If you wish to include children in your wedding as either a ring
bearer, a flower girl or by assigning them a task that helps them to
feel included. Children can make a wonderful addition to any wedding
but they also have the potential for livening up the wedding with
unexpected antics. It is important to consider the age, maturity
level and predictability of the child before deciding to include them
in the wedding. Take care to follow these tips to help things run as
smooth as possible and to make participating in your wedding a
pleasurable experience for the child.
Let’s be honest about this. To the average small child, weddings can be
a complete bore. They have to spend hours hanging around in formal
clothes. All this makes them very receptive to the general air of
excitement around them – and this is when high spirits can take over.
Certainly, inviting children to a wedding can cause problems. After
all, a church service is not exactly designed as children’s
entertainment. The events of the day hardly fit in with their usual
routine, their demands for attention are ignored and they’re meeting
strangers and people they haven’t seen in years.
If you choose a very young child or a child that is particularly shy
you may want to consider having their parent accompany them down the
aisle so that they are not overwhelmed on the day of the wedding.
Also, be prepared for the child to completely forget what they are
supposed to do and don't allow their mistakes to put a damper on your
wedding day. The odds are that if the child does not perform
well, the other guests will simply laugh so feel free to laugh along
with them and enjoy the pleasure that comes with including a child in
your wedding.
One tip for including children in your wedding is to understand that
children under a certain age may not be capable of performing a role in
the wedding ceremony and that even if the child is old enough to
understand what is required of them there are no guarantees that they
will complete their task on the wedding day. Try to choose a ring
bearer and flower girl who are over the age of four and while the adult
participants may only need to run through their part once, allow extra
time for the child to practice their part several times.
Another tip for including children in your wedding is to try to really
make it an experience that the child is looking forward to. One
way to do this is to ask the child to participate in your wedding a few
weeks in advance so that the child has time to really get excited about
the idea and has a chance to tell their friends about how they are
going to be in a wedding and wear a special outfit. Another way
to get the child excited is to take them shopping for their wedding
attire instead of choosing an outfit for them without their
input. This helps to make the child feel as though their opinions
are valued plus it lets them choose an outfit that they like and will
look forward to wearing.
Still another tip for including children in your wedding is to have the
photographer take any pictures that will include the children early in
the photography session. While it is true that many children
enjoy having their picture taking, they may grow impatient and
irritable if they have to wait a long time to have their photos
taken. Additionally, children are not used to standing still for
a long time and will probably want to run and play which may result in
rips or wrinkles in their wedding attire.
If the parents of the child are not in the wedding party you may want
to ask one of the bridesmaids to assume responsibility for the child
before the wedding, during the wedding and during the photography
session so that the parents do not have to stay nearby and can enjoy
the wedding and the cocktail hour. You might want to supply the
bridesmaid with a small bag containing snacks and toys that will be
useful in keeping the child occupied during times that may seem boring
to them.
If you have a number of children in your family and want to include
many of them one useful tip is to give each child a specific job.
You may not be able to include all of your young friends or relatives
as ring bearers or flower girls but you can give them each a task such
as handing out wedding programs or bags of birdseed or placing the
favors on the table at the reception. The children will feel
important and you get to include them without adding length to the
ceremony.
When including children in a wedding, it is important to understand
that they may not do everything perfectly but you shouldn't get upset
with them and should instead enjoy the fun that they bring to the
wedding with their spirit and enthusiasm. Including children in
your wedding can be a lot of fun but there are some precautions that
should be taken. Following the tips in this article will help to
ensure that the children are excited to participate in your wedding and
are well prepared to do so.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
