Kids & Weddings: Disaster or Match Made in Heaven?
Kids at weddings—they’re cute, beautiful, and wonderful to behold as long as they behave and don’t explode into screams, yelling or tantrums especially in the middle of a ceremony. Many a parent has had to run outside with a child who has gone out of control at the worst possible moment.
This year at least six million children will be invited to participate in or attend a wedding. “All this adds up to a lot of children to accommodate.” says wedding and etiquette expert Jean Picard, California State Coordinator for the Association of Bridal Consultants. “Children can and do add charm but because you can never be sure of how they will react, they also bring an element of surprise.”
Yet weddings are a key family celebration for all cultures and religions “Children that attend weddings experience and learn the cultural and societal customs and traditions they will carry on. They also gain a sense of family and belonging which is especially important for the children involved in second marriages,” according to Margorie Engel, PH.D., President and CEO of the Stepfamily Association of America
One inventive author and publisher, Penelope Paine, has come to the rescue with a recipe for success. She’s created a host of solutions that solve that dilemma of what to do with small children starting with two essential books for any young wedding participant:
10 Cool Things About Being a Ring Bearer and 10 Neat Things About Being A Flower Girl. “Most boys are reluctant attendants,” she explains, “they think being in the wedding is “sissy”. Even girls resist with their busy calendars of activities. These books help all of them understand their roles and realize how much fun they will have.” Flower Girl and Ring Bearer Teddy Bears, Tee Shirts and Wrist Watches are also available and match the books.
To keep any child attending a wedding occupied for hours, Paine has created Wedding Day Kits for children that include custom wedding stickers, coloring postcards, a memory card-photo frame, a temporary tattoo, non-toxic crayons, flavored lip balm and more. She also has a multi-cultural wedding coloring book Love to Color designed to invite young children to include themselves in the pictures.
Wedding experts agree that with a little preparation, children can be happily involved and entertained so that everyone has a good time.
