Elton and David's wedding was not " child free" !

[jamdonut]

Just thought I'd point it out -it was a posh do and there were several children there ,other than their two boys.

If they can do it,will others follow suit? I'm just glad to see it, children shouldn't be excluded from weddings, in my view.

I bet they hired nannies/entertainers to look after said children though.

Ok ! I am being unreasonable! Sorry to those I have offended...not meant maliciously, but I just think it is sad that weddings are not considered to be family affairs any more. I have no problem with people choosing to leave their kids behind, I certainly was not insepparable from mine, but I just think a wedding is one of the few times you get your family together,and that excluding children is just a real shame.

But hey! That's my view. Quite prepared to accept that I am at odds with the rest of the world.
Happy Christmas everyone!

It's a real shame to have weddings ruined by people who let kids run riot or don't recognise when it's time to leave.

and a real shame for the bride and groom to not be able to have all the guests they want because places are taken up with children.

I always quite liked being invited to a wedding so that I could dress up, have a few drinks and chat to people without being constantly interrupted by my dd. Kids don't particularly enjoy weddings so I don't see why people have to invite them if they don't want to. I did have them at my wedding but that was my choice.

I'm with Giles!

Anyone who thinks a wedding is a nice day out for a child goes to very different events to those I've been to. I expect Elton John was able to cater accordingly.

Wedding are not just 'family occasions'. People invite work colleagues and friends whose kids they've never met before.

I'm always baffled by the concept of not going anywhere without your dcs. What if you want to see a 12 rated film with a pal? Do you decline because you can't 'abandon' your child?

I never went to a wedding till I was 17. I don't feel I missed out. We had lots of other family parties.

The few that I have taken my DCs to they have described as the most boring days ever, yes they get to play with other children for some of the time, but they do not appreciate the service, all the hanging around or the sit down meal parts very much at all.

I am of the mind-set "your wedding, your choice" so if you want a child free wedding, go ahead and have one.

I know a couple who recently had a child free wedding (ceremony and reception) and thus excluded their own 3 year old? I couldn't quite get on board with that one I must say.

The fact is usually when you get to an age you are able to afford a wedding chances are you have close friends / family members with kids and it's about whether you want to risk excluding these people from your wedding.

Some people will be happy to attend a childfree wedding, some won't.

We have a big family wedding next year and I'd be upset if my DC were excluded (it's a close family member on OH's side)

That said there is a massive Birthday do next year as well and that is adult only. I have no issue with that and have offered to babysit the kids so all the other adults can go (I'll have a newborn so wont want to go anyway!)

I'm planning my wedding. We have decided we don't want children at our wedding. It's our decision. We don't want our day spoiled.

It doesn't matter what Elton John has did. It's a personal choice.

I do think there's a difference between close family member children and those of friends, colleagues etc. But as soon as you say "family children only" you are likely to get accusations of it not being fair, two tier weddings, guests being treated unequally etc.

EJ & DF also stick their willies up each others bums. Should everyone be doing that too? No. Only the people that want to.

Well good for you OP.

I had a child free wedding because I work with children and wanted one child free day. We don't have any family children and didn't invite friend's children, who twenty bothered in the slightest.

Weddings have changed and aren't necessary big family affairs, most of our guests were friends and colleagues.

I expect Elton didn't have a budget limit either.

I'm taking a wild guess here but maybe people aren't going to say 'Elton did it so should we'.
Really op, you think people are comparing themselves to them??

Weddings should be family occasions.

Well, what about those of us who don't have many relatives? I had one aunt, who had one child. Nobody else. It wouldn't have been much of an occasion with three guests - aunt, uncle and cousin.

Not everybody has a big family.

The bit I found interesting about the EJ/DF wedding was how many guests drove themselves home. There wasn't a hope in Hell 99% of the guests could have done that at our wedding.

People who have their own children often have child-full weddings. We don't have any, our friends all do and we wanted to see our friends (for once!) without having to have every conversations interrupted twenty times with 'put that down' etc.

They are family affairs, the bride and grooms family.

I just think it is sad that weddings are not considered to be family affairs any more

Citation needed!

They are family affairs, the bride and grooms family

As I said, other than my parents and sibling, I had three other living relatives (two of whom are now dead). All of whom were invited as we were very close, but due to distance (live in the US) only my aunt could afford to come across.

My ex, on the other hand, had over 10 aunts/uncles and their partners, plus over 40 first cousins. He knew 2 cousins and 1 aunt and uncle, despite most of them living in the same city. And he didn't know them that well.

How ridiculous if we'd invited a bunch of total strangers just because they were "family" and had my aunt as my only guest.

We invited people who were important in our lives. Not just our friends, but our parents friends too and also some of their children. Because that was what suited us.

It's sad when people try to impose prescriptive rules.

@ Think

Katie you completely misread my point sorry if I didn't make it clear it was follow on to my previous post to op. Family is not just genetic, some biologically related people I don't consider my family while my friends I do consider family. But whomever is wanted at the wedding and considered close to the bride and grooms is going to be who they invite- that's their family not the ops family.

I'm taking a wild guess here but maybe people aren't going to say 'Elton did it so should we'

I don't know, it could make an interesting lifestyle choice!

Drugs - Check
Alcohol - Check
Marriage to a woman- Check
Marriage to a man - check
Serious florist habit - check
Multi millionaire - check

Crikey! I didn't think this would still be going on!
Of course you choose what you want for your wedding!!!! I just think that it is sad to exclude family children...I don't think 'acquaintances' should expect to bring their children...
I just thought it was lovely to see the pictures of EJ/DF's wedding and all the children. I quite agree that he obviously has more than enough money to cater for them.

My own wedding was register office then back to our tiny flat for sandwiches/wine/cake, but we still had several children in attendance...it didn't cross my mind to not invite them. And two of those children have recently had their own weddings - very much grander affairs,but children were invited and had bags of goodies waiting for them at their seats.

As I said before - this is my view. And ,if my kids ever get married, I hope they will consider inviting the younger members of our family.

It wasn't still going on jam, the last post was nearly a week ago.