Tents & Dens
Whether or not to invite children to your wedding is a very personal choice, and one which can prompt heated debates about the practicalities and politics of including versus excluding the little ones.
Does their undeniable cuteness outweigh the cost of feeding them? Some modern brides don’t think so. Can you invite your best friend’s three-year-old but not your cousin’s five-year-old? Family members would frown upon it. How on earth do you combat short attention spans, tantrums and toilet-related emergencies? Many couples have tried and failed.
The reality is, all vows and no play makes for a very restless bunch of kids, so if you’re going to include them in your big day it’s crucial you find ways of managing their energy and excitement. Sadly, a few colouring books and some giant Jenga doesn’t always suffice. Thankfully, our friends at The Little Top have all the answers, and they come in the shape of adorable bell tents.
This ingenious company specialises in keeping weddings child-friendly by whisking your smaller guests away during the “boring adult bits” of the day to colourful, beautifully-crafted dens.
Through a combination of entertainers, toys, games, crafts and dressing up, the kids are kept occupied by a team of professional childminders – you might prefer to call them saints, since they also offer a “sleepover service”, leaving your adult guests free to indulge in as much wedding revelry as they wish.
While your bridesmaids are kicking off their Jimmy Choos and dominating the dance floor, the children are engrossed in a wonderland of story time, film nights, blankets, popcorn, hot chocolate, soft music and fairy lights.
Susie, Little Top’s genius founder (and mother of two) points out that tents and dens are not only a means of entertaining the kids, but “a great way of containing mess” and that they can even be decorated to complement your wedding colours or theme, so you don’t lose that sophisticated look you’ve been working so hard to achieve; something we’re sure most style-conscious brides will appreciate.
Here at Potcakes we’ve also seen our fair share of fidgety flowers girls over the years. They can’t sit still, they leave sticky fingers all over your cake and you’ll be constantly untangling them from the layers of your “princess dress”.
In our experience, one of the most successful ways to distract them during what is generally a very long day is by bribing them with tailor-made treats. Consider the world from their angle: grown up food is “yucky and boring” so you need to offer them snacks and drinks they’ll find tasty and fun. Here are a few child-friendly catering favourites to get you started.
