Kid Friendly Wedding Reception

So, you’ve resolved the great debate…..children will be invited to your wedding! This is a difficult decision for any bride-to-be. Now comes the tough part—what will the children do at the reception?


Well, if you don’t plan ahead, there is a good chance they will run around making noise and messes. Think about it…you’re five, you had to put on uncomfortable clothes, sit through a potentially long ceremony without being able to talk, get shuffled off to a reception, and then get to sit quietly after you have quickly finished eating, while your parents have steak.


The best way to deal with children at a reception is to plan ahead and maintain a sense of humor, as kids are naturally unpredictable.


First, check with your reception site to see if they provide food options for children (often, kids’ meals will be half-price or free, so it is definitely worth asking). Chicken nuggets, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pizza and French fries are always popular kids’ favorites. See if beverages such as fruit juice are available as well. Kids will appreciate your effort when they don’t have to eat the green beans almandine their parents are eating.


Many articles suggest renting a separate room for the children, and having a babysitter watch them. If this is feasible for you, it is an excellent option. The children have room to play without disturbing the adults, but are properly supervised. Another variation on this is to set up a children’s area at the reception stocked with coloring books, crayons, small toys, games, and anything you can think of that will be entertaining and have a babysitter or other trusted adult monitor the area. These suggestions are often unpractical however, because of size limitations in the reception area or the potential costs of extra rooms and babysitters.


If this is true for you, consider providing the children with entertainment right at their seats. One fun way to do this is to create your own wedding activity book. You can easily create games such as word searches, crossword puzzles, and mazes using Microsoft Excel. Pictures for coloring pages can be downloaded from graphics websites by searching for “free+wedding graphics.” Another fun activity to include is a trivia game about the wedding party. For example, “The Maid of Honor is the Bride’s……A. Sister, B. Mother, C. Cousin,” and then including an answer key. You can purchase inexpensive boxes of crayons in a dollar store, or buy them in the party favor section of any drug or toy store. If you decorate the crayons, they can serve as a favor for the children. Providing small trinkets (also can be found in the party favor section) can keep children busy.


One last consideration—play some music that children will recognize and enjoy. It may sound silly, but lots of adults will do the hokey pokey, and children often are able to get reluctant adults to hit the dance floor. Also, any Disney songs you can slip into the dancing will get the kids up and moving. Children can add a great amount of joy to your special day when you plan to make it enjoyable for them as well.