A love story is between two people, but when it comes to a wedding, in most cultures, it's a family affair. It is the time when families get together and celebrate the big occasion, and this means aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, and also, tiny nieces and nephews and kids of the cousins who flew in to help you celebrate. While some couples like to keep their special day completely kid-free and feel free to do so if so inclined, there are others who will love to accommodate them on their special day, and make it an all-age group event! If you are planning for your wedding day and are adding to your guest list, and have some adorable kids in there, there are some other plans that you will have to get done too.

Kids can easily get bored in an adult event like a wedding, and planning for certain fun and functional ideas will not only make the wedding more enjoyable for them but will also keep them happy and entertained so that the parents can have fun! Read on if you want to plan for a wedding that is perfectly equipped to take on those tiny guests!

• Offer childcare There are incredible childcare providers out there and feel free to hire them for your wedding day if you can afford them. Some even bring out fairytale figures to fascinate kids with fun activities so that the adults may unwind. On your wedding day, faeries, pirates, or other mythical creatures can offer magic performances, face painting, balloon animals, outdoor activities, obstacle courses, and more. For the comfort of the mind of the parents, go for companies that have CPR certifications and have passed background checks. 

• A space just for parents Typically, when people think of children at weddings, they mostly imagine young children who can play, run around, and take part in special entertainment. But don't forget the even smaller guests! Particularly for nursing mothers, a secluded room or area away from the excitement of the wedding day can be extremely beneficial. They'll be grateful that you gave them some thought on your special day! 

• Keep the photo shoot short Keep it brief and to the point when including children in photographs because they are known for having short attention spans. After taking the necessary pictures, let them return to the celebration. Young ones aren't professional models, so keep in mind that a picture of your ring bearer grinning but looking away from the camera is preferable to one that shows him having a meltdown when he has had enough rather than "the perfect ring-bearer shot." 

• Create a “kids-only lounge” With supervision, you can establish a unique "lounge area" full of games only a room away from the primary reception so that children feel like they have a whole room that is "off-limits" to the adults! It's a win-win situation since the adults can enjoy themselves fully without worrying about keeping an eye on the kids because they will know the kids are already in good care. 

• Kid-friendly wedding favors Wedding favors for adults like saplings, little champagne bottles, and alcoholic chocolates are great, but not so great for kids. So that the small guests at your wedding may take something enjoyable home for themselves, think about getting a few kid-friendly wedding favors. Keep things straightforward and easy; you don't need to spend hours browsing the internet looking for the ideal gifts. Every child enjoys cookies, sweets, and chocolate since they are timeless favorites.

• Let them put in a song request While you shouldn't let children choose every song on your wedding playlist, you can consider allowing them to submit one or two requests to your band or DJ. Your guests will ooh and aww as they watch a toddler jump around to their favorite song, which also makes for excellent wedding film material.

• Create a kid’s table Why not give the children who are on your guest list a seat at their own wedding reception table? They'll appreciate being with people their own age unless they're timid little boys. For this one, we like the idea of altering the wedding centerpiece. They will find a candy bouquet, a windmill arrangement, and other toys and goodies far more appealing than a vase of roses. 

• A kid-friendly venue When looking for the ideal wedding venue, keep this in mind if you're planning a family-friendly day. For instance, is there enough space for the youngsters to play and run around in? Are there any potential safety risks that need to be considered, like busy streets, bodies of water, or steep staircases? You should also determine whether the location has the necessary amenities to accommodate any children who may be accompanying you on the big day. It's essential to inform your wedding location upfront about how many children you'll need to accommodate. They'll be able to let you know if they anticipate any problems and may even have some advice to provide based on their experience with other weddings.

Food and Beverage

When planning your wedding day menu, keep your little guests in mind too. While the salmon and the duck might be much-favored by the adult guests, the little ones might appreciate some more basic options. Whatever you do, don't make the mistake of expecting the kids will eat what the grownups are being served, because you'll be wasting your time, money, and effort on that assumption. Listed below are some of the kid-friendly food and beverage ideas you might want to consider.

• Finger Foods The simplest method to fill a child's stomach is to provide them with kid-friendly fare that is also simple to eat, such as chicken nuggets, grilled cheese sandwiches with peanut butter and jelly, french fries, and fresh fruit. No, these are not the healthiest dishes to offer to children, but they are other things you have on your plate, and these are the things that most kids love. So it's best to focus on feeding the little ones something they will love and eat without much fuss.

• Packaged Snacks Think about giving the kids ready-to-go snacks that are pre-packaged or bagged. Do everyone a favor and get packed snacks for the evening. It gets a little messy when small, grubby fingers are rummaging in a bowl of chips all through the night. Delegate the task of setting out the snacks after dinner to your wedding planner or a friend to ensure that the children fill up on their meal rather than a lot of unnecessary calories.

• Natural Juice Boxes Instead of choosing more affordable, sugar- and preservative-filled juice boxes, give drinks with more natural components or none at all to avoid the inevitable sugar high and crash. The likelihood is that there will be a lot more sweets available for the kids to consume throughout the wedding, so do your best to limit their intake of sugar.

• Low Sugar Desserts It's a good idea to set up a dessert table for youngsters, especially because they're unlikely to stick around for the cake cutting. Offer simple sweets like bite-sized cookies, fruit skewers, pretzels, rice crispy treats, and fruit roll-ups that don't have frosting all over them. You may keep it very basic and still suitable by giving the kids milk boxes and cookies. Due to the prevalence of food allergies among children today, it is wise to disclose the ingredients of all foods offered to children.

• Fun food Kids love to see some fun food at a wedding as it enables them to enjoy the day just as much as the grown-ups. You can set up carts like cotton candy stalls or ice-cream carts or even a hot chocolate bar to make the evening feel instantly more indulgent.

Games and Entertainments

By setting up a complete "PlayStation," you may upgrade the standard children's table for your little guests. The possibilities are unlimited, but they go far beyond the traditional coloring books and crayons. If you plan to invite children to your wedding reception, consider them to be guests as well, therefore plan their entertainment with the same care as the adults. Plan for babysitters to set up a space with activities during the reception so parents can take part in the fun knowing their children are in capable care. Let us go through some of the favored examples below! 

• Activity Book You could wish to have someone distribute entertainment activity books at the wedding to occupy the children while you and your life partner exchange vows. There are many free printable activity books you can use for the wedding day that will keep the youngsters away and the cost down. 

• “I Spy With My Little Eye” Games Have a friend distribute some fun "I Spy" activity booklets to all the children after the ceremony and before the cocktail hour to keep them amused as they look for each thing listed. Have a few modest prizes ready for the youngsters who finish the game first if you really want to blow their minds.

• Balloon Characters To keep the kids interested during dinner, which is one of the most boring parts of a wedding for them, arrange for a couple of balloon twisters to come in for a few hours. Parents can use the balloon as an incentive to get youngsters to finish their entire dinner since the excitement of owning a balloon sword or balloon crown will keep them firmly planted in their seats. A win-win!

• Face Painting Hire a couple of face painters to come in and transform your little visitors into animals, superheroes, and princesses if the budget allows. The kids will be so thrilled they won't remember they are at a wedding at all, and the parents will be in wonder at your compassion.

• Bubble Station If your wedding reception has a grassy outdoor space, set up a bubble station there so the kids can have a blast. The grownups will undoubtedly participate and enjoy seeing the kids racing about popping bubbles. The best part is that bubbles will give your reception a lovely whimsical touch, so you also benefit from it.

• Toy Bar Make-your-own-toy goodie bags are inexpensive and enjoyable alternatives to candy bar stations, which bombard kids with sugar on top of the sugar. Numerous online toy wholesalers sell different toys in large quantities. Stock up on toys, then watch the children run around like it's Christmas again. These will work really well as wedding favors for the little ones too!

• Coloring Station Almost every kid loves to color, so use this information to your advantage. Kids can color directly on the table by setting up a table with a white butcher paper tablecloth and crayon baskets. Additionally, you may put some coloring books on the table.

• Pasta Jewelry Station Setting up a pasta jewelry station at your wedding is a low-cost entertainment option. With different-shaped pasta, string, bracelet, and necklace components, kids may create their own jewelry. Pre-cut string eliminates the need for scissors or excessive parental assistance. The kids will receive a memento to treasure

• Board and Card Games Keep kids entertained with Monopoly, Game of Life, Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, and other board and card games since they enjoy playing them when they're bored. For card games, you can offer decks of cards with instructions on how to play popular kid games like Go Fish, Uno, matching game pieces, and more. Give the youngsters some guidance on what games to play, then watch as they have a ball and laugh the night away together. 

• Giant Lawn Games Both young and old children like playing lawn games. There are many DIY lawn games that are very simple and inexpensive to create yourself, including corn hole, Twister, bowling, checkers, ring toss, horseshoes, and tic tac toe. These exciting game ideas are perfect for additional wedding-day entertainment that will keep your guests and their kids having a good time all night long.

• Movie Area Set up a straightforward outdoor movie theater and provide some popcorn to keep the youngsters busy if you truly want to impress your guests and keep them entertained. This is lovely if the wedding reception runs a little late into the night, and you want to keep the kids busy.

Weddings entail long hours, precarious decorations, and are mainly formal, and that makes incorporating kids a tad challenging. Parents have it hard with most public places being accommodating about kids, whether it is fancy restaurants, movie theaters, or flights. Making space for kids will make them truly appreciate your thoughtfulness. All of the guests at a wedding should enjoy themselves, especially the children. You won't be having fun if they aren't, and neither will you. Therefore, if you decide to invite children, be sure you're covering all the bases. Sometimes including kids makes it more convenient and affordable for the parents, and ensures everyone has more fun. Just with a few nifty ideas, you can surely have kids on your wedding day. After all, wouldn't you want your cute-as-a-button niece to be a part of the day? This will not only be memorable. for you, but will add lasting memories in her mind too!