While a bride and groom typically take care of most wedding planning tasks, it can be a family affair. In fact, the more involved your children are, the more meaningful the celebration can be. If you’re eager to involve your children in wedding planning, but are unsure where to begin, take note of these helpful tips below:
Give Them Creative Freedom
Children, both young and older, love getting creative and participating in artsy activities, and the good news is that weddings offer plenty of opportunities in this respect! Give your children the task of creating DIY decorations, such as painting signs, creating table centerpieces, or even making a beautiful fascinator for you to wear.
They could even craft favors like decorated favor boxes and handmade thank-you cards, as well as pictures for ceremony programs or reception signs. Getting the kids involved in decorations not only personalizes the wedding for your family but also gives them a tangible connection to the celebration they’ll remember for years to come.
Choose Age-Appropriate Tasks
Not all parts of the wedding planning process will be suitable for all children. Be sure to assign tasks that are achievable for their age group. For example, younger children could be a flower girl or ring bearer, hand out programs to guests, and assemble wedding favors.
Older children could help create music playlists for the reception and put invitations in envelopes. If you have teens who want to get involved, assign them tasks like designing digital invitations or assisting with seating arrangements. When assigning tasks, make sure that you frame them as memorable contributions, rather than chores they have to do.
Plan Ceremony and Reception Participation
Your wedding is just as important to your children as it is to you. With that in mind, consider giving them ‘frontstage’ roles that make them feel visible and valued, alongside ‘backstage’ roles, such as stuffing envelopes and creating playlists.
There are a number of ceremony roles that children can play, such as flower girl or ring bearer, junior bridesmaid or groomsman, or escorting grandparents down the aisle. Later, at the reception, they could perform a dance or musical number they’ve worked hard on or help distribute party favors.
Create Learning Opportunities
As fun as wedding planning can be for the whole family, it can also be a learning opportunity for kids. They can gain practical life skills as they help their parents or caregivers plan for the big day.
For example, older kids can become familiar with budgeting basics when you show them how to track expenses and compare prices. You can also involve them in planning timelines and checklists, which teaches them time management. When choosing themes, colors, and designs, let them share their opinions so you can teach decision-making.
Make Them a Photographer
While you’ve likely already hired a photographer for the big day, it can be a very important job for any children in your family who love taking photos. Give them a mobile device or a disposable camera and let them take photos to their heart’s content! You never know; they may just take some of your most treasured photos from the ceremony or reception.
Involve them in Guest Interactions
As the host of any event, you’re generally mindful of ensuring that all guests are well taken care of, including knowing where everything is and fostering positive social interactions. Let your kids take a leading role in guest interactions and hospitality. This can both give them a sense of importance and also take care of an important task from your to-do list!
For example, older children can greet guests as they arrive, hand out welcome bags if you’re providing them, and show guests where to sign the guestbook. They can even direct people to the ceremony or reception areas and answer questions like ‘Where’s the bathroom?’ and ‘Where can I find the gift table?’ The older your child is, the more responsibilities you may feel confident giving them involving guest care.
Children can play a memorable role in your wedding planning, while even removing some of those small yet important jobs from your ever-growing list. If you’re in the early stages of wedding planning and need help ensuring your kids have plenty to do, the ideas above can be a great place to start.