Wedding planning and baby

[parttimer79]

DP and I are planning to get married next year, DD will be between 9 and 13 months depending on when we do it.
Does anyone have any tips/experiences of doing this?
Should we plan to have the whole thing in a hotel to make sure those of use with children have nap space? Is a later wedding better? Or should we just have a day do? I don't know anyone else in this position so all advice welcomed!

[quoteunquote]

Get her use to a babysitter/child minder and hire them for the day.

[meganorks]

I will have a 1 year old and 3 year old when I get married in September. We made sure we found a venue with accommodation so at some point we can put them to bed. Grandparents are going to have them that night although venue close to home so they might take them back rather than stay.

Not sure what we will do in the day. Thinking of hiring someone and know a friend who did that with her 1 year old (someone from her nursery). But mine don't go to nursery and don't think grandparents would hear of it. I worry that with so many people to watch them no one actually will be! We have an exclusive use venue so only us though. And ceremony and reception all in same place so no travelling to worry about and will get ready there. Hoping we can keep them contained and entertained between me and bridesmaids. Or possibly put groom I'm charge of getting them ready?!

[VestaRose]

Watching this thread with interest as we are having the same dilemma. We are thinking of choosing a venue with accommodation with interconnecting rooms, booking a room with interconnecting room for PILs and our kids (one of which will be 12-18 mths dep on date). Hotel also provides babysitting service and ours would be the only wedding so hopefully this will work out!

[parttimer79]

I think we are definitely going to have to go for a venue with accommodation - with either baby sitter or grandparents helping out. It's just difficult to figure out timings as dd is only 9 weeks so it is hard to imagine what it will be like in a years time!

[amandine07]

Interesting thread- I'd say plan to definitely get a babysitter for the reception/evening.

Even better if the accomm & reception venue are the same place...the little ones can go off when they become tired...then can be put to bed later by babysitter?

Planning our wedding next summer- both my younger siblings have children who are toddler age.
My brother unhelpfully suggested that our mum could do the main babysitting at the wedding & didn't really get why I didn't agree.

I want my own mother to enjoy her eldest daughter's wedding day and not just be a glorified babysitter.
Trouble is, I know she wouldn't hesitate to look after them & likely "get an early night" as my brother put it.
Found this quite hurtful- or am I being Bridezilla?!

Anyway, for me & OH we've decided to get a babysitter, also to help friends who have small children & don't have possibility of leaving with family members.

Also, our own little one will be several months by then...maybe this will change our perspective?!