Babysitting at Reception
This is a thread that was started in our old BlissWeddings.com forums by socalkat on 07/19/2002.
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posted by socalkat
I will have young nieces in my wedding party but am not thrilled at inviting guest's children. I've heard an option is to have a babysitting "service" at the reception. They'd be in a seperate location of the reception with crafts, toys etc... Has anyone had any experience with this?
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posted by feb-bride
From someone who actually hired a sitter for her reception, let me give you some advice:
1) Make sure you hire enough sitters for the amount of children you will have at the reception. I only hired one, and I probably should have hired two or three.
2) Make sure the person/people you hire actually will do the job. The gal I hired was recommended by one of my guests who used the sitter when she and her husband went out without the kids. The girl was terrible. She only watched over the kid of the people who recommended her. I wasted a lot of money on nothing.
Also, make sure your guests know in advance that if they choose not to use the service, their kids are not welcome at the reception. You don't want a couple of your guests deciding not to use the service and decide instead to bring their kids to the reception.
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posted by ExcitedBride
My wedding is in just a couple of weeks and I had 2 babysitters hired for a possible 8 children. However, only 4 children's parents were coming and one of those children was the ring bearer. The family said that if the ring bearer was going to come they all would have to come to the reception, so then they said the ring bearer couldn't come either, which I didn't think it is right. We also had one set of parents refuse to use the baby sitting and insisted that their 22 month old come to the wedding. They were going to let us not set her a place at dinner and walk around with her the whole time. I think that they are totally rude, but to avoid a big family war we are now having the children at my wedding. This has brought up a lot of problems however, because now my fiance's family will have children there and none of the children from my side were invited, because that would have meant having 50 kids at my reception. They do not care that we have this problem and have actually accused us of being rude to the out of towners. It is a good thing that my parents who are paying for the wedding are so understanding or this could have been a horrible situation. I am just warning you that just because you offer babysitting does not mean people will use it and they may still try to bring their kids. GOOD LUCK!!!
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posted by Perth girl
Dear ExcitedBride,
They are all the ones who are being rude.
How upsetting for you not to have the ring bearer there. Well I would want to tell them all to stick it and that no children are invited to the reception but they are welcome to the ceremony. But with your wedding so close I would say its not a good idea. However I don't knopw how the others feel but if you are having a sitting service and parents want to bring their children then they should respect this and use the service they have their children there but they can also have a good time and relax. Do your parents have any grandchildren from other siblings? or neices nephews? That's so awful if none of them are coming and these other people are barging their way.
I don't know some people just have no idea! Why do family and friends get so picky and rude around the most important times of your life??
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posted by ExcitedBride
Thanks for your advice Australia. You are right that I should have told them to stick it, but in the interest of not starting world war three, we are just going to have those few kids. The other kids in my family are not grandkids or nieces or nephews of mine or my parents, but then again these kids that are coming from the other side of the family are not that close of a relation either. Considering that my family is throwing this whole wedding I do think that it was awfully nervy for my future in-laws to insist about this, but what am I going to do. I guess I am just lucky that my parents are the type of people that they are and think that it is better for them to just take it and leave it be other than to start so much bitterness and unhappiness before our wedding. After all the important thing is that my fiance and I are getting married.
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posted by feb-bride
At least your parents are being reasonable and not petty, excited. You are lucky in that!
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posted by Perth girl
Excited Bride, I wish you a happy and beautiful day. We all have to make sacrifices for our family politics and your parents are being so generous in spirit by not kicking up a fuss. They obviously are thinking of their daughter's day and how much they want you to be happy. My Dad has been the same way(unfortunately my Mum passed away) and so have my fiance's parents. I really haven't been given any grief by any of the families. Your parents are being wonderful about this and yes it is best not to start your married life of with a feud of who did and didn't come to the wedding.
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posted by Shaeree
I was at a wedding where they had a playstation and stuff for the boys and a tv and vcr and movies. It worked out well.
Shaeree & Brian
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