Some couples choose to have a child-free wedding but as this can cause issues for many families with childcare issues, having a child-friendly wedding is often an easier option. It is always worth checking with your Gloucester Hotel Wedding Venue such as hatton-court.co.uk/gloucester-cotswolds-weddings if they have access to any suppliers of child based wedding activities. If you’re worried about hordes of screaming, sugar-boosted demons crashing your elegant event then be prepared with these handy tips for keeping kids happy at your wedding:
- For Spring or Summer weddings that feature an outdoor space, think about providing some good old-fashioned outdoor games. Many companies hire out large outdoor games such as hopscotch, Twister, Jenga and Connect4. Set up a sophisticated game of croquet for adults and kids and make the most of wearing out the children outdoors. This can also be achieved on a budget by finding some hula hoops or skipping ropes.
- Bad weather back-up plans could include a separate space set aside for board games, jigsaws, a drawing station or any other activity you can think of. Depending on your venue, you could even set up a games console and bring some games for the older children. Happy children make for better wedding photos too.
- Younger children love getting crafty so a simple table set-up with creative equipment will keep them occupied for hours. Coloured paper, pipe cleaners, kiddy scissors, crayons and playdough will be sure to go down a treat. Set up a design a card for the bride and groom competition or design a wedding dress for the girls to get busy with.
- If the children on your guest list are old enough to eat unsupervised then think about letting them have their own table. They could even have their own menu, some games on the table and be served fruity mocktails. They’ll feel extra special and the grown-ups can enjoy the speeches and some adult conversation for a while.
- After the food and speeches, why not organise a treasure hunt around the venue? You could even supply them with inexpensive disposable cameras to capture their adventures during the hunt. If you’re stuck for inspiration, maybe your venue has done something similar in the past or find some printables online.
- If you have a healthy budget, you could hire professional entertainment just for the children. A show while waiting for the meal, or after eating might include a magician, balloon modellers, themed characters or anything you can think of that the kids will love.
- If you can set aside a separate room for the kids, then you could consider a cinema room. Let the kids unwind for a while on big fluffy pillows or beanbags while watching a film and hand out small bags of popcorn. This is also a nice winding down activity before bedtime.
- Hiring a fun photo booth is a guaranteed way to keep the children amused for hours. Make sure your booth has plenty of silly dress-up items and hilarious props. There are loads of printable masks available online too. Raid the dressing up box for tutus, wigs, funny hats, feather boas etc and let the kids loose on their own booth.
