Gouveia, who provides babysitting services for 40 to 50 weddings a year, offers tips for segregating children. • For the reception, look for a space that’s separate from the reception and is self-contained so children can be cared for without disrupting the event. •Ask the facility’s management about childcare policies. Some will say that you need an outside service if you bring in a certain number of children, according to Gouveia. • Research a childcare service and provide enough information so that your guests can do the same. The company should be licensed, insured and provide excellent references. Assume that children through age 12 can be watched by a sitting service; after age 12, children don’t feel comfortable in childcare programs, Gouveia says. |
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