Blended family weddings are common, but it can still be tricky to figure out a meaningful and interactive way to include children in a wedding. You’ll want to do something symbolic to bring the whole family together, but nailing down that perfect idea can be tough. If you are looking for a touching way to merge your families together, consider one (or a few!) of these ideas.
Include them in the Wedding Planning Process
Before the day of the wedding, find ways to include your children in the wedding planning process. There are plenty of activities and tasks that both younger kids and teenagers can help out with. Get a helping hand with any DIY projects, bring them along to a cake tasting (with the permission of the bakery, of course), have your tech-savvy teen help design the wedding website, or include them in some of the engagement session photos. No matter how old or young they are, they’ll appreciate playing an important role in making this celebration come to life.
Invite them to Be a Part of the Wedding Party and Processional
One of the easiest ways to include kids in the ceremony is to make them part of the wedding party. Younger kids can be flower girls and ring bearers, while older children can be junior bridesmaids and groomsmen. They’ll enjoy having their special moment walking down the aisle and standing up at the altar!
Set Aside a Family Moment in the Ceremony
During the ceremony, find a way to bring the whole family together to participate in a sweet moment that symbolizes this new union. Popular options include lighting a unity candle or filling up a vase with different colored sand, which are both poignant and impactful ways to represent the merging of the two families. Other options include planting a tree, lighting a wish lantern, or doing a unity painting.
Write the Children in Your Vows
There are a few ways to approach including the entire blended family in your vows. You can simply include a touching moment about them in your vows to your soon-to-be spouse. Alternatively, you can write vows for each of the children to recite to them during the ceremony. This will help them feel more of a part of this new unity.
Give them a Ceremony Gift
Before exchanging the rings, take a moment to exchange a small but meaningful trinket with each of the children to represent your new bond as a family. Options include a necklace, bracelet, or engraved pin.
Give Them the Opportunity to Perform during the Ceremony or Reception
If you have a more outgoing child, give them the opportunity to shine during the ceremony. They could do a reading that is meaningful to the entire family – and you can work together before to find the perfect passage. Or, if any of your children have musical talents, they can perform a piece during the ceremony. Of course, they can also do a performance of their choice sometime during the reception, as well.
Do a Family First Dance
Of course, you’ll have your first dance with your new spouse. Why not also set aside a moment to have a first dance with your new child or children? You can even work with the kids to pick out a song that you’ll all love to bust a move to.
If you are in the process of planning your wedding, come to the next Georgia Bridal Show near you. You will have the chance to meet with professional wedding vendors from Georgia and the Southeast who can help bring your vision to life!
Georgia wedding vendors, as well as other wedding professionals across the Southeast, can contact us about opportunities for exhibition and online marketing with Georgia Bridal Show.