I recently read an article titled 6 Reasons My Husband and I Probably Won’t Make Your Event, and Why We Don’t Want You to Take it Personal…Reason number one, “We Have Kids.” Although (as a mother) I agree with many of the theories presented, I feel there is a side to this argument that is missing: the article that is begging to be written entitled “6 Reasons You and Your Husband Probably Won’t Be Invited To Our Event, and Why We Don’t Want You to Take it Personal…,” Reason number one, “YOU HAVE KIDS!”
Will you allow kids to attend your wedding? There are three schools of thought on this subject. One is a resounding, “NO!” The next is “maybe” and the last is “yes” (either because they have no other choice or they actually don’t mind).
Wanting to be inclusionary, my husband and I fell into the “maybe” school of thought, while planning our wedding, and got lucky in the end. Weddings are expensive and tend to be more of an adult affair. Many of our friends and younger family members were unwed and/or childless and only two family members in attendance had one child each who were the same age. Instead of terrorizing the event, they stole the show with great photo ops throughout the day!
Now, as a parent, I find one of the great things about being invited to a destination wedding is that no one is offended if we can’t make it, relieved even. If we do decide to attend, our first choice would be to go sans kids, second honeymoon kind of vibe, and bore the guests with stories and photos of our children. Second choice, bring the kids, family vacation style, and get assigned to a table in ‘no mans land’ where kids run wild and parents cry. What fun!
