Tag: wedding invitations

Tips for Keeping Children Entertained on Your Wedding Day

Published on by Bridgett King, Wedding OfficiantLeave a comment

Whether it’s nieces and nephews, your best friend’s children, or young cousins, sometimes, inviting children to a wedding is unavoidable. While you can always request on the invitation that no children attend, if you want friends and family with children to be able to attend, it may be best to leave this requirement off the invitation. Children are often unpredictable, which does not go well with a wedding day. Here are some things you can do to keep children entertained and well-behaved on your wedding day.

Hire a Babysitter

If the parents of the children are part of the wedding, consider hiring a babysitter or caregiver for the children. The babysitter can tend to the children’s needs and keep them entertained. You might hire someone from the family who is less involved in the wedding or perhaps a professional nanny if you have room in the budget. You can find one online or ask your friends and family with children if they have a babysitter or nanny they recommend.

Designate a Special Area for Them

If you have activities to keep children entertained, they will be less likely to get bored and start complaining or creating issues. Consider having an area that is just for them. Adding a “children only” sign can be a nice touch, making them feel special and more likely to hang out there. Choose some age-appropriate activities that will prevent boredom. Things such as coloring books, crayons, crafts, and board games can be helpful.

Similarly, consider making a personalized pack with activities for the children to do throughout the day. This will make them feel particularly special, and you can include things you know they enjoy doing.

Allow Them To Burn Off Energy

Children are full of energy and need a way to burn it off. Otherwise, you’re just asking for trouble, as they’ll likely be disruptive at the worst times. If the weather is nice, someone can take the kids outside and allow them to run around a bit (while taking care that they don’t get too dirty, of course). Alternatively, many games can be played indoors that will safely allow them to run around a bit and expel some of that seemingly endless amount of energy children have. Some of these games may include:

  • Duck, Duck, Goose
  • Ring Around the Rosie
  • Simon Says
  • Red Light, Green Light

Have Special Snacks

Children love to snack, and their small stomachs often require it. So find some child-friendly snacks that the children can eat throughout the day to prevent their blood sugar from crashing, which may make them cranky. And, of course, you need to talk with the parents or caregivers to ensure the kids don’t have any food allergies. Finally, you will want to choose snacks that do not make much of a mess, so the children don’t stain their wedding clothes.

Make Them Feel Included

Children often want to be involved and feel like they are an essential part of the day. Find a way to make them feel included and special. Girls and boys alike may enjoy being part of the process of getting ready and can even perform little tasks that help with the last-minute wedding preparations.

Above all else, try not to set your expectations high and expect kids to behave perfectly. Children being ornery often make some of the best wedding memories. Doing these things can help the children feel entertained and included, but they will likely still ask questions and want to be a part of your special day. Try to embrace that fact and enjoy having them be a part of your day.

Common Misconceptions About Weddings To Help You Plan Your Big Day

Published on by Bridgett King, Wedding OfficiantLeave a comment

Getting married can be an exciting decision. Of course, it also tends to bring about a lot of stress. Even though statistics highlight that roughly 2 million people tie the knot in the United States every year, there are still a ton of misconceptions surrounding modern weddings. Review these points and gain perspective on how to best plan for your nuptials. 

Forget About Your Wedding Being the Most Important Day

Couples put a lot of pressure on themselves, their families, and their vendors when it comes to planning their weddings. This is predominantly due to the prevailing notion that a wedding is supposed to be the happiest or most important day in a person’s life. While it is definitely one of the more noteworthy events of your life, deeming it the most important is an easy way to set your expectations far too high. 

A great alternative to this mindset is to think about your wedding as the start of the next leg of your journey with your significant other. Observing this event as a transitional moment is an easy way to take some of the pressure off and allow you the flexibility to actually enjoy the experience. 

Ditch Strict Attire Guidelines 

While it is true that your wedding should be all about the wants and needs you and your partner share, you must always take your guests into consideration while planning. A great example of this can be found in the idea of the dress code. When you are strict with guidelines surrounding attire, you are often forcing your guests to jump through hoops to be in attendance. Not only is this annoying to many friends and family members, but it can cause you stress should you notice someone shows up wearing something that doesn’t match your instructions. 

Being lax with your dress code can make the event more enjoyable for everyone involved. Simply trust in the fact that the people you invite will have enough sense to wear appropriate outfits to your reception. 

Make Your Guest List Your Own

Other than you and your partner, there is no one else in your life who is required to be at your wedding. This means you should not feel obligated to invite anyone you don’t want to take part in your special day. If you have a tumultuous relationship with your parents and they refuse to give their blessing for your union, then you are allowed to refuse them invitations. Whether you’re worried about inviting a racist uncle or have a few friends who cannot control themselves around alcohol, you don’t need to include anyone you feel uncomfortable inviting to the event.

Naturally, you might need to explain your decision to those you exclude. It is also important to note that opting to not invite certain people might forever sour or break certain bonds. As long as you understand this, you are free to make whatever choices you find best regarding your guest list.

Keep Things Short

While a wedding does not need to fly by, it also should not move at a snail’s pace. One mistake many couples make is allowing certain elements of the event to drag on for far too long. This is most common with moments like the wedding party’s entrance, the speeches and toasts, and the preliminary dances between the couple and their parents. Wedding experts advise timing all of these moments in advance. If anything feels like it is going on and on, then it is in your best interest to make cuts so you can keep your guests engaged. 

Learn About Common Mistakes

Getting married might be fun, but it is far from a simple or straightforward experience. When you take time to learn about common wedding misconceptions, you can do your part to avoid committing commonplace errors.