Child Free Weddings - A Tactful Wording Guide
Choosing whether or not to invite children to your wedding can be one of the most difficult guest list decisions to make.
Hours were spent agonising over our own guest list. As I had three young children of my own when Adam and I got married, it was important for us to be able to share the day with them and other children being around meant they could all play happily and amuse themselves, for the more relaxed parts of the day.
However, everyone’s situation is different, you may be aunt or uncle to what feels like a thousand tots, with an overwhelming sense of pressure to include them - screaming babies and all. You may prefer to have a more relaxed adult only occasion where parents are free of child care duties and are able fully enjoy the day, without the worries of feeds and bedtime.
If you are committed to an adult only day, it can be a tricky subject to broach, so we’ve put together a few tips and recommendations for making it clear to your guests who’s invited, as well as some suggestions on diplomatic ways to word ‘adults only’.
If you’ve chosen your perfect letterpress wedding invitations, you may feel that the last thing you want to do is to handwrite on them (unless you happen to have very beautiful penmanship!). We advise that you address your guests on the outer envelope, clearly itemising the names of guests you wish to invite. A very simple way to invite adults only, is to omit children’s names from the guest name addressing on the envelope. If you worry that could still leave room for uncertainly, you can include a sentence or two on your details cards (if ordering), or on a wedding website to clarify the situation.
Brief Wording Suggestions
These shorter examples are suitable for inclusion on your invitation or RSVP card.
“Please note this will be an adults-only occasion”
“Adult (18 and above) reception to follow”
“Adults only reception”
Longer Wording Suggestions
These examples are suitable for messages included on details cards. These longer explanations can sometimes soften the wording, helping to clarify your preferences. If your wedding is out of town, include information about babysitting (if possible) to assist your guests in making their childcare arrangements.
“Although we love your little ones, this is an adult only affair”
“The bride and groom request that this be an adults-only reception”
“Please celebrate with us at an adults-only reception immediately following the ceremony”
“Due to limited venue space, our wedding must be adults only please”
“Due to budget/space limitations, we are unable to extend this invitation to children”
“Although we love your children, we regretfully cannot accommodate them at the venue due to restricted numbers”
“Although we adore your children, due to budget/space constraints we ask that only adults attend.”
“Regrettably our chosen venue is unable to accommodate children. Professional babysitting will be provided at the hotel”
“We hope you will understand our decision to make the wedding children-free, and take the opportunity to let your hair down and celebrate”
“We wish we could include all children, but are unfortunately only able to invite immediate family”
“Due to necessity rather than choice, it is children of immediate family only”
We hope these suggestions are helpful. Do let us know if you require any further assistance with wording and etiquette.