Child-free weddings certainly aren't uncommon, however figuring out how to tell your guests that the kids aren't invited to your wedding can be an emotional minefield if not handled tactfully. We've put together some helpful etiquette suggestions for how to navigate your adults-only wedding invitation wording so that you can (politely) convey your wishes - minus the awkwardness.
Here at Love Saturdays, we believe that being upfront and honest right from the get-go is the best way to handle the issue of how to tell your guests that you're having an adults-only wedding. While you could simply address your invites with just the names of the adults in each household, you do run the risk that your guests will assume that their children are invited too. We recommend including specific wording in your wedding invitation to clearly and politely get the message across.
When You Want to Keep It Short and Sweet
"With respect, we would like our special day to be an adult-only occasion"
"Regrettably, children are unable to attend"
"With respect, this invitation is extended to adults only"
"Please note this will be an adults-only celebration"
"We love your little ones, but we ask that only adults attend"
When It's Someone Else's Decision
"We are very sorry, but due to restrictions at the venue we have chosen, we cannot accommodate children at our wedding"
"As much as we would love to invite all children of our family and friends, due to limited space at our venue we request that only those invited attend"
"By request of the management at our chosen venue, children are regrettably unable to attend our wedding"
"Due to limited space, we are unable to extend this invitation to children"
When It's Because You're Keeping Costs Down
"We regret that due to budget limitations, we are unable to extend this invitation to children"
"Due to budget constraints, we ask that only adults attend"
"As much as we would love to invite all the children of our friends, it is only possible to accommodate the children of close family"
"In order to keep numbers to a minimum, we regret that we can only extend this invitation to adults only"
When You Want It to Sound Fun and Light-Hearted
"To give all our guests the opportunity to let their hair down and have a good time without having to worry about little eyes and ears, we politely request no children"
"While we love to watch the children run and play, this is an adults-only kind of day"
"Call the sitter, this party is just for grown-ups"
"Kids are fun, yes they are, but no-one likes them by the bar. Adults-only please!"
"We love your kids, but thought you might like the night off. Book a sitter and dust off those dancing shoes!"
When You Want to Allow Children at the Ceremony Only
"Children are most welcome to attend our ceremony, however our reception is an adults-only affair"
"Children outside of the bridal party are unfortunately not invited to attend the reception, however are most welcome for the ceremony"
"Wedding ceremony followed by an adults-only reception"
"Children are welcome at our ceremony, however to allow all guests to enjoy an evening of relaxation, we respectfully advise that our reception is for adults only"
Need Some Wedding Stationery Inspo?
Love Saturdays is a boutique studio based in Wellington, New Zealand. We specialise in beautiful Save The Dates and Wedding Invitations for the modern couple. Take a look at our range of Save The Dates and Semi-Custom Wedding Invitation Suites for some inspiration. Want some more info? Contact us today for a no-obligation free quote or to discuss your wedding stationery requirements.