Planning a wedding when you have children sounds complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. With prior planning and patience, you can throw the perfect wedding.
You just need to make sure you include your children in your special day and take note of their needs and personalities.
How to Plan the Perfect Wedding When You Have Children
Whether you have a newborn or a school-aged child, it’s still easy to plan an incredible wedding in a few months. Here are 10 tips for planning the perfect wedding when you already have kids.
1. Involve Your Kids
Allow your children to take part in the wedding celebrations. Ask them to pick out accessories for themselves and the wedding party. Let them choose some decorations or make their own. Make sure they feel included in the celebration and part of the family on your special day.
2. Pick a Kid-Friendly Venue
Choose a reception venue that’s kid-friendly. Many hotels and banquet halls now offer family packages or services for the little ones. You may be able to bring toys and games for your children at these venues, which can keep them entertained during talk-heavy moments.
3. Find Kid-Friendly Meal Options
If you want to make mealtime more simple, look for caterers that feature kid-friendly meal options, such as grilled cheese or chicken fingers and fries. Avoid feeding your children too much sugar at the wedding because you’re going to be in for a massive afternoon crash.
4. Get a Family Photo
Take advantage of all the people at your wedding and ask for a family photo. Make sure you include your kids in multiple guest photos. Then, you can use this opportunity to capture unforgettable memories with a wedding photo photo book that includes family photos.
5. Plan Family Activities
Schedule family activities in the days leading up to the wedding. If the ceremony is taking place at the same location, plan a day trip to explore the area. Have a picnic dinner on the beach or take a boat ride. This helps everyone bond as a family and get excited about the wedding.
6. Designate Child Care Help
Weddings can be overwhelming for little ones. If you have very small children, ask another adult to watch them during the ceremony. If there aren’t family members or friends that can take shifts with the kids, look into professional childcare services you can hire for the day of your wedding.
7. Carve Out a Quiet Place
Weddings are loud, have too many people, and feature a lot of flashing lights. When choosing your venue, take note of any quiet spots your children could retreat to. If your kids have any audio or visual sensitivities, use sunglasses or earplugs that will help them feel comfortable.
8. Do Wedding Activities Early
Your children have a patience meter, and when it’s nearing empty, they won’t feel comfortable joining in on activities. If you have anything interactive that you want your children to take part in, such as photo booths or guest book signings, do these at the beginning of the reception.
9. Pick a Strict Leaving Time
Adults and children alike love to know when an event is going to end because it helps them plan their day and estimate how patient they need to be. If you tell your children you’re leaving the venue at 5 pm, leave no later than 5 pm. Make sure you do everything you need to before then.
10. Find Time to Decompress
Weddings pull your children out of their usual routine, so they’re going to need some extra time to wind down. You can’t expect your children to go to bed right away or at their scheduled bedtime. For this reason, you should play with them or run around the house until they feel tired.
