Children vs. Wedding

A big dilemma when planning a wedding is... What about the kids?  I have talked with many brides about the seemingly lose-lose situation when people's kids are involved.  You don't want to be rude and ask for friends and family to ditch the youngsters, but who wants a bunch of bored rambunctious kids running around your wedding?  Here are some great ideas to avoid stepping on sensitive toes and avoid footprints on your train.

Free Labor!  Kids love to feel important and readily prove themselves when provided a mission.  Some great ideas are assigning them the job of family photographer and sending a crew of kiddos armed with disposable cameras.  You can also have a couple in charge of distributing confetti or favors.

Create a kid friendly table!  An easy and cheap idea is to cover a table with the backside of clearance wrapping paper and a cup of crayons.  Kids can go for hours with that.  Provide scratch paper and throw a "contest" for the best drawing of the couple with a small toy as a prize (and a smaller prize for the others so nobody feels left out).

Reserve a room!  Depending on your venue, rent a room or set one aside with movies, activities and some kid friendly food.  Be sure to provide a trusted and experienced sitter and inform the parents before the event!  This can allow you to have a child free wedding while giving guests the option.

Babysitters!  Utilize a couple older kids to watch the youngsters and offer a payment.  Remember, 10 year olds are happy to earn $20 and are great with kids.

Guests with kids appreciate their whole family being invited and the parents enjoy your big day so much more without having to worry about their little ones' entertainment and safety.  These simple measures will take a huge load off of your adolescent worries and make the day more relaxing for all of your guests!