As the destination wedding industry continues to evolve, gone are the days of “adults only” celebrations with more couples happily welcoming children to their celebrations.
In addition to making travel plans easier for parents, including kids at a destination wedding can bring a lot of fun (and a bit of whimsy!) to the Big Day. With this in mind, there are a number of ways to create a family-friendly wedding experience for all ages to enjoy.
Location, location, location
While there are a wealth of kid-friendly hotels and resorts available, there are also those that are catered toward adult vacations and nightlife, and it will be important to qualify options before taking the plunge. When children are a consideration, it’s imperative for couples to work with a knowledgeable destination wedding specialist to select a venue that is accommodating for families with young kids, tweens or teenagers.
Finger foods
Unless a couple plans on serving chicken fingers and hot dogs to every guest, a children’s menu is a must. The average child won’t be open to an elegant serving of fish or steak and, rather than dishing out for an untouched plate, it’s easier to simply offer kid-friendly foods.
Rockin’ fun zone
While the younger guests may enjoy showing off their moves on the dance floor, boredom will most likely strike unless there are enough activities to keep them entertained. Whether it’s a table full of crayons and coloring books or a separate room with a kid’s movie playing (supervised, of course!), providing a space for children to interact with each other will allow everyone to enjoy the wedding equally. A destination wedding specialist can assist couples with exploring childcare options to keep children entertained while just a few steps away from their parents.
Explore the town
Since most couples and guests choose to stay a few extra days for a destination wedding, one-day excursions are increasingly popular and the opportunities are plentiful. While couples are free to schedule as many wine tastings, catamaran cruises and mountain treks as they’d like, it’s courteous to also provide an option for a family-friendly adventure, such as a trip to a local museum, on-site sports tournaments or snorkeling lessons. A destination wedding specialist can outline these choices, as well as pre-book excursions.
Couples shouldn’t be the only ones with fond memories of their destination wedding experience. Planning ahead for those under 18 can provide for an amazing celebration, where children and adults alike can have the vacation of their lives (so far)!
Rebecca Hochreiter is the Vice President of Marketing & Customer Engagement at DestinationWeddings.com, the world's leading destination wedding and romantic travel planning company. DestinationWeddings.com has worked with over 20,000 couples and half a million guests to plan dream destination weddings. DestinationWeddings.com is one of the award-winning brands in the Celebration Travel Group collection.
