By: Tracey Manailescu
- Photo: Avenue Photo
I had so much fun putting this blog together:) How could I not? I interviewed 13 adorable children to get their opinions of what couples can do to make a wedding better for them, and then asked WPIC Alumni to share some of their favourite stories about working with children.
- Alexandros, 5 Brooklynn, 7 Sophia, 6 & Ella 4 Audrey, 3
- Julian, 4 Joelle, 10 Brayden, 11 Sierra, 6
- Daniel, 15 Nicole, 10 Graydon, 5 Samara, 7
What did you think about the CEREMONY?
“Wedding was good. A little fun.” -Julian, 4
“It was kind of boring, because it was just them talking about those people getting married.” -Nicole, 10
“It was boring, but it was nice to see them get married.” -Daniel, 15
“Uncle Greg’s wedding – I liked that it was short and didn’t cut the time for the party and the eating and stuff.” -Joelle, 10
“Lots of people were there, and I couldn’t hear Mommy when lots of people talked so much.” -Audrey, 3 (almost 4)
“I was bored.” -Sierra, 6
“It was pretty cool. Just a little bit boring.” -Brayden, 11
“It was okay, I like the second part better. (The reception)”-Ella, 6
“Ceremony? What’s that? (I explain) Oh, my favorite part was when the prince and the princess kissed.” -Sophia, 4 (almost 5)
“It was good but I didn’t like that we were just sitting around watching.” -Alexandros, 5
“It was fun just watching them get married and the beautiful bride walking down the aisle in a beautiful dress.” -Brooklynn, 7
“It was really wet outside so they stopped talking and we got to take our shoes off.” -Graydon, 5
“It was okay?” -Samara, 7
What is your BEST memory of a wedding that you have attended?
“Dancing with the bride.” -Julian, 4
“Dancing!” -Nicole, 10
“The dancing and the food, especially the broccoli soup.” Daniel, 15
“Dancing with my aunt and uncle at their wedding and seeing all my cousins that I hadn’t seen in ages” -Joelle, 10
“When everyone stopped talking.” -Audrey, 3 (almost 4)
“That like, um, we went to a big thing and it had lots of food. Something that you went in, like a mansion or something. ” -Sierra, 6
“It was probably when the music went on, and everybody started dancing.” -Brayden, 11
“I loved it when they were cutting the cake and feeding it to eachother. I liked the music too, and dancing, and getting dressed up very fancy with my butterfly bracelet.” -Ella, 6
“I remember dancing with daddy on his toes. That was fun. I liked the food too…it keeps coming and coming and coming. And I really liked the cake. Cake is my favorite. I like cake.” -Sophia, 4 (almost 5)
“My favourite part was when we were eating our dinner, and dancing with Theia Liz (the Bride) and I love when we were allowed to run around!” -Alexandros, 5
“Dancing with my cousin Sierra because we could then show off our dance moves.” -Brooklynn, 7
“Dancing! I got to wear tap shoes!” -Graydon, 5
“I got to wear my princess dress.” -Samara, 7
What is your WORST memory of a wedding that you have attended?
“I liked everything.” -Julian, 4
“Ceremony.” -Nicole, 10
“It was all nice.” -Daniel, 15
“Showing up with a pom pom hairstyle that made me look like smaller version of mini mouse!” -Joelle, 10 *Message from mom: “Her hair was straightened the day before and should have just been blow dried and flat ironed on the wedding day but she decided to wash it in the shower about two hours before the wedding and I certainly did not have the time to do it completely over so my sister gave her poufs!”
“When everyone kept running. All the kids were running too fast, but I wasn’t running. I was just walking.” -Audrey, 3 (almost 4)
“We had to sit down and wait for the wedding girl and the wedding man to come out. ” -Sierra, 6
“Probably when we all had to sit down, and everbody had to listen to those really long speeches. It was really boring! ” -Brayden, 11
“Those people who were talking and talking and talking…and talking! I had to be quiet for too long!” (Referring to the speeches) -Ella, 6
“I didn’t want chicken fingers and french fries! Huhhhh! I wanted what the big people had (flaring hands)!” -Sophia, 4 (almost 5)
“Just the sitting around at the church because it was so boring. It made me need to go to the washroom….that’s how long it took…” -Alexandros, 5
“When you don’t like the food or dessert, I was hungry by the end of the night.” -Brooklynn, 7
“The adults dancing. It freaks me out.” -Graydon, 5
“Eating the bad food.” -Samara, 7
What could the couple have done to make it more FUN for you?
“Have a jumping castle.” -Julian, 4
“Nothing.” -Nicole, 10
“There is nothing I can say bad about it!” -Daniel, 15
“They could have played some more kid friendly music at the reception because it was all adult Jamaican music that I didn’t know so much.” -Joelle, 10
“When the grownups didn’t have to tell their kids to not run at ‘meetings’.” -Audrey, 3 (almost 4)
“I would say put ice cream in the wedding. ” -Sierra, 6
“Certain place like a small room where smaller kids go, when speeches start or where we had to sit down for a long time. ” -Brayden, 11
“Remember when I was trying to catch those flowers? Maybe it could be a candy bouquet instead!” -Ella, 6
“Maybe a bouncy castle?” -Sophia, 4 (amost 5)
“Put play things near the dance floor so the kids can play with toys.” -Alexandros, 5
“Add a play place (bouncy castle) so all the kids could have fun together.” -Brooklynn, 7
“Make it a skylanders party with a skylanders cake” -Graydon, 5
“Have another wedding – so I could wear another dress.” -Samara, 7
Did you get in TROUBLE at the wedding?
“No trouble.” -Julian, 4
“No. Ummm…Wait. Yeah, because we went upstairs. The people that worked there told us to come down.” -Nicole, 10
“No! I don’t think so…” -Daniel, 15
“No.” -Joelle, 10
“No. I was a good girl, because I am a big girl. And I didn’t touch stuff, like the cake, but it wasn’t for a birthday.” -Audrey, 3 (almost 4)
“No!” -Sierra, 6
“No. ” -Brayden, 11
” NO! Hmmmm, nope.” -Ella, 6
“Well, just once when I dropped the kneeling thing in the church. It made a loud noise. But it wasn’t my fault.” -Sophia, 4 (almost 5)
“Actually, No!” -Alexandros, 5
“No.” -Brooklynn, 7
“Why did I get in trouble?!!” -Graydon, 5
“No.” -Samara, 7
Would you go to another WEDDING?
“No. I’d rather go to a playground, or toy store.” -Julian, 4
“Yeah!” -Nicole, 10
“Of course. There’s a lot of good food and dancing.” -Daniel 15
“Yes I would, because weddings are very fun, and if I had the chance to go to another one, I would.” -Joelle, 10
“No. Just one. Because my friend Aleta (imaginary friend) doesn’t want to go.” -Audrey, 3 (almost 4)
“Yeah.” -Sierra, 6
“Yeah.” -Brayden, 11
“Yes! Weddings are my favorite!” -Ella, 6
“Yes!! Why are you asking me all these questions? Are we going today?” -Sophia, 4 (almost 5)
“I actually would. Only if it is my wedding….oh…or, if it’s people I know!” -Alexandros, 5
“Yes.” -Brooklynn, 7
“No.” -Graydon, 5
“Yes, are you getting married?!!” -Samara, 7
Couples stress endlessly about how to make their wedding different than anyone else’s and yet, somehow forget the little things…the children they invite 🙂 Children can be your worst critics or your biggest cheering squad, depending on how things are handled. It is really not difficult…
Keep them entertained, keep their hands busy and give them something to look forward to. Really, it is that simple!
Children want a children’s menu. You could be the “coolest adult ever” with a children’s buffet (Pizza, chicken fingers, hamburgers, hot dogs, taco station, build your own nachos, pasta, jello, ice cream sundae station, etc.)
If you want an adults-only reception, why not offer optional childcare for your guests? There are many professional babysitting companies for hire around the world. The cost is usually about $15-$25 per hour, per sitter. Check if your wedding venue has a separate room where the kids can hang out with pizza, movies, popcorn, craft stations, X-Box, etc. Or, set them up in a hotel room where some of the guests are staying.
Now for some cute and entertaining stories from some of our WPIC Alumni:
“I had a wedding that a total of 8 kids in the bridal party! The original plan was for them to walk 2 at a time down the aisle, but the bride knew that kids will be kids and just to let them do their thing. Well the first three pairs started down the aisle, then the first set of boys realized that the youngest girls were starting and ran all the way back down the aisle. This caused all the kids to run right back to the very start, and they all then proceeded to race to the altar. The guests absolutely loved it!” -Melissa Gurley of Gurley Events
“For my own wedding I was walking hand in hand down the aisle with my 22 month old daughter and she decided to b-line; so there I was chasing after her! We finally got back on track and then 2 minutes after the ceremony was over (in the Turks & Caicos heat) she decided she was NOT going to wear her fluffy tulle dress anymore! All of our wedding pictures showcase her in a diaper with sweaty curly hair. You just have to roll with it.”
-Ashlie Metcalf of Harmony Wedding & Event Coordination
“I worked with a lovely family a few years back. The flower girl threw a hissy fit just as she was about to walk down the aisle. She didn’t want to walk down the aisle with her Mum, with any of the bridesmaids, or with the bride! Who does she want to walk down the aisle with her? ME! The Wedding Coordinator! Needless to say, it was cute and fun. She made it down the aisle in one piece, and with no tears.” -Christina Spring of A La Carte Event Management
“I love when there are kids at the wedding and in the wedding party – they add memories. There’s been a few “cute” photo ops too… in the church a guest’s child was lying in the aisle while the ceremony was going on and he was watching the fans on the ceiling, and entertaining himself for the hour ceremony. The best one was when an out of province B&G got married in Collingwood and when I asked they said kids were invited BUT that during the dinner and speeches they would be having their own party (which we also set up and had 3 sitters with them – their ages ranged from 3 months – 10 years old about 8 of them) After the first dance the kids came back and we had the sitters choreograph a dance for the B&G – WE made a BIG fuss over it with a huge introduction and lights and loud music on their entrance and then they all danced for the B&G ….. It brought tears to the Bride’s eyes and made this wedding which was more than 4 years ago a very memorable one for not only me and my team but all the guests. Small miracles BIG BIG MEMORIES!” -Debbie Savic of Fresh Occasion Coordination
“At my brother’s wedding, our nephew, who was 2 at the time, was the junior groomsman. I gave him and the junior bridesmaid a little nudge to get them started, and the walk up the aisle went well for the first few feet, and then he wanted to come back to me instead of walking up to his Mom like we rehearsed. It turns out he had put his toy helicopter in the pocket of my dress, and wanted it with him. Once he had it, he ran to the junior bridesmaid, and happily walked up the aisle holding her hand with the helicopter in the other hand.” Erin Bosak of Erin Bosak Events
“My sister’s wedding, our nephew (5 at the time) was a holy terror. He refused to go down the aisle, and his dad ended up carrying him down – kicking and screaming all the way. He finally calmed down when he joined the rest of the bridal party… but he became the star of the show and added tons of cute “awwwwws” and giggles to an otherwise dull ceremony! Kids make the best entertainment!” -Sharon Kawano of Kawano Decor & Design
“The couple’s 5 y o nephew was the ring bearer. He got up & said he wanted to sing a song for the bride and groom. We turned off the music & the boy belted out this country song for the bride & groom to dance to. I thought he was going to sing a couple lines, but nope, he sang the whole song & insisted everyone dance while he sang. It wasn’t planned & was really cute.” -Danielle Andrews Sunkel of The Wedding Planners
“My brother/sister-in-law wanted my 3 year old daughter in their wedding. She did great at getting down the aisle, sitting quietly through the ceremony but afterwards when pictures were to be taken – she was done. She has the “evil eye/I’m gonna kill” look in all the wedding pictures. She didn’t want to be in them & made sure we’ll remember that day always. LOL!” -Nicole Marshall of Beautifully Planned Weddings & Events
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