There is absolutely no question that children are adorable. Watch just about any movie with children or pets and they definitely can draw focus from even the most attractive and charismatic actors. The question is, do you want them (children, not pets!) at your wedding? After all, isn’t this supposed to be your day? You’ve spent thousands of dollars on your dress and veil, months working out to fit into your dress and hour upon hour meeting with wedding coordinators, caterers and florists.
Developing the guest list can be one big old headache depending upon the needs of your in-laws. It could almost provoke you to run screaming to the Las Vegas Chapels for a quickie ceremony without all the fuss and muss. But seriously, what kind of a memory would that be, that is unless an Elvis look-alike performed the service. It sounds harsh to think you’d exclude the children of family and friends from your important day, but the questions is do children really even want to be at a wedding? Many are bored to tears and that’s why they wiggle and squiggle around in the pews of the church. Boys usually hate being confined by a suit and tie. They’d rather be chasing each other around, wrestle on the floor and pull the ribbons from the hair of pretty little girls wearing party dresses consequently followed by crying outbursts from destroyed curly updo styles. It’s not their fault; they’re kids, what do they know or care about the sacred vows of marriage, at least not for many more years to come, we hope. Truth be told, there are cases where kids should be involved in these ceremonial once-in-a-lifetime moments. That place is the church where they are accustomed to being quiet. After the ceremony, take them home to a babysitter. An onsite babysitter who plays games and teaches crafts is a gracious perk occasionally offered by the host couple, but, don’t expect it. You love your children, but there is a time and place for them because not everyone may be tolerant of their cute outbursts of untimely comments. There are more than enough “America’s Funniest Home Video” moments created by children’s’ antics at a wedding. If you want to take that chance at your wedding, go for it. Otherwise, a simple, “adults only” printed in the corner of your wedding invitation will certainly suffice.