Most people often exclude children from destination weddings because they fail to choose child-friendly locations. You have probably had to leave your kids with a babysitter before heading to a getaway wedding. However, you do not have to leave the kids out when planning your getaway wedding, here are some tips that will help you to plan a child-friendly destination wedding:
Figure Out The Number Of Kids
How many kids will be attending the wedding? You need to know the specific number in advance so you can plan properly. You need to treat teenagers and above as adults since at this age, they consider themselves as adults.
Keep The Kids In Mind
When planning every aspect of your wedding, you need to keep the children in mind. Whether you are shopping for modest bridesmaid dresses or planning a menu, consider the kids. In most instances, their presence will not change much but you might want to add a few more details.
Age-appropriate Welcome Bags
Once you decide to include kids in your getaway wedding, expand your budget to include one welcome bag for each child – this is important because kids are not good at sharing. If they are young, include coloring books and erasable markers. Older kids will enjoy hand-held games and puzzles.
If you want to hand out squirt guns, wait until the reception to avoid chaos during your wedding. To avert causing damage in hotel rooms, you need to avoid giving out destructive toys.
Plan For Babysitters
If there is a body of water nearby, always have babysitters at hand. This means that if your wedding venue is near the swimming pool, you need to have sitters. A beach party needs even more supervision because you cannot expect one lifeguard to keep up with all the kids.
If the parents are going to be drinking, you need to enlist the help of a few sober people to help with the children.
Low-ground Dinner
If you have several toddlers on the guest list, plan for a buffet table that is close to the ground. Include foods such as mini sliders and hot dogs that the children will enjoy. You can even plan the kids’ dinnertime to coincide with the wedding toast. This way, they can eat without overhearing what the adults are talking about.
Book An Additional Room
To avoid total chaos, book one room for the kids so that your babysitters can have a safe area to control them. The parents can go in and out of the room whenever they need to check on their children. Plan fun activities such as movie time and video games to keep them entertained. If you fail to plan, the kids will choose their own fun activities and nobody wants that.
Find Child-friendly Accommodations
Your wedding planner should be able to find kid-friendly hotel rooms easily. Choose places with small kitchens and fridges so that the parents do not have to rely on hotel food for their little ones. This would mean extra expenses for your guests. You need to do your research and find the correct details of any hotel that you are considering.
Add Music Dances For The Kids
To celebrate the children, consider adding a music dance segment to your entertainment schedule. You can also add a tiny cake table to allow kids to decorate their own cupcakes. These activities will keep them busy and make them feel appreciated and provide wedding photographers with great photo ops.
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