Kids at Weddings: Tactics [Infographic] on How to Prevent a Disaster!

Children at weddings can be oh so adorable. And the cutest scene-stealers, too. But if things aren’t planned right, they could also spell potential mayhem! So how do you keep your darling little flower girls, ring bearer and any tiny tot guests happily occupied so their parents (and all the guests) can enjoy the reception? Well, the suggestions and infographic we’ve put together here should do the trick!

Tips for a Tot-Friendly Wedding Reception

Child guests will probably be all right during the ceremony proper. But once things extend to the reception, they’re likely to start feeling tired, bored, and restless. They’re kids after all! So be prepared by taking these measures.

1. Get prior info about kiddie attendees.

While formulating your guest list, you’ll probably already have an idea of which couples may have little children they can’t leave at home during your wedding. Give them a call once the invites are out (or have a bridesmaid do this for you) and graciously ask if they’ll be bringing the children, so that you can plan ahead. Find out the youngsters’ ages, if they’re boys or girls, and maybe any concerns about food allergies, etc.

Armed with a final head count of kids (don’t forget the ones in your bridal party!) and the info you’ve gathered, you can now map out your ‘anti-mayhem plan’!

2. Think ‘kiddie corner’ as you visualize your venue.

Giving children their own special space is a major step towards containing their movement and noise. It also allows you to assemble a truly kid-friendly environment—apart from the fancy (i.e., breakable, soil-able) setup for the grownups. Ideally, this could be an actual separate room adjacent to the main reception area. Or a section of the hall or garden marked off with potted plants, floral garlands, or even some long tables.

3. Create a little world high on kiddie appeal.If you’ll be having a wedding stylist/planner, he or she will surely have experience in planning for kids at weddings. So share your info on the number and ages of the children, and include the design of their special space in your consultations. Decide if you’d like the color scheme at least to match your overall wedding decor. But the rest of the details should be focused on what will keep kids content and behaved for 3 to 4 hours:

Physical setup

– child-size tables and chairs
– water- and spill-proof tablecloth (or none at all)
– disposable plates and utensils, glasses with ‘sippy’ lids, lots of paper napkins
– if it’s a carpeted indoor area, a waterproof mat or covering over the carpet
– if you’ll have a separate enclosed room, a DVD player and large television monitor for film viewing and/or a small sound system (or a laptop) for playing kiddie tunes

Decorations

– In place of floral centerpieces in vases, have little flowers and other decorations hanging from ribbons overhead (beyond kiddie reach, though!). These will provide the festive effect without the risk of spills or breakage.
– Kids love seeing their names labeling things. So have cute themed name-signs on each chair back. A great way to avoid those “That’s my chair!” squabbles.
– Have activity kits in brightly-colored packaging serving as the decorations at each child’s place (best if labeled with his/her name), ready to keep little hands busy. The kits could include puzzles, activity or coloring sheets and crayons, small toys and tiny books.

Kiddie-Guest Host and Attendants

– Got a preschool teacher in the family? Or a sweet friend who wouldn’t mind spending the reception entertaining children? Lucky you! There’s your kiddie-guest host right there!
– This person will be invaluable in keeping the little ones in their designated area, rather than wandering back to their parents or zooming among the reception tables.
– She or he can tell a story, read a book, demonstrate a craft, do some fun tricks, lead the children in singing songs or playing quiet games.
– To assist the host, convince 2 or 3 young cousins to act as attendants for the tots as well.

Food and Drinks

– Come eating time, have the children’s food brought out on individual trays, with the portions kept small and everything in bite-size pieces.
– Non-messy kiddie favorites to choose from: chicken nuggets, cocktail hot dogs, cheese cubes, tiny sandwiches, baked macaroni, mini pizzas, unfrosted cookies, brownie bites.
– Remember that the young ones will be wearing their ‘party best.’ So have disposable bibs on hand, in colors and designs to suit the theme.
– Serve water (in fun decorated glasses) instead of juices or sodas. No sugar to induce hyperactivity, and no sticky cleanups in case of mishaps!

Kiddie Loot Bags

– Wondering why no candy at the tables and no mention of a sweets buffet? That’s because we strongly advise reserving the candy for ‘take home’ favors!
– Petit fours inspired by the wedding cake could also be included, so the children will feel part of the occasion.
– Finally, a sweet keepsake could be a miniature teddy bear tucked into each loot bag. The little girls’ bears wearing bridal veils, and those for the boys sporting bow ties!

Does all this sound like planning a children’s-party-within-a-wedding? Well, it is in a way. But the prep work can all be done well in advance. And the resulting peace of mind at your wedding reception will be priceless!