To think people shouldn’t bring babies to weddings full stop?

[Gazetex]

Was at a beautiful wedding yesterday, absolutely stunning venue, countryside church followed by a reception in a barn with fairy lights and all the trimmings. The bride looked incredible, everyone was emotional, proper special day.

Then literally mid vows, a baby in the second row started wailing. Not a little grizzle either, full on shrieking. It went on for ages. The vicar even paused. You could see the bride getting flustered and trying to laugh it off but honestly it completely broke the moment. The parent eventually took the baby outside but by then the damage was done.

I’m sorry but why do people think it’s fine to bring very young babies to events like this? I know childcare is hard to sort and people want to be included but surely if your baby is at the stage where they could cry for no reason at any time, a formal ceremony isn’t the place?

I genuinely don’t think I’m being unreasonable to say weddings should be child free unless the child has an actual role in the ceremony. It’s not anti child, it’s just about having some basic awareness.

It’s not a family BBQ. It’s a once in a lifetime moment for the couple.

AIBU?

Its a promise before their community to become a family.

The event nature of the first day of a lifetime makes people forget that bit.

And that leads to the current custom of freaking out and spending a fortune on an Event rather than a celebration where the members of the wider family welcome their new member.

You could have kept reading to the end or @ me?

You and your partner promise to be a family unit.

And you end up part of your partners family and she/he ends up as part of yours.
(With all the good or bad that comes with that)

All of my family and friends' children were invited to my wedding, both Church and reception, because I love them and was excited to see them. My cousin brought her 3 week old and I was ecstatic to meet him. Weddings are, by definition, about family.

Or you could apply the context that the comment was clearly meant for, that of a busy dance floor full of middle aged man doing Kung Fu fighting and everyone doing their best hand jives.

Clearly it wasn’t meant that kids are flying around during a first dance. And in my experience kids love a ceilidh. Why on earth are they bored during the dancing bit of a wedding? Tired, yes, and if the music is too retro for them they can go and run up and down somewhere else instead, but it should be fun and silly and informal and a great place for kids.

Most babies at weddings probably don't scream though do they? It isn't an issue for the couple marrying to invite whoever they want. Parents should be mindful of how their babies or small children may impact other people and sit at the end of the row so they can make an easy and quick exit if the kid becomes a distraction.

I’m sorry but why do people think it’s fine to bring very young babies to events like this?

Because the bride and groom,- who are the only ones entitled to decide whether they want babies at their own wedding - have told them it's fine.

If it's not your wedding, you don't get to say whether there should be babies there. It might bother you, but presumably it doesn't bother every bride and groom, and that's up to them.

If a baby screams during the ceremony, then a parent should take them out (and I also think the vicar should have said 'Perhaps you could take the little one outside?' to the parents) but that doesn't mean all children should be banned from all weddings.