Dear Monica,
Sounds like you have a whole family of objections to inviting kids! (Get it? You asked me about kids and I said "family". See what I did there?)
Ahem, anyway. Let's take your problems with kids one at a time. First of all, if you really have your heart set on an adults-only reception, you should stick to your guns. The "mood" of a reception is very different with and without kids. Some people love a big boisterous family atmosphere at their weddings, but others prefer the mellow romance of an adults-only affair. Either way, you shouldn't be guilted into choosing one or the other. If guests balk and worry that they might not be able to find a babysitter, you can always hire an on-site sitter to watch all the kids together in another room.
If it's just the cost of your headcount that's bothering you, one of our HereComesTheBlog panelists has a great idea. Karin Sella Sloan of Let Me Tell You is a crafty wedding business owner, and a bit of a genius. Check out what she thinks you should do: "I might ask Monica's venue whether they can offer a reduced rate for children, with pizza or something else inexpensive. Kids prefer it, so she won't feel like she is necessarily skimping, and she can avoid the discomfort of excluding anyone."
Smart, right? I love our panel. As always, let me know what you end up doing. The real life updates are almost as much fun to read as the original questions!
~ Jayne |
