How To Include Children In Your Wedding

Gone are the days when children came long after marriage. Blended families, step-parents and raising children that aren't your birth children is becoming increasingly common. These children will have grown up with certain expectations and seeing their parents get married can be difficult. For this reason, it's really important to consider their feelings when it comes to planning your big day. Get it wrong, and you could be facing some big tantrums and disruptive behaviour on what should be the biggest day of your life.

Let them be as involved as they like

Some kids won't want anything to do with your wedding, and if you try to push them, they might display some unwanted behaviour. On the other hand, other kids might be dying to be involved, but haven't been given any indication that they can take on more responsibility. Level with your children and figure out where they stand.

Give them a fun role

Invent fun roles for the children to take on, like head cake tester, or master of the seating charts. If they are old enough, they might like to contribute to the wedding playlist or help choose the wedding band. Even if you end up vetoing all of their suggestions, they will feel closer to the process.

Make it a family ceremony

For blended families, the wedding isn't just about bringing two people together, it's about bringing two families together. Make this an important part of the ceremony so that your children feel that they are helping to eliminate any family barriers and creating something new and special. If you foster a child, or if you’re in the process of adopting, this can be particularly important.

Plan a familymoon

As much as most couples will just want to get away from it all and sit on a beach drinking cocktails, planning a fun family holiday in place of your honeymoon will be much more productive for forming those essential family bonds. Whether you go for something action packed, or laid-back, your newly formed family will appreciate the time away to bond and come together as a new unit.