Weddings where children are not invited

If the wedding was an Italian wedding, I would think it was quite unusual for children not to be included, but when my nephew got married near Naples, the most of the children were taken to a different area of the wedding venue, and entertained and fed there, and came into the main venue later on. I think all the guests were related to the bride and groom. Some of the younger children stayed with their parents, including my youngest grandson who doesn’t speak a word of Italian, having been brought up in the UK. However it was quite relaxed.

Wedding Nanny that sounds posh and more money just say no Children much cheaper.

Children are left out because:
1. Parents have shown in the past to be insensitive to others and let their children be disruptive at key moments.
2. Weddings cost a fortune and couples can’t afford to invite everyone’s children - if you invite one you have to invite everyone’s children or you cause massive offence to those who had to leave their children behind.
3. Space is limited at the venue and couples have to make hard decisions about who to invite.
Flip side to this is that couples have to understand this means some people will choose to not attend and they shouldn’t take offence if that’s the case.

?

The day belongs to the bride - and groom - they should be free to state their preferences

Oh yes wedding nanny, that is what my nephew is doing!

lemongrove

It could be your new job MissA ?

They'd all be crying to go home, I think. (Me included!)

Bound to be well paid.

Basically you hire a nanny to entertain the children after the meal is finished. This is usually in a separate room. My friend was a registered nanny who provided toys, books, etc for the children until an agreed time to limit boredom and children charging about causing mayhem. Children used to really love her as it was a special time for them. The nanny can also assist at the actual wedding if that's what the bride and groom choose

It could be your new job MissA ?

I've never heard the concept of a wedding nanny until now.
I cant say I understand it.

My DD is going to her friend's wedding next week and its No Children allowed.
Don't understand why they don't get a wedding nanny in as my friend used to do this. I'm sure guests would chip in towards paying a nanny rather than paying a baby sitter or not attending.

Yes you should allow children but not in the church. It would be alright if the parents took out the screaming baby during the church service but they never do and babies can ruin a wedding. Put them in another room and get a nanny for them.

A Wedding Reception is basically a party with alcohol, food and dancing. For anybody getting their knickers in a knot because they can't take their children along might look at whether it is actually a suitable place for their offspring. The ceremony is terribly tedious for younger children and so they often get fractious and loud so maybe it isn't the right place for them either. In an ideal world, it would be nice if you could have your entire family and friends on both sides but that isn't always possible so you have to make uncomfortable choices. Excluding the members who won't appreciate the ambience seems perfectly acceptable to me. That said, I had children at my wedding without a second thought but it wouldn't have bothered me if anybody had said no children to me.
We are just planning to have an evening bash to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary and the question of children has arisen. Do the kids care about our marriage longevity? Not a jot but we will consider the implications of whether their parents can attend because we are usually the babysitters!

Many years ago my brother's bride stipulated no children. Our half sister had two children (husband and I didn't have any at the time) whom he had always been very generous to. They were about 8 and 10 at the time of the wedding.
Their father took great offence and stated his family would not attend. They have not spoken to my brother or I ever since.
I would not have been offended if my children were not invited to a wedding.

I always said if my children weren't invited then I wouldn't attend either. Evening do wouldn't bother me.

I'm unsure whether this is about what other people should or should not do, or about you not sleeping well when your GC's stop over?

I would not have wanted to take my children if I wanted to enjoy myself properly. Id not want children at mine. Where have gone to a wedding with little children, they run around, need constant distraction as watching their parents eat and talk to other adults is boring for them.

I can’t imagine anything worse than a wedding full of children, sorry. I found them tedious when I was a child, so the feeling is probably mutual.

When I was a child back in the 50s, I and my two siblings never went to weddings. Only one of my aunt and uncles to my 3 cousins my aunt always said she had no one to look after them
My sister who was quite a bit older then me used to look after us.
Years later we were asked to a family engagement I was married and our dd was 6 months old. My parents looked after her but my mother-in-law wasn’t very happy about it. Tough.

geekesse

When my son married a couple of years ago, we hired a nanny to mind the children in a different room, with lots of activities and toys. The breastfeeding mum could pop in there to feed and the children joined everyone else for the meal (kids options were offered with the menus). It was a very successful compromise.

We did this too and I think it’s a good option. However, it’s up to the couple.

Been to several "no children weddings and thought they were wonderful. No screaming during the ceremony, no running about screaming waiting on the meal and no very tired and grumpy children with parents who just think they are there to have a good and don't entertain or control their children. All 3 of my AC had weddings with no children. The cost nowadays is horrendous so don't blame bride and groom for making the choice on that basis alone

I think geekess’s wedding and nana roses sound brilliant and how I remember family weddings. Just hire a big church hall a band a buffet and escape early. cheap and very cheerful.
I was not fond of the idea of a wedding having been a bridesmaid three times what a bore and expensive to boot! so mine was very small lunch affair.
I think people’s priorities do get a bit skewed, when my children were young and not invited I’d take that as a jolly good excuse not to go. Phew.

Never would enter my head not to have children at my wedding and wondering if these couples would change their minds if they have children later. I have been to many weddings and never seen any problems from having little ones there. Maybe because I am old most people knew how their children should behave.

We were invited to a wedding almost 40 years ago, but it was a child free wedding, there were many children in family which brought them to the decision. As much as I wanted to attend we had to decline, our daughter was only 2 months old, I was breastfeeding and my friend lived over 200 miles away so would have meant an overnight stay. At the end of the day it is couples decision and although I love to see children at weddings we have respect their decisions and reasons behind them