Photo by Safe and Sound Events

Because everyone secretly wishes they could still sit at the kids’ table.

Weddings are typically family-friendly celebrations where all ages are welcome. That said, no bride explicitly dreams of their vows being interrupted by a screaming toddler, and no parent wants to face that (understandable, yet brutal) embarrassment. Kids are unpredictable by nature, but with some extra planning tailored to their curiosity and short attention spans, they could and should make for wonderful guests.

The reality is that the entirety of a wedding can be long and even boring for little attendees. Well-behaved kid-guests are not unheard of; an intentional effort toward their inclusion will make a potentially dull experience feel special. Everyone’s heard of the “kid’s table,” but without creativity, it often just leaves children feeling isolated and unimportant. Adding something as simple as a sign that reads #CoolKidsOnly will entice the juniors to embrace their now-exclusive seating arrangement.

If you have a significant number of wedding guests under the age of 11, there are roughly three goals to approach: to keep them happy, to keep them busy and to keep them involved. This way parents stand a chance of enjoying themselves rather than distracting small humans all night.

 

 

Photo by Two Little Boys

To Keep Them Happy:

  • Add unique flair to place settings at the kid’s table, like little stuffed animals instead of name cards
  • Provide fun snacks such as individually packaged candies, a playful cookie/chip display, or even an elaborate option (a chocolate fountain, an ice cream bar, etc.)
  • Pass around a big bucket of favor-sized bubble containers that children can help themselves to
  • Give out glow sticks, for a color party at nighttime

 

To Keep Them Busy:

  • Hand out mini clipboards with “Something to Color” printed on coloring pages and a few crayons
  • On the same note, prepare an activity sheet including bingo, word search, crossword puzzles (you can personalize this further by designing your own online)

 

 

Photo by BrideandBows on Etsy

  • If the size of the kids’ list allows, then you might opt for implementing a kid play area (bonus points for including a “kids’ bar” with beverages like glass-bottle coke or Shirley Temples)

 

To Keep Them Involved:

  • Set up hands-on games like cornhole, jumbo Jenga or Connect 4
  • Leave out enough disposable cameras for each child and challenge them to iSpy
  • Have the little ones all design a card for the bride and groom, this way they are working on something the newlyweds will cherish forever

 

These special activities don’t require extravagance. Many of these ideas are or can be altered to be cost-effective. Each couple should evaluate accordingly depending on the size of the mini wedding party. Cheers to allowing kids to be a part of your big day; they’ll most likely be in your shoes in 20 years (and adult tables are boring).

 

Our purpose at Weddings in Athens is to show the outstanding selection of Athens, Georgia wedding vendors such as wedding photographers, videographers, florists, wedding planners and venues. We hope that our information will be helpful to you as you plan your Athens, Georgia wedding.  Please contact Weddings in Athens if you would like to have your listing added. Please follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/weddingsinathens.

 

 

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