The importance of family bonding for child development and happiness is a scientifically proven fact. So is the value of marriage as a symbol of commitment. This means that if you have children, it’s essential to not only make your wedding a fun day for them. You need to get them involved in the ceremony and turn it into a bonding experience you will all remember dearly in years to come.
4 Ways to Include Your Children in Your Wedding
1. Include kids in the planning
Show your children that their opinions matter as well as build the hype for the big day by getting them involved in planning. This will also be a good learning experience as the kids will see how much work actually goes into an event.
The level of involvement will depend on the child’s age and inclinations. At the very least, you should allow children choose their own outfits and add some ideas to decorations. This way you will be able to include things that have significance to them and might even come to understand them better. This is one of key elements of family bonding by default.
2. Plan a special photo shoot with kids
Your wedding photographer has to be prepared to make shots that will include your kids. Of course, some pictures of the couple alone are a must. However, you also need to come up with some ideas for your entire family. Those shots will look fantastic when you get to ordering your professional wedding photo books. Looking through those pictures can become a special experience for your future family bonding nights. For example, you can celebrate anniversaries by recreating some of the photos.
This means that pictures with your kids should go beyond ‘standard’ shots. Get kids involved in planning the photo session as well. You can try posing as cartoon heroes or incorporate some other elements of your children’s’ fantasies. Kids are wonderfully creative, so be sure to ask and listen to their opinions on the matter.
3. Give children a seat of honor during the reception
A reception can get boring for kids, especially young ones. However, you can amp up the excitement and make them more interested in participating by giving them a special place.
Consider the children’s comfort first when choosing this place. Will they be more comfortable at their own special table? Do they need help? Would they rather seat with you?
Setting up a separate table for all kids at the event can be the best choice. This way, you’ll be able to keep them entertained with age-appropriate activities, like coloring or table games. However, as you want to keep children involved in the wedding celebration, you should listen to what they want most.
4. Give roles to your kids during the ceremony
Make your children participants of the wedding ceremony, instead of observers. Don’t limit yourself to the traditional ‘flower girl’ and ‘ring bearer’ roles. Instead, you should make the entire event more fun by creating a scenario that will show your kids how important they are to you. You shouldn’t forget that a wedding is a celebration for them as well.
For example, you can incorporate vows to children into the ceremony or have them walk you down the aisle. You can also consider including their performances like singing or dancing onto the official part of the ceremony. Give them a chance to show their support and love the way they want to.
