Planning a wedding often involves making decisions that might not please everyone. One such decision is choosing to have an adults-only wedding. It’s a delicate situation, requiring tactful communication, especially when you’re conveying this to guests who might have expected to bring their children.
In this article, I will explore 20 different ways to politely communicate that children are not invited to your wedding. Each response will be accompanied by an explanation of its appropriateness and the best context for its use.
How to Politely Say No Kids at a Wedding
1. Direct Yet Respectful Announcement
“We hope you understand that our wedding will be an adults-only occasion. We love your little ones, but we’ve decided to keep our special day limited to adult guests only.”
This response is straightforward and respectful. It acknowledges the presence of children in the guest’s life but firmly states the couple’s decision. It’s best used in a formal invitation or an information card where you want to be clear from the beginning.
2. Emphasizing the Atmosphere
“To create a romantic and intimate atmosphere, we’ve chosen to celebrate our wedding in an adults-only setting. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to celebrating with you.”
This option focuses on the atmosphere the couple wishes to create. It’s appropriate when you want to highlight the ambiance of the wedding as the reason for not including children.
3. Highlighting Venue Restrictions
“Please note that due to restrictions at our venue, we are unable to accommodate children at our wedding. We hope this doesn’t cause too much inconvenience and that you’ll still be able to join us on our special day.”
This response shifts the focus to venue restrictions, which can often be a genuine concern. It’s suitable when the venue itself has specific rules against children.
4. Mentioning a Late Evening
“As our wedding celebrations will continue late into the evening, we’ve decided to make it an adults-only event. We think this will be more suitable for the late-night festivities planned.”
If your wedding is planned to go on till late, this response is fitting. It subtly suggests that the late hours might not be suitable for children.
5. Prioritizing Adult Guests’ Comfort
“We’ve chosen to have an adults-only wedding to ensure all our guests can fully relax and enjoy the day. We hope you can appreciate our decision and join us for a wonderful celebration.”
This approach prioritizes the comfort of adult guests. It’s a good option when you want to emphasize a relaxed and worry-free environment for your guests.
6. Limited Space or Budget
“Due to space/budget constraints, we regret to inform you that our wedding will be an adults-only affair. We’re working with limited resources and hope you understand our decision.”
Space or budget constraints are practical reasons that most guests will understand. This response is best for situations where you have to limit your guest list.
7. Invitation Clarity
“We are excited to invite you to our wedding! Please note that this invitation extends to adults only. We look forward to an unforgettable celebration with you.”
This response is ideal for the invitation itself. It’s clear and direct, leaving no room for misunderstanding.
8. Focusing on the Ceremony
“Our wedding ceremony will have some moments that might not be suitable for children. With this in mind, we kindly request that our wedding day celebrations be adults-only.”
Use this response if there are aspects of your ceremony that are not child-friendly. It’s a subtle way of saying that the event might not be appropriate for younger guests.
9. Personal Preference
“While we love kids, for our wedding, we’ve chosen to celebrate with adults only. It’s a personal preference, and we hope you can respect our wishes on this special day.”
This is a straightforward, personal approach. It’s best used when you feel comfortable sharing your preferences openly with your guests.
10. Requesting Adult Company
“We would love for you to enjoy a night off and join us for our adults-only wedding. Think of it as an opportunity for a little grown-up time!”
This response adds a positive spin, suggesting the wedding as an opportunity for adult guests to enjoy some kid-free time. It’s light-hearted and suitable for a less formal invitation.
11. Emphasizing a Celebration of Love
“Our wedding day is a celebration of our love and commitment, and we’ve decided to share this intimate moment in an adults-only setting. Your presence would mean the world to us.”
Focusing on the romantic aspect of the wedding, this response is ideal for conveying the importance of an intimate, adults-only setting.
12. Wedding Website Explanation
“For more details about our wedding day, including our decision to have an adults-only ceremony and reception, please visit our wedding website.”
If you have a wedding website, directing guests there for more information is a tactful way to explain your decision. It’s indirect and allows you to provide a more detailed explanation online.
13. Referring to Past Conversations
“As we’ve discussed before, our wedding will be an adults-only event. We appreciate your understanding and are looking forward to celebrating with you.”
This is suitable if you’ve already had conversations about your wedding being adults-only. It serves as a gentle reminder of a previous discussion.
14. Encouraging a Grown-Up Getaway
“Think of our wedding as a chance for a grown-up getaway! We’ve decided to keep the event adults-only and hope you can enjoy a night out celebrating with us.”
This response is playful and positions the wedding as a fun escape for adults. It’s great for a more informal setting or with close friends and family.
15. Apologizing for Any Inconvenience
“We apologize if our decision to have an adults-only wedding causes any inconvenience. We truly hope you can still join us for our special day.”
When you anticipate some guests might be upset by your decision, this empathetic approach acknowledges potential inconvenience while reiterating your wish for them to attend.
16. Private and Intimate Gathering
“Our wedding will be a small, intimate gathering of adults. We’ve made this decision to focus on a private celebration and hope for your understanding.”
Use this response if you’re planning a small, intimate wedding. It conveys the idea of a private event that’s limited to adults.
17. Mentioning Other Guests’ Kids
“Many of our guests have young children, and to ensure everyone can enjoy the day worry-free, we’ve decided to make our wedding adults-only.”
This approach considers the broader guest list and is a diplomatic way to justify an adults-only wedding.
18. Professional Childcare Services
“We understand that arranging childcare can be a challenge, so we will be providing professional childcare services at a nearby location. We hope this helps make your attendance at our adults-only wedding more comfortable.”
Offering childcare solutions shows thoughtfulness and consideration, especially for guests who might struggle to find childcare.
19. Formal Invitation Wording
“Mr. and Mrs. [Your Names] request the pleasure of your company at their adults-only wedding celebration. Your presence will add joy to our special day.”
This is a formal way to phrase your adults-only policy, suitable for traditional wedding invitations.
20. Emphasizing Adult Activities
“Our wedding will feature activities and entertainment designed for an adult audience. With this in mind, we kindly ask that our celebrations be adults-only.”
If your wedding includes adult-themed entertainment or activities, this response is fitting. It explains the adults-only decision in terms of the event’s content.
Conclusion
Deciding to have an adult-only wedding is a personal choice that requires thoughtful communication. Each of these responses offers a respectful and polite way to convey this decision to your guests.
The key is to choose the approach that best suits your style and relationship with your guests, ensuring everyone feels respected and excited about your special day.