Should I have a kids table at the wedding reception?

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Kids Table At Wedding

Honestly? Don't invite kids. My husband and I didn't (we just out a little ~Please note that this is an adults only event.~ at the bottom of our invites. ONE person was unhappy but it was our boss's wife and we didn't even know her. Everyone had SO much fun! My cousins all have kids and you should have seen them at the wedding. They were SO happy to have a night out without the kids! They all got rooms at the hotel and they drank and danced and had a blast!

We were all at another wedding together recently and they all had to leave just as the dancing started because their kids were tired. They all kept talking about how our wedding had been so much more fun because they'd been able to really relax.

BUT if you have to have kids there (and you might) then DO have a kid's table. Also pay some of the older kids to keep the younger kids entertained, set up a movie or a few wiis and some other activities and find a way to keep the kids having fun and distracted so that their parents can have fun too :)

I realize I'm probably in the minority, but I do not think that small children should be invited to a wedding or a wedding reception. They're noisy and they cry, and they can disrupt a wedding ceremony. If you put them at a table by themselves during a reception, they will soon get bored and start running all over the place - unless you can find an adult who is willing to sit with them and keep them entertained.

Leave them at home. Surely the parents can hire a babysitter for a few hours.

Small kids should be seated with their parents, otherwise it's a disaster in the making.

I have 5 kids and my older 2 would do fine at a table with other kids their ages (they're 14 & 15) but my younger 3 are 4, 4 and 6 and my preference would be to have them with me so my husband and I can help them with their food, take them to the potty and well make sure they're behaving. I'm that mom that isn't in denial that her kids aren't always angels, with my twins what one doesn't think of the other one does.

Having 2 teenagers, I know they wouldn't want to be stuck at a table with a bunch of small kids because then they'll feel like they're babysitting.

Small kids also don't want to be away from their parents.

Or, am I misunderstanding that you're thinking of a kids table set up with things for kids to do? That would be fine, I did that. Things like bubbles, coloring books, etc but I also had those at the tables they were seated at during dinner. I usually for my small kids think to bring something to occupy them/keep them quiet but not everyone does.

Side note/freeblie info - If you haven't done so yet ask your caterer/venue about kids' pricing. Many offer it but do not advertise is because they make more money charging to an adult price for a child. I had a separate menu for them actually, things kids will actually eat. My older 2 are from a previous marriage and both my husband and I had several nieces and nephews so we had the advantage we knew what kids will eat, most foods served at a wedding reception young kids generally don't like.

I've never understood the idea of a kids table.

Like, especially if the age range is 4-16. What 16 year old is going to want to be responsible if the 4 year old starts flinging food or something? Sit kids next to their parents so their parents can be responsible for them like they should be.

I mean, if there's enough teenage kids where they can sit at their own table and supervise themselves, okay, yeah, that's fine. But don't put anyone under the age of 13 anywhere other than right next to their parents.

I'm actually not a huge fan of kids tables at events like this. These are golden opportunities for small children to practice their special manners - and for older children to show how grown up they can be.

Not to mention that LITTLE kids don't behave very well if they aren't supervised. And teens can be insulted when put at the little kids table (and be expected to watch them to boot...wedding guests are not unpaid employees).

Kids tables can be a bit of a raw deal for all. A thoughtful host can create a seating arrangement whereby someone who really doesn't like kids (or who is nasty to them) doesn't have to sit by them. There is no need to banish all the kids.

A compromise might be to have a truly LITTLE kids table (for kids under the age of ten or so) and hire a baby-sitter to sit at that table too.

There just isn't any reason youth and adults can't practice their social skills and have a nice dinner together complete with appropriate manners and lovely conversation. - at least that's the way I was raised. How else do we turn wild & crazy little kids into well-behaved adults other than by practice and example?

I did not like kids table at home, but understand usually their was little space and the kids table was next to the big table. At a wedding, that does not seem smart or safe. I know some people do not want kids at a wedding, and other peoples kids I agree. But family kids, brothers kids, sisters kids, cousins why cut them out. However teens may want to be with other teens. So if you have 5 or more teens they may want to be together.

I think that is a very good idea, especially if there are a lot of kids attending the reception. Maybe provide paper and crayons too. Just a thought. I'm 17 and I even I wouldn't mind eating with kids, but I would say make it optional, especially for the teens.

You say they range from 4-16. How many teenagers are there? If there's only 1 or 2 they won't want to be stuck at a table full of kids. Where I live, 16 year olds are legally considered adults and aren't treated like children.

As for the younger kids, I don't see anything wrong with it (assuming they're not brats who don't know how to behave themselves).