A wedding is a wonderful time for a family to come together. But is it a suitable occasion for all the members of your family? Wedding invitations will often carry a stipulation as to whether or not babies and young children are welcome. Some couples perhaps want their weddings to be more of a formal affair, which is why babies and young children can sometimes be excluded from the proceedings. But what about when you're getting married and you have a baby or young child of your own? You probably want your little one to be a part of your special day. This is certainly possible, just as long as you do a little planning.
Helping Hands
Even the most meticulously planned wedding is going to take the bulk of your attention on the day itself. It's not really feasible for you to be your child's primary caregiver on the big day. This means that you're going to need some help. A friend or family member will be willing to look after your little one, but this can mean that they could potentially miss out on some of the festivities. They'll want to socialise, dance, and even enjoy a drink or two. Perhaps you could arrange for a few different friends or family members to share childminding duties for the day, much like shift work. This ensures that your little one is well looked after, while nobody misses out. Alternatively, you could hire a babysitter for the day to look after your child on-site.
Your Clothes
You might want to carefully schedule the times that your baby is brought out for photographs, or even the times he or she is brought out to meet your guests. This should not be too soon after a feeding. Babies vomit. This is what they do with some regularity. This is fine when you're at home and can easily get changed, but it's not fine when you're wearing clothes for a special occasion—clothes that represent a significant financial investment. You might have even rented your wedding dress, and you definitely want to get your security deposit back! So just be mindful of your little one's tummy on your wedding day.
Resting
Babies and young children need rest, regardless of specialness of the day. You need to ensure that there's a suitable place for rest at your wedding venue. If no such place seems to exist, you should ask your wedding hire company. They might be able to come up with an alternative, such as a caravan or even an extra tent if your reception takes place under a marquee. It's just vital that this is worked out well ahead of time, so that your little one has a safe, quiet place for when they become sleepy or overstimulated.
With a small amount of planning, your little one can easily join in the fun on your big day.