Should you have kids at your wedding? What it looks like (from a photographers perspective)

Getting married has a lot of moving parts. Included in this are the children. 

Invited to attend what is a long day for grown-ups, they are asked to be patient.

They wait for the ceremony, for the photos, for dinner, and for cake.

Eventually they take their sugar buzzed bodies to the dance floor and after showing off their best moves, they collapse, weary, sticky and dressed up in clothes they will probably never wear again. (Or maybe they insist on wearing them every day.)

If you’re inviting children to your wedding, think less about perfect behavior and more about support. Snacks within reach, a quiet space to go, games on hand, and call on your guests to have someone on “kid duty.” And for those up for the task, incorporate them in the wedding.

 The goal isn’t to control the outcome from these little humans, it’s expect a range. They might nail walking down the aisle, they might refuse to walk halfway. They might join in for that group photo, they might have other ideas.

All of it is normal and none of it means something went wrong.

The couple who enjoy having kids at their wedding the most aren’t the ones who expect perfection, it’s the ones who have flexibility. 

Kids don’t follow timelines the way adults do—and that’s okay. When you plan with that in mind, the day feels smoother for everyone involved. And from a photography standpoint, that’s when you get the most natural, honest moments—without forcing anything to fit a script.