I just got back from a performance by the Joffrey Ballet of the Nutcracker at the Detroit Opera House. One off the most dazzling scenes was of the Snow Queen dancing in her glittering icy costume through a dreamy wonderland of snow.
When I saw this handmade wedding tiara, made by the UK’s BlueMarmalade on Etsy.com, I though instantly of the Snow Queen.
Wouldn’t this be heart-stopping on a winter bride?
Want to open a can of worms? Tell people you want a ‘no children wedding’. You’ll get a few supporters, but others will secretly scorn you. Namely, the ones on your guest list who can’t imagine leaving their little ones with a babysitter.
Having a kid-free wedding is one way to scale back the guest list for a small wedding but be prepared for criticism. Judging by the comments on some bridal forums, there are some pretty strong opinions about kids and weddings. Some can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t allow kids. They argue that it’s anti-family not to invite children and that weddings are all about family. Others can’t comprehend why anyone would want little ones underfoot at such an ‘adult’ event.
We had kids at our wedding. Mind you, there were only three – but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. That said, I understand why some couples opt for a ‘no children wedding.’ Couples generally spend months orchestrating their weddings – not to mention saving for them. Along comes one tantruming toddler, and Kaboom! perfection is destroyed – especially if it happens during the vows.
Kids are unpredictable. They cry. They make messes. They bump into things and are known to stick their fingers into places that they shouldn’t (i.e. cake, nose, you get the picture.) But oftentimes, they’re also surprisingly well-behaved during special occasions and can add a lot to your Big Day.
If you are sure you want a ‘no children wedding’, how do you ensure that your adult guests won’t bring their offspring?
Whether your motives for going kid-free are a limited guest list, or a morbid fear that crying babies, tantruming toddlers and playful preschoolers will wreak havoc on your wedding, here are some ways to get the message across to your guests that kids aren’t invited:
• Before you send out the invites, call friends and family who have kids and let them know that a wedding invitation is on the way and that you have opted for a ‘no children wedding’. That way they will have time to line up babysitters.
• Wedding etiquette experts (I am not one of these. Trust me.) say that it’s tacky to write ‘no children’ on the invites. Instead, state on the RSVP card that it will be an ‘adult reception’. Another way of saying this is to write the following on the RSVP card: “We have reserved_ seats in your honor” and just include the number of adults.
• Be firm. If you cave at your sister’s request to bring her little ones, and your friend’s little ones were forced to stay with babysitters, there might be hurt feelings.
One way to please your guests with kids is to have a babysitter or two at the wedding venue. Set up fun activities like a craft centre to occupy the kids. One word of caution: some kids get severe separation anxiety and will not take to this idea very well. Keep this in mind when you are pursuing this option.
Now you can subject your friends and family to your wedding video and call it Movie Night – complete with popcorn, cocktails and cushy theatre seats. The catch? You have to fly to Rome.
An indie theatre in Rome is renting out space to couples who want to show off their wedding movies to friends and relatives. It’s so hot with couples that the ailing cinema has now been revitalized. The cost is $422 U.S. – with cocktails thrown in.
Why not pitch this idea to your local indie cinema? Who knows, you might bring the trend to North America?
There are lots of ways to tell your guests where to go. You can create Google Maps for your guests. You can draw your own maps. Or you can get fun, hand drawn wedding maps for wedding guests from calligrapher Laura Hooper. Send them in your invitations or as save the date cards. Laura’s work has been featured in oodles of bridal magazines and she’s done work for some Hollywood notables. Map design is $285. With all the money you’ll save by having a small guest list, why not splurge on this cool keepsake!
Creating a seating chart is not quite as arduous with a small guest list. Anything under 50 guests and it’s pretty easy to do on your own. As the numbers creep up, the more useful software programs become in helping you create a seating chart. One such program for creating wedding seating charts can be found at fluidtables.com. I discovered this site the other day. It looks neat and it’s free. Check out the demo on the site. It explains the program in simple terms.
