Should We Invite Children to our Evening Reception?

Peggy Post, director of the Emily Post Institute and the great-granddaughter-in-law of its namesake, weighs in on this question and more:

Amy from Baltimore writes that “she and her fiancé don’t see eye to eye when it comes to inviting children to their wedding.”

Peggy Post responds…

“Just as important as whether you invite children to your wedding is that you and your fiancé come to an agreement on the issue. Now is the time for a stick-to-the-facts, heart-to-heart conversation with him. Explain your concerns about the potential of children disrupting the elegant ambience of a formal reception. Also, assure him that it is totally O.K. not to invite children. Many couples have kid-free weddings, and many parents wouldn’t expect their young children to be invited to a formal evening wedding. Besides, they may want a chance to enjoy the event without child-care duties.

Click here to read Peggy’s entire response and to check out her archives; you’ll most likely find that others have some of the same questions as you!

You can submit your own questions to weddingmanners@nytimes.com

- Jill

Tags: children at wedding, peggy post, wedding blog, wedding tips