It's Thursday! And I'm starting something that every paper blog should have....Etiquette Thursdays!
Etiquette is a funny thing...just about the time you get it all figured out, it changes. So in this new world of no rules, I'm going to try to set some guidelines. I'll be checking with
Emily Post,
The Knot, and some of the other known etiquette sites as well as getting opinions for all of you. So let's not waste anymore time...here we go:
A good friend called me last week mad as fire because she found out that an upcoming family wedding would be an 'Adults Only' event. She has two little ones and would be traveling out of state for the wedding...which puts her in an odd place. If the kids aren't allowed to come, can she even find/trust an out of state sitter? And should she be asked to cover that expense? She felt like there was just no other option but to not attend and was heartbroken by it.
These days, it's becoming fairly common for brides to ask me to include "Adults Only" somewhere on their wedding stationery. I suggest this is noted somewhere on the RSVP or other insert and not on the actual invitation. This is never a topic I broach with them, as I'm sure this is a decision that's been discussed and decided, but I always wonder how it went over.
Time and time again, I try to express to the brides that I work with that this is their wedding to do as they please, regardless of what etiquette says. The hosts of the event pay for all of the pretty details and get to make the decision of who to invite and who not to invite. And if they choose to make the event 'Adults Only'...well, that's really their choice to make. BUT, every choice has a consequence.
If you decide that you'd like your event to be 'Adults Only', know that you may be offending your friends and relatives with children...that just comes with the territory.
According to The Knot, this can be done...but must be done tactfully. If you choose to exclude children, this must apply to all children...you can't invite just your best friend's or cousins' kids. The only exception would be children that are part of the wedding ceremony...but even that gets touchy. One of my brides offered on-site baby-sitting, which I thought was a brilliant compromise. Maybe a family member would be willing to watch over the kiddos while the adults enjoyed the event?
Did you invite kids to your wedding? Did they add to or take away from the event? How do you feel about 'Adults Only' weddings?