Weddings without children are becoming more and more of a rarity, but there are still some who dream of a formal affair free from children. For these types of weddings, extra planning is necessary to make sure that those with children are still able and willing to attend. The tips below will help you plan a child free wedding that is convenient and enjoyable to all.
Choose an Appropriate Day and Time
Choosing the right day and time for a childless wedding is extremely important if you have a lot of guests with children that you wish to come. Saturday afternoons are a bad for weddings when you do not want children around for example. This is the day and time when most family activities take place and many guests with children may choose to skip your wedding if they have to make a choice. Choosing a Sunday afternoon or Friday evening would be better, as these are times that would not interfere with family activities for the most part.
Let Your Guests Know
It is important to make it clear to your guests from the very beginning that you do not want children present under any circumstances. Having this information printed on your wedding invitation is a must and having an extra card made with a cute phrase that reiterates your point is a good idea as well. If you do not make your desires clear from the beginning, you may end up having to turn some guests with children away on the day of the event.
Don't Make the Ceremony Too Long
Guests who have children and choose to come to your wedding are likely paying for child care by the hour and may even need to get home in order to feed an infant or care for younger children. If this is the case, by making your ceremony shorter in length, you are ensuring that everyone is able to stay for the whole thing and has time to enjoy the reception as well.
Consider Buffet Style Service
Table service at a reception is elegant and nice, but when you have guests that may only be able to stay for a limited time, it may not be ideal. In order to have a child free wedding, you may have to make some compromises. Having buffet style food service will allow guests with children to eat faster and then if they must leave early, at least they were able to enjoy themselves and have some food.
Make Parking Easy and Accessible
Guests who have children that they were not able to bring to your wedding may find themselves facing an emergency at home. If this occurs, they will need to leave quickly and without it being a difficult task. Making parking for your wedding easily accessible is ideal when you don't want guests bringing their children.
Having a child free wedding is possible, but it takes more planning than a traditional event. The tips above can help you plan the perfect wedding that is free of children, but which does not inconvenience your guests with children.
