As a bride to be, you certainly know how stressful it is to plan a wedding. You have to take everything into consideration, from food and venue to music and flower arrangements. Unfortunately, even if you plan everything to the tiniest little detail, no one can guarantee that everything will go as smoothly as possible. Maybe someone won’t be pleased with your seating arrangement, maybe your cousin won’t like your band or his grandma will think that your wedding cake is to plain.
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The most important thing to remember when planning a wedding is that you cannot please everyone. However, there are some guests that require your full attention, because if they are not happy, your wedding can easily turn into a disaster. I’m talking about the kids, of course.
Yes, we all know how cute a ring bearer and a flower girl can be in those adorable outfits, and they will surely take your wedding photos to another level. But let’s be completely honest and admit that when they get bored, kids can easily turn into hysterical creatures who won’t leave their parents alone.
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If you have already decided to invite kids to this special event, you need to do everything in your power to keep them entertained and therefore prevent some unpleasant situations. Not to worry, it is not as hard as it seems. With some simple tricks, you will be able to plan an elegant, yet kid-friendly wedding.
Maybe your other guests will simply be thrilled with caviar-topped canapés and baby lobster rolls, but most of your youngest guests won’t even be willing to try them. Keep in mind that your kids and fancy dishes don’t go hand in hand, and realizing in time that the children won’t eat what the adults are being served will save you a lot of trouble (and money). The easiest way to make the little ones happy is to create a kid’s menu that will include chicken nuggets, grilled cheese, French fries, and freshly cut fruit. Of course, these are not the healthiest food options in the world but believe me, you have other things to worry about.
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Unless you want to have a wedding where screaming kids will be running, jumping, and hanging from the chandelier, opt for juices that don’t have any sugar in them. Of course, preservative-filled beverages are cheaper, but your peace of mind is priceless, so do everything you can to prevent the inevitable sugar high and crash.
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You can also set up a dessert table for the younger guests (most of them will probably be asleep when you get to the cake cutting part) and offer sweets that don’t contain a lot of sugar, such as fruit kebabs, pretzels and rice crispy treats. If you want to be a great hostess, make sure to list ingredients on all items served, since food allergies are common in children nowadays.
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Every kid in the world loves to draw and colour (usually on freshly painted walls in the living room) so consider setting up a table with a lot of paper (or a paper tablecloth) and bowls full of crayons. If you wish, you can also buy several colouring books to keep the kids entertained. This is also a great activity for children who have ADHD and don’t have much patience. In either case, the parents will surely appreciate this gesture.
If the budget permits, hire balloon twisters to keep the children entertained during dinner. Not only will the kids be excited to get a balloon crown, sword, animal or a flower, but the parents will also be able to use those props to convince their little ones to eat all their dinner.
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Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash
If you can afford it, hire a couple of face painters who will turn your little guests into animals, superheroes, villains, and princesses. The kids will have so much fun getting their faces painted and playing afterwards, that bothering their parents or other adult guests will be the last thing on their mind.
With a couple of simple tricks, you can turn your wedding into a kid-friendly event. If you keep the children entertained and occupied, their parents will be able to relax and enjoy the reception, and you will be thrilled knowing that everyone is having a great time.
Author Bio: Nemanja is editor-in-chief @WalkJogRun and Borncute. You can find him on Twitter.