Planning Tip of the Week: The Kiddie table
Posted by Gretchen of mywedding.com July 27, 2009
Inviting kiddies to the wedding? Keep busy little hands occupied with a special table dedicated to your pint sized guests! Here are some ideas that can be used for your kid-friendly occasion.
- coloring books & crayons
- legos (only for the older non-eating lego kids)
- a customized activity book
- decorate a cupcake or cookie
- foam stickers used to decorate foam book marks and foam frames
- jewelry making with beads (again, only if the kids at this table are old enough) 
- an assortment of stickers and colored pencils and stamps to decorate their own favor bags
If the service is available in your area, look into a child care company that can come and keep the kids busy while their parents enjoy the wedding day stress-free.

Kid-Friendly Wedding (Part 1): Planning for Success
Posted by Nicole of mywedding.com February 13, 2009
If a good number of your guests are 18 and under, you may want to consider taking steps to planning a kid-friendly wedding. Having a lot of kids at your wedding can be fun and endearing, but in order for things to go smoothly you’ll need to get things in order. You’ll want to plan to keep kids occupied and make their parents feel welcome. Follow some of the suggestions below to make sure everyone is happy at your wedding.
Offer On-Site Babysitting - Having a babysitter available to parents can be a godsend, for some. Many parents will want to take advantage of free childcare! Others will politely decline. Either way, hiring someone to keep the kids occupied and to supervise kid activities will not only make parents feel relieved, it will ease your mind as well.
Organize a Children’s Processional - What’s the saying? If you can’t beat them, join them?—or at least ask them to join you. If you’d rather not say your vows over a screaming two-year-old, ask them to participate in the ceremony with you. Often when children are included in the fun, they’ll take matters more seriously and stay on their best behavior. Of course there is still no guarantee that they’ll act like little angels, but it’s worth a shot. If a large group of children will be at your ceremony consider having a children’s processional before the bridal party members walk down the aisle. You can have the children drop flower petals, hold each other’s hands, or carry a single flower. After the children walk down the aisle have their respective parents meet them at the altar and direct them back to their seat. They’ll feel proud that they were a part of the ceremony and your guests will get a kick out of the kid parade.
Performance/Song/Blessing - Similar to the children’s processional, having the kids perform a song or recite a blessing at the reception is a great way to include them into the day. Most often kids who are acknowledged and included in the event tend to have more fun and will more likely stay out of trouble. Not to mention how cute and entertaining it will be to watch your favorite kids sing a special song or play an instrument just for you.
Plan a Kid-Friendly Menu - It’s nice to offer a kid-friendly meal to make sure the evening goes as smoothly as possible. Avoid food-related power struggles between parents and children by offering something that all kids will love to eat.
Arrange a Kid's Table(s) - Consider placing the older children together at a kid’s table. This is especially a good idea for teens. They’ll have fun together and their parents will welcome a nice dinner with adult company as well. But do place the table near a group of parents to make sure dinner is somewhat supervised.
Play Kid-Friendly Music - Ask your DJ to intersperse the evening with kid-friendly music. This will get them all out on the dance floor and having fun.
Plan Activities They’ll Like - Stay tuned for of this series for a list of fun activities to offer at your wedding. The more you have to keep them occupied the happier everyone will be.
Offer a Separate Quiet Area - Designating a quiet area for nursing moms, parents with babies, and for tired, cranky children is a good idea. If possible, offer a comfortable chair, a changing station, and a comfy place for a little person to take a nap if necessary. This will help everyone have a better time. You’ll avoid having to deal with meltdowns in the middle of your big day, parents will spare themselves the embarrassment of their screaming child, and the kids will have a safe place to go to unwind and rest.


Kid-Friendly Wedding (Part 2): Activities to Keep the Kids Happy
Posted by Nicole of mywedding.com February 26, 2009
If the kid to adult ratio at your wedding is a bit larger than you initially anticipated take the necessary steps to plan accordingly. After you’re sure the day will run smoothly for the wee ones (and yourself), you’ll want to have plenty of activities to keep their little bodies busy. Here are a few tips to help keep everyone amused.

Shower Them With Gifts - Place a small bag filled with fun toys/games at each child’s dinner seat. Include things like: a small notebook or coloring book, crayons, bubbles, gum, Mad Libs, comic books, etc. It’s good to choose activities that will keep them both occupied and relatively quiet.
Hire Entertainment - Depending on how much space you have, consider hiring a child’s entertainer such as a magician, clown or face-painter. This works particularly well if you’re having an outdoor wedding. Designate as special area for the performances to take place that is within viewing distance from the main reception area, but far enough away that it isn’t distracting for everyone else.
Create a Teen Hang Out - Want to make sure the teens are digging your party too? One way to make the adolescent crowd feel comfortable is to set up a teen lounge area. Create a separate area with non-alcoholic drinks, snacks, popular music, magazines, and plenty of comfortable seating. Your 16 year-old niece will thank you - and probably have a good time, to boot.
Sports/Activity Area - Again, if you’re hosting an outdoor wedding this is a great idea. Hire or designate a willing friend or relative to supervise the children in playing games. Ideas for games or activities include: a three-legged-race, hula-hoops, badminton, whiffle ball, or jump rope.
Set Up a Game Table - If physically active games aren’t possible, set up a table with an array of board games. Include games for every age group - from Monopoly to Chutes and Ladders.
Designate a Toy Area - For the younger kids, all you’ll need are a few interesting toys to keep them happy. Classic toys like blocks, Legos, or books will help ease babies and toddlers when the boredom sets in. Their parents will thank you too.
Offer an Art Table - Cover a table with white butcher paper and stock it with crayons, markers, pens and pencils. You can also include coloring books, jewelry-making supplies, and construction paper. Your little guests will lose themselves in their creations - keeping them occupied and content.