How to make the children’s day as happy as yours.
maybe it’s time to call in the experts!
Many a couple will be torn between wanting to
avoid unnecessary disruption to the proceedings, particularly in the
church and, later on, during speeches and not wanting to offend friends
and relations by not including their offspring in the invitation. With
the best will in the world (and a suitcase full of juice, raisins, soft
toys, books, dummies...) small children add an air of unpredictability
to an event that many brides want to keep tight control over.
An increasingly popular solution to the problem of how to keep both parents and children happy during your wedding day is to bring in some form of entertainment or childcare specifically for the younger guests. Even the media has cottoned onto this trend;
After a list of things a bride can live without:
“But she definitely must have... a crèche and/or bouncy castle...It is normal for guests to bring their children. Providing entertainment ensures that you and your friends enjoy the  party.”
The Times, 27/5/06, Body and Soul Supplement, ‘With this three ring circus, I thee wed’, Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall
Although this can be seen as just one more cost to add to a (probably!) spiralling list of expenses it can be a very worthwhile investment considering how much it can add to the happiness quota of the guests – and what a difference it could make when looking back on the day to know that everyone at your wedding was truly relaxed and happy to be there – not worrying about how loudly little Alex/Alexandra had been screaming during the Best Man’s speech or how your best friend had to miss the speeches altogether to take her little one out into the corridor to run off some energy!
There are two main options if you’re thinking of hiring in some expert help.
Firstly, there  are children’s entertainers. These range from clowns and magicians to child-friendly face painters or maybe even a friend of the family who is happy to come along and organise some children’s games. The plus side of these options is that they should appeal to a wide age range and offer good entertainment and value for money. A more tricky side is that entertainers cannot be used as child carers, so will have to remain in the same room as the rest of the wedding party, or be in another room with parents present as well. This could be a good solution for the period between speeches and evening reception when most adults are happy to relax a bit and let the children burn of steam.
The second option is to organise a professional crèche for the children.
This can be planned for any time during the day and is an option that offers parents complete time out whilst the children are cared for and entertained. When looking for a crèche provider you must ensure, for your own security and parent’s peace of mind, that all the carers to be used are Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) cleared, preferably with enhanced, rather than just standard, clearance. As the carers will be in sole charge of the children it is also advisable to check that they are first aid trained and hold some form of child care qualifications. A further indication that the organisation is professional and offers a high standard of care is that they are OFSTED registered. Any good provider will be more than happy for you to ask about all these aspects and should work with you to plan a safe and stimulating crèche for your wedding; talking you through age ranges catered for (as a norm this will be 6 weeks to 8 years), ratios of carer to children (must be a minimum of two carers present at all times) and how they can personalise the crèche for you – if you have all girls perhaps they might like a princess themed crèche, or maybe arts and crafts and face painting could be included. In terms of cost you will probably be surprised at how competitive this option is, particularly when you consider it means parents can relinquish responsibly for a couple of hours!
Whatever option you consider do give serious thought to the number and ages of children you will need to cater for and the wishes of their parents – but planning something into your wedding day can be a brilliant way of ensuring everyone can stay relaxed and happy – and think how long everyone will talking about your Pirates and Princess crèche or fabulous magician!
Contributed by: Sharon Clift ,Crèche Development Manager Swindon Child Carers. www.swindonchildcarers.co.uk
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