For whatever reason, you don’t want to have kids at your wedding. Say no more! Here are 28 classy ways to say, “Sorry, no kids.”
Communicating an “adults only” wedding ceremony and reception is less about wording your wedding invitations and more about addressing them formally.
There are ways to allude to an adult-only wedding in your wedding invitation wording. While it may not be appropriate to mention “adults only” or “no children” on the invitation itself, you can mention it on your reception card. You can also say things like “intimate ceremony” or “cocktail reception” taking place at a “luxury hotel” or “downtown nightclub.” Guests will hopefully understand those venues aren’t child-friendly.
Be sure to address your envelopes properly to get the point across when they first receive your invitation. Guests should understand that only the people listed on the inner envelopes are invited to the wedding. Here’s an example:
Outer Envelope: Mr. and Mrs. Michael Sullivan
Inner Envelope: Mike and Annie
A few examples for your RSVP to get the point across:
We can’t wait to celebrate with you!
Please respond by November 1, 2018
_______ Adults will attend
_______ Sorry to miss it!
OR
Please respond by November 1, 2018
We have reserved two spots for you.
_______ Will attend
_______ Sorry to miss it!
Simple & Sweet:
“Please note this will be an adults-only celebration.”
“Adult (21 and older) reception to follow.”
“We respectfully request no children under 18 at the reception.”
“Join us for an adult reception at five o’clock.”
“The bride and groom request that this be an adults-only reception.”
“Unfortunately we cannot accommodate children – thank you for your understanding.”
“Please celebrate with us at an adults-only reception immediately following the ceremony.”
“Although we love your little ones, this is an adult only affair.”
When your Space and/or Budget is limited:
“Although we love your children, we regretfully cannot accommodate them at the venue due to restricted numbers.”
“[X] seats have been reserved in your honor. Please let us know if you will be joining us!”
“Due to limited venue space, adults only please.”
“Due to budget/space limitations, we are unable to extend the invitation to children.”
“Although we adore your children, due to budget/space constraints we ask that only adults attend.”
“Regrettably our chosen venue is unable to accommodate children. Professional babysitting will be provided at the hotel.”
Kick curfews to the curb!
“We love your kids but thought you might like a night off. Adults only please!”
“To allow all wedding guests, including parents, a night of relaxation and uninhibited revelry, we respectfully ask that no children attend the reception.”
“To give all our guests the opportunity to celebrate without having to worry about little eyes and ears, we politely request no children.”
“We hope you will understand our decision to make the wedding children-free, and take the opportunity to celebrate in style!”
“To allow all guests to relax and enjoy themselves, we have chosen to make our special day adults only. We thank you for your understanding.”
Including Bride & Grooms families newborns, nieces and nephews only:
“Children of immediate family only please.”
“Respectfully, an adult occasion (18+). Infants under 12 months welcome.”
“Due to limited numbers, we hope you appreciate that children are only invited if named.”
“Unfortunately we are only able to accommodate children in the wedding party at our reception.”
“We wish we could include all children but are unfortunately only able to invite immediate family.”
Add a Custom Card to Your Wedding Invitation Suite
If you want to be extra clear, make a note on the reception card or map. I don't find this awfully offensive as each person wants their wedding to be something different and most respect this. Each of these below are great examples to get let your guest(s) know they are the only one invited in the family. I particularly like this venue example, as a little white lie won't hurt anyone, just don't tell anyone. These examples along with double envelopes will help guests understand specifically who is invited and the little ones are not welcome.
“Leave the Kiddos at Home
While we adore your children, our venue does not have the room for your little ones.
Please make it a date night. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!”
“One Small Request
Dearest friends and family – our wedding ceremony and reception is for adults only. We thank you for respecting this request and look forward to seeing you all in June!”
“Please celebrate with us at an adults-only reception immediately following the ceremony.”
”Although we love to watch the children run and play, this is going to be an adults only kind of day.”
”Due to restrictions at our venue, children under the age of 16 are not able to attend.”
”Children are welcome at the ceremony but the reception is an adults-only affair.”
”Although we love your children, we regretfully cannot accommodate them at the venue due to limited seating. We hope you are able to join us anyway and enjoy a relaxed evening with friends and family!”