Does the thought of kids at your wedding make you cringe just a bit?  It’s OK to admit it.  The truth is more and more brides, and grooms too, aren’t so enamored with the idea of children at their weddings.  Just the thought of crying children or sticky hands around your gown or your bridesmaids can make any bride extremely anxious.  Because let’s be fair, not all parents are sensitive to the issue.  Some people just can’t imagine why a bride wouldn’t want their cute and lovable kids at her wedding.  I had a mother of the groom say she didn’t want to have to worry about stepping over small children and to be honest children do not need to be around alcohol if it will be served at the reception. 

As a Meridian wedding planner, I get a lot of brides that ask me how to handle this situation using proper etiquette.  Etiquette books state that the best way to exclude children to your wedding is to not mention the children’s names on the wedding invitation.  The inner envelope let’s your guests know who is invited.  If the inner envelope does not have their children’s names on it, they are not invited.

This is the proper way to address a wedding invitation to a couple with children:

Outer Envelope:  Mr. and Mrs. Kyle McKee

Inner Envelope:  Mr. and Mrs. McKee
                              Child and Child (first names only)

*The name of the oldest child is listed first followed by the names of his or her siblings in reverse chronological order.

*Children over the age of 18 should receive a separate invitation.

Now, a lot of custom invitations do not have an inner envelope and most of our brides here in Meridian, are going with a custom design.  If this is the case and there is no inner envelope with your wedding invitation the proper way to address the outer envelope is as follows: 

Outer Envelope:  Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McKee

                  Miss Daughter McKee
                  Master Son McKee

Therefore, if a child’s name is not listed on the outer envelope, they should know they are not invited.

According to Judy Dement, of Dement Printing in Meridian, a proper way to exclude children on your wedding invitations is for the invite to read,  Adult Reception to Follow at, then include the name of the reception venue. 

If all else fails, and a guest still seems clueless and insists on bringing their children with them, call them before the wedding and explain why children should not be attending the wedding.