Attend Wedding with Kids: Gifts, Manners, Dress

If you plan to attend a wedding with kids, you should prepare beforehand and ensure they do not only have manners training necessary for a formal occasion. You should also turn this preparation into a life lesson on the importance of family and social connections. And don’t forget to explain how to choose suitable gifts and wear.

4 Things to Teach When You Plan to Attend a Wedding with Kids

1. The importance of attending

The first thing you should explain to your kids when preparing them to attend any formal event is the importance of their attendance. Without this, it would be extremely difficult to motivate them to learn manners, protocols, and other things that children rarely consider fun.

The main reason for attending a wedding should be to show your support to people precious to you on their important day. However, the deeper meaning behind it is strengthening your social connections. Numerous studies show that the importance of those for mental and even physical health is extraordinary.

You can also explain the meaning and importance of marriage itself at the same time. Tell your kids how this is a celebration of love between two people. That’s when you should also mention how important it will be for them to have this day go perfectly, so manners and overall best behavior are a must.

2. Appropriate gifts

Explain to your kids that buying the most ostentatious gift they can find is bad taste. Instead, for a celebration of love, they should aim to find a present that commemorates this special day. Something that will have practical value to the couple, like a gift certificate, is also a good idea. 

For example, a luxury photo album with the best shots of the Big Day will make for a perfect wedding gift. This item will definitely not be forgotten by the couple, and you’ll be able to take part of the credit every time they smile when looking at those pictures.

You can also brush up on the general wedding gift etiquette rules, but only when your kids are old enough to understand what a registry is and how much money they should spend on a gift depending on the ‘format’ of the event.

3. Times to stay quiet

When you attend a wedding with kids and want to avoid embarrassing situations, you should have a kind of wedding rehearsal at your place so your children understand what to expect from the ceremony. This is how you can explain when they need to stay quiet and why.

If you can, use different videos and movies to show your kids what exactly will happen. Never forget that kids are most likely to get bored and become fussy when they don’t understand what’s going on. By preparing them in advance they will be able to follow the ceremony and become more engaged.

If your child has any attention issues, turn this into a game. You can have them note some details about every step of the ceremony to discuss later. Make a checklist so they are busy looking for tiny clues for the whole time. Younger children can be entertained with drawing or picture books, as long as you can impart the importance of staying silent on them.

4. Games

Find out what the venue will be and teach your kids games that they will be able to play while there. Be sure to go over some safety tips as well to reduce the risk of accidents. Don’t forget to bring the gear necessary for the games you’ve chosen.

You should also find out if there would be other children attending so you can instruct your offspring on how to get them involved. But be sure to explain that sometimes other kids might not want to play. This can be the first part of the lifelong learning project of navigating social relationships.