{"id":5979,"date":"2026-04-20T09:00:49","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T13:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/blog\/?p=5979"},"modified":"2026-04-09T10:05:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T14:05:53","slug":"7-ways-to-include-children-in-your-wedding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/blog\/7-ways-to-include-children-in-your-wedding\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Ways to Include Children in Your Wedding"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Wedding planning is a big undertaking. The venue, flowers, seating chart, menu, and music all work together to make your big day special. And then somewhere in the middle of all of this, comes a question that feels surprisingly loaded for something that should be simple: <a href=\"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/blog\/wedding-etiquette-and-not-inviting-children\/\">What do we do about the kids?<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The good news is that including children in your celebration does not mean compromising elegance or sophistication. Making your wedding more kid-friendly simply requires a bit of additional planning. Here\u2019s a list of 7 ways to include children in your celebration in a manner that feels thoughtful, polished, and joyful for every guest in the room.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2>1. Give Every Child a Ceremony Role They Will Be Proud Of<\/h2>\n<p>Giving children a real role in your <a href=\"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/wedding-ceremonies\/\">wedding ceremony<\/a> changes everything about how they experience the day. The flower girl and ring bearer roles have stuck around for generations because they work. But there is always room to make them feel fresh and intentional:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Swap the standard ring pillow for a custom velvet pouch that feels like a real keepsake<\/li>\n<li>Give the flower girl a more interactive role, like presenting single roses to guests<\/li>\n<li>Coordinate their outfits with the textures and tones of the venue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Pre-teens are tricky. Too old for the flower girl walk, not quite ready for the full bridal party. Junior bridesmaids and groomsmen solve this perfectly. Give them real responsibilities like handing out programs, guiding guests to their seats, or helping keep younger children calm in the processional line.<\/p>\n<h2>2. Provide Kids Activities Worth Getting Excited About<\/h2>\n<p>The activity set at a kids place setting can be so much more than a crayon and a printout. A little extra thought here goes a long way for both children and their parents:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A DIY friendship bracelet kit in the wedding colors<\/li>\n<li>A miniature puzzle featuring an illustration of the wedding venue<\/li>\n<li>A pressed flower kit using blooms from the wedding florals<\/li>\n<li>3. Design Spaces Dedicated for Kids<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A dedicated kids-only space changes the entire dynamic of the evening. A smaller parlor or library within the venue makes a perfect retreat with movies, games, and a quieter space for little ones who need a break from the music. It gives children somewhere exciting to go rather than somewhere to be kept out of the way.<\/p>\n<p>The kids&#8217; table deserves the same love as every other table in the room. A few thoughtful details transform it into something children genuinely get excited about:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Custom name cards that make every child feel like a true guest of honor<\/li>\n<li>A centerpiece that doubles as an activity, like a floral arrangement they helped design<\/li>\n<li>Tabletop details like personalized menus and small favors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>4. Serve a Custom Kids Menu<\/h2>\n<p>Great food is one of the things guests remember most about a wedding, and the youngest guests deserve the same standard. These kids&#8217; meal ideas hold up to the tone of the evening without asking a five-year-old to navigate a seven-course tasting menu:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Mini versions of adult entrees like petite filet mignon or pan-seared chicken<\/li>\n<li>Colorful vegetable medleys that are as visually appealing as they are delicious<\/li>\n<li>High-end pasta dishes finished with fresh herbs and quality cheeses<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A hungry child is a restless child. Serve the children&#8217;s courses immediately after the grand entrance and aim to have their main meal finished before the adult entrees arrive.<\/p>\n<h2>5. Choose Wedding Favors That Children Will Actually Treasure<\/h2>\n<p>Every guest deserves a favor that feels thoughtful, and children are no exception. Instead of plastic toys and generic candy bags, try these ideas that are sure to please:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Gourmet treats like artisanal cookies or handcrafted chocolates in beautiful packaging<\/li>\n<li>Small stuffed animals made from premium materials that feel like a real gift<\/li>\n<li>A personalized storybook about love and family that parents will read with them for years<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>6. Send Every Child a Personal Wedding Invitation<\/h2>\n<p>Including children well starts long before the wedding day itself. A child who feels genuinely invited is a child who arrives excited, engaged, and ready to be part of something special. Here is how to make that happen:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Send each child their own mini-invitation with their name on the envelope<\/li>\n<li>Hint at the fun activities waiting for them, such as face-painting and lawn games<\/li>\n<li>Add a set of custom stickers featuring illustrated wedding elements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>7. Hire a Face Painter or Balloon Artist to Keep the Energy Going<\/h2>\n<p>A face painter or balloon artist is one of those additions that works at any point in the evening and never fails to delight. It gives children something genuinely exciting to do while adults enjoy themselves.<\/p>\n<p>A few things worth keeping in mind to make it work seamlessly on the day:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Choose an artist whose style complements the overall tone of your wedding<\/li>\n<li>Set up the station in a designated area that keeps the energy contained without isolating the children from the rest of the celebration<\/li>\n<li>Brief the artist in advance on your color palette and theme so the designs and creations feel cohesive with the overall look of the day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Ready to Plan a Wedding the Whole Family Will Enjoy?<\/h2>\n<p>At <a href=\"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/about-us\/\">Pleasantdale Chateau<\/a>, we believe the <a href=\"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/weddings\/\">best weddings<\/a> are the ones where every guest feels truly celebrated, regardless of their age. Our team is here to help you create a family-inclusive celebration that is just as polished and elegant as it is warm and joyful. Call us at <strong>(973) 731-5600<\/strong> or <a href=\"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/contact-us\/\">contact us online<\/a> today and let us help you bring your vision to life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wedding planning is a big undertaking. The venue, flowers, seating chart, menu, and music all work together to make your big day special. And then somewhere in the middle of all of this, comes a question that feels surprisingly loaded for something that should be simple: What do we do about the kids? The good [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":1119,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37,36],"tags":[484,483],"class_list":["post-5979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wedding-ideas","category-wedding-planning","tag-wedding-ideas","tag-wedding-planning"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/60"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5979"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5993,"href":"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5979\/revisions\/5993"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1119"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pleasantdale.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}