Your wedding day is a celebration designed by you. The food, the drinks, the color combinations, the venue . . . all of it is entirely up to you. What is also entirely up to you is who to include on your guest list. Do you want an Adult-Only “NO Kids Allowed” celebration? That is up to you, and many couples choose this for their big day. But, there is an etiquette you must keep in mind when wording your invitations and informing your guest.
No Exceptions, Stand Your Ground
- First off, before sending out the invites, you’ll construct your guest list. And if you decided to have a child-free celebration, stick to it 100%. Make the definition of what you deem a child. Someone under 21? Under 18? Then DON’T waver! If you end up letting a few kids in, it may look like you picked and hand-selected certain children, and the parents whose kids were not allowed could get hurt and frustrated. Yes, there are exceptions, such as a nursing mother or the flower girl and ring bearer. However, you may want to hire a babysitter for the flower girl and ring bearer during the reception.
How to Word the Invitation
- The best way to clarify the invitation that it’s adults-only is to address each invitation to those specifically invited. Rather than addressing “The Smith Family,” address to invite to “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith.” Along with this, on the RSVP card, write their exact names, where they can check “will” or “will not” attend. For online RSVPing, make the drop-down button only have as many as are invited.
DON’T Put “Adult Only” on Your Invite, but DO on Your Wedding Website
- It’s not polite and proper etiquette to list “Adults Only” on our invites. However, wedding websites can host information that is not included on the invite. Along with this, if you are worried about spreading the word, use word of mouth. Enlist wedding party members, close friends, and family to spread the word.
Call Those That Don’t Understand
- Some guests may not look on the website or may assume that the whole family is invited. Address the issue, and call them. Please don’t feel like you have to give them a lengthy explanation. Let them know it’s a personal decision, or it’s due to budget or venue constraints. Remember, you may not please everyone, and it’s your day and your decision.
The key is don’t waver, stick to your guns! There may be some pushback from a few guests, and you’ll need to handle those situations with care and understanding, but don’t back down.
At Molto Bella Weddings and Events, we are here to create the perfect day. Lean on our experienced and knowledgeable staff to take the stress out of decisions by offering you unique solutions to potential challenging circumstances. Contact us today!