Article by Eric Lee
The juggling act that is a wedding never seems to be easier than you think it will be. With so many balls in the air, it’s inevitable that after a while one will hit the floor. Integrating children into the wedding is prone to hiccups but it can yield some of the most memorable moments. Read more to find out how to make the children and wedding decorations in your wedding copasetic.
Getting all parts of a wedding, including wedding decorations and guests, to come together can be like herding cats. To the bride and groom, everything needs to be perfect for their big day – and why shouldn’t it be? You’ve been planning for so long to get all the wedding accessories and wedding decorations just right that anything less is unimaginable. However, the first piece of advice that every bride and groom should adhere to is “don’t sweat the small stuff.” There will inevitably be bumps in the road that all the planning in the world couldn’t prevent. Just learn to roll with the punches and enjoy your big day. After all, that’s what it’s all about right?
This piece of advice comes as a precursor to the main point – children. Everybody who has been to a wedding has some memorable moment involving a kid. If nothing else, it’s funny amidst the wedding decorations to see a tiny tuxedo on a kid who can barely walk. Children are a great addition to any wedding but don’t expect them to do exactly what you want them to. Their unpredictable and carefree nature is what makes children so great. Welcome it. It will save you a lot of stress.
When including children, the best thing to do is to pick roles that will bring out their nature. Kids take the roles they are given at weddings very seriously, and we usually don’t give them enough credit. They understand how big of an event it is and they usually think their role is the most important in the wedding which is why they want to do the best job they can. For younger children, making them a ring bearer or flower girl can be absolutely precious. They will mind the wedding decorations and take their charge of carrying the rings very seriously, working hard to learn how to do a good job. Of course, not every child is like this, but most rise to the occasion when they understand how important their role is.
For older children, giving them a more integral role in the wedding will help to make them feel included amongst the all the wedding planning and activity Giving them a big moment such as reading a passage, representing the family as part of a sand ceremony, or even escorting the bride past all the wedding decorations can make all the difference in the world to them. And it is sure to make it an even more special event for you.
If you have the kind of wedding where many of the guests will be bringing children, set up a kind of daycare to watch the kids during the reception. It will likely save a few wedding decorations and this gives guests the option to get more involved in the festivities of the ceremony, making it more fun for everybody.
One last thing you can do is to make some wedding favors, activity books, and wedding decorations for the kids. It’s a real quick and simple gesture that will mean a lot to the parents and children. I can still remember the party favors that I got at my cousin’s wedding when I was a kid. Maybe it’s a coincidence but she’s always been my favorite.
Integrating children into your wedding can provide some of the best fun of the night and get everyone into their comfort zone. Bringing everything together does not have to be an overwhelming experience, but a fun and exciting one. Go pick the cutest relative you have and put them in your wedding today!
