Did you know that this week is unofficially “kids week” on the United With Love? We kicked it off yesterday with a pretty awesome free kids wedding activity book download. Now, it is time for some advice. We’ve all seen those cute pictures of kids at weddings, but not every wedding is a kid friendly event. Will you have an “adults only” wedding? Or, are you having kids at your wedding? If you are still debating the issue, we have you covered with one of the experts in the area, Lisa of Nannytainment.

Nannytainment offers wedding and event babysitting and child care in the Washington, DC area. As you try to decide about children on your wedding day, be sure to read below, because Lisa offers lots of advice that I would have never thought about! (And, I have two kids, myself!) Take it away, Lisa…

Photo Credit: Amie Otto Photography  from Lindsay and Andrew’s wedding in Virginia

Envision how you want your wedding day; are flower girls, ring bearers, and other children in that picture? Or, do you worry about tantrums, tears, and things that could go wrong when kids are around?

If you don’t want children there, make it clear in the invitations, conversations, and other communication used for wedding planning and preparation.

If you do want children there, know that with proper coordination you can manage them. It begins with budgeting and the kids in mind.

#1 Choose a child friendly venue.

You can never predict how children will function. Parents do forget to keep track of their kids as they socialize and celebrate. Some settings carry potential liabilities, like water, historic homes, stairs, balconies, gardens, and windows. Some venue owners really don’t like children, so you must talk about kids when you go on site visits before booking and making a deposit.

If your venue is not kid friendly and you are dreaming of being married there, have an adult only wedding. Consider other locations nearby where the children can be safely kept.

#2 Choose a child friendly menu option.

Select tasty meals, snacks, and beverages that are familiar and formal wear friendly to children. Should they get hungry or dehydrated, it can impact their moods. Decide if you want plated meals for the kids, or when it comes to the buffet line have finger food for the children.

#3 Consider timeline with the children’s day in mind.

Kids sometimes need naps and early bedtimes. They might not wait late to have a dinner served to them. Children do need a chance to move around to burn off excess energy. Think about when you want them to be part of the festivities and when it’s better for them to be excluded. Boredom often leads to  undesired behavior. At Nannytainment, we often care for the kids from cocktail hour to through the completion of first dances after dinner.

#4 Contract a high-quality, insured childcare company.

Hired professional insured caregivers, like Nannytainment. (Venues require this.) Use an experienced company fully prepared with toys, games, crafts, and other activities of interest to all the children for the entire time they are in care. This is vital in creating the trust that the parents need to have in order to leave the children with people they have never met while they go off to relax and have fun at your wedding.

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Thank you so much, Lisa! So, what about you – are you having kids at your wedding or are you having an adults only wedding day?

For more info and even more advice for having children at weddings, be sure to check out Nannytainment. Their website and blog is full of loads of good tips and advice. And, if you are looking for a babysitter or child care entertainment for your wedding, be sure to check them out for that too!

Are you looking for more local wedding ideas? Be sure to look through our DC area wedding idea galleries and find wedding advice from local DC area pros. If that isn’t enough, check out our collection of local DMV weddings from the real world and the best DC area wedding vendors who make it all happen.