Danny Thompson Photography

Kids at Weddings... Yes or No?

Kids! Do you want them there on your big day, or would you rather have an adult-only affair, where no one has the responsibility of stopping little Freddie from sticking his face into the perfectly piped icing on the wedding cake?

I've photographed a lot of weddings and the opinions seem to be fairly equally divided. From a photographer's perspective, they can be amazing; bringing smiles and laughter and unexpected moments. They can also be pretty tricky! They don't stand still, they cry when they're meant to be smiling and they have the habit of having food either on their faces or all down their fronts. There's an old saying from the showbiz industry that says something on the lines of, "don't work with children or animals!" but do you know what? I love seeing them at weddings. I don't know if it's because I'm still a big kid (or so the Mrs says) at heart, but I can usually get the kids involved in creating amazing memories. Who doesn't love pulling silly faces!

Seriously though, it is a very personal choice and there is no right or wrong answer. It's important to do what is right for you, it's your big day after all. It can be hard to tell guests that there are no kids welcome at your wedding, but you may be surprised, the parents might be jumping for joy at an opportunity for a child-free night out. The extra cost can be a factor to take into consideration; if you're on a strict budget it can be a good way of keeping costs down a little, as we all know that weddings aren't cheap.

Equally, people are managing to cater to the younger wedding guests in all sorts of ways, from kids activity tables, outdoor games, wedding-themed colouring sheets to keep them entertained and possibly quiet through the speeches! There are even specific wedding nanny services and creche companies that will come and look after them on the big day so you don't have to worry about them getting up to mischief when you're saying your vows, or dancing the night away. 

We've all seen the blooper videos of the tiny pageboy or flower girl throwing tantrums as they leg it down the middle of the aisle like a professional sprinter. The photos of a toddler picking his nose as the happy couple say "I do" and the fast asleep kid with his face in his dinner. As a photographer, I try my best to capture all these bits of your day too. They are wonderful, funny memories that are specific to your day. They are completely unstaged and document your day perfectly. 

One young chap managed to swipe a giant tub of sweets off the sweet station, rumour had it amongst the kids he was making a tidy profit! (watch out for this one on Dragon's Den down the line) 

Not all the photos I capture are funny, some can be absolutely magical. Those moments that happen when kids see the "princess" in the beautiful dress, or a couple have their child join them for the first dance are memories of the wedding day you want to relive over and over. 

Remember, that whatever you choose to do, make sure it's the right decision for you as a couple. I'd like to think that most people would respect your decision. 

So, if you're upcoming wedding will have a 4-year-old doing a knee slide on the dancefloor or whether it will be an adult-only affair, I hope you have a fabulous and beautiful day.

Thanks for reading my Blog

For more pictures and information on my services please check out my website 

www.dannythompsonphotography.co.uk