How can children be more involved in a wedding celebration?
A decision that everyone has to make when planning a wedding is are you inviting children? Not every wedding has children, and it’s perfectly acceptable to decide that it’s adults only. But if you do make the decision that you want little ones there, then getting them involved can be a great idea.
If you’re struggling for inspiration on how to get your young guests involved, and you’re worried they might get bored, here are my top tips for how to make your children a big part of your special day.
THE CEREMONY
If you have children yourself the question of invites will invariably be yes. Most of my couples who have children wish for them to play a part or be involved in some way. The great thing about Celebrant ceremonies is that they tend to be informal. They also tend to be much more inclusive than a ceremony in a church or a civil wedding at a registrar’s. Everyone is relaxed. There is always a laid-back atmosphere, and sometimes even a party theme. They usually take place outside in a field/barn/garden or private room, and, as there is less emphasis on the legal aspect and much more of a celebratory feel, you can be as creative as you want. We work with an open book. You quite simply have the freedom to create a ceremony of your choice, which could include your children.
HERE ARE SOME IDEAS THAT MIGHT INSPIRE YOU :
- Flower girl – it’s a simple tradition but can mean a lot for a young girl to play her part, especially if she’s alongside the bridesmaids
- Being best man/girl – this doesn’t have to be exclusively an adult role
- Delivering a reading – if your little one is quite confident, then they might love to share a poem or a reading, and I can help with suggestions if you’re struggling for ideas
- Taking the role of an usher – you could get your children to show guests to their seats, deliver the rings and generally just be a very cute member of the wedding party!
- Babies can be held throughout the ceremony, and often are as they are the heart and soul of the relationship. This is absolutely fine and can be adorable
- The children can also be involved through any number of celebrant rituals. The most common is a Sand Ceremony, where different coloured sands are blended together in a symbolic container. This is used especially when two families with children are coming together. Another common ritual is hand tying, where children are invited to bring up ribbons/cords or a flower ceremony -children uniting the grandparents.
ENTERTAINMENT
No matter how much you involve them during the ceremony, it’s inevitable that all children will get bored. After all, it’s essentially an adult party. So after the ceremony is finished and you’re thinking about the celebrations, here are my top recommendations for how to ensure your little ones don’t become too bored!!
- The simplest and often very effective plan could be to have a good old singalong/dance! What better way to get everyone involved. Who remembers the Hokey Cokey when they went to parties?
- Or why not employ an entertainer? A juggler or magician could be perfect. Children always love a magician! Alternatively just arrange for a family member of friend to keep them occupied throughout.
- As most Celebrant ceremonies are outdoors, it is sometimes fun to set up outdoor games. These can keep both children and adults amused for hours. I can highly recommend Absolutely Vintage for huge range of vintage party games. How could anyone resist hook a duck? https://www.absolutely-vintage.com/vintage-games-hire
- Then there’s food to consider. Inviting an Ice-cream van to deliver after you have eaten, or including children friendly catering, could be a fantastic little addition. Again, nothing too formal and very relaxed
- If there is a separate room you can use, why not set up a craft room? This could be great for smaller children. It could have paints, crayons and sticker books
- Most children at the ceremonies I deliver just love running around outdoors and playing with each other. What better way to tire them out?
Whichever way you wish to involve your children or keep them occupied throughout the day, a Celebrant ceremony will be inclusive, relaxed and informal. It’s just the right vibe for including children of all ages.
If you’d like to make sure your children are a big part of your day, I’d love to chat with you 07528637825.