By Sarah Landrum



 
On your wedding day, you want everything to be perfect. And, because you’re an aunt to the most precious nieces and nephews in the world, you need them to enjoy it as much as possible, too.

Sometimes, it’s difficult to incorporate kids into what is decidedly a very adult celebration: Between drinks, dancing and bouquet tosses, little ones can get bored or sleepy without truly celebrating your big day.

With that in mind, here are some surefire ways to make your wedding day special for everyone, including your nieces and nephews.
 
 
Give Them Jobs






Someone must have realized long ago that giving little responsibilities to kids at weddings helped everything go more smoothly — just look at our tradition of flower girls and ring bearers! Of course, you might have more than two nieces and nephews to entertain with a wedding-day job, so get creative with it.

My niece was a little too old to be a flower girl, a job better suited to my youngest cousin, so she was a junior bridesmaid. My nephew was our ring bearer, but stood alongside the men as a junior groomsmen as well so he wouldn’t feel left out. (He was so excited to “pass out the rings!”)

If you have a bunch of little ones around, you can try giving them smaller duties instead. If there’s anything you need to have passed out to guests — wedding programs, sparklers, bubbles, etc. — your nieces and nephews could potentially take charge, and have fun doing it.


Modify the Menu



Steak or fish — or chicken tenders? We can go ahead and assume that your youngest guests won’t want to eat the same things as the grown-ups — at least, until the wedding cake is sliced!

For dinner, be sure to ask your caterer if he or she can provide a children’s menu or even an option suitable for both adults and kids that’s simply kid-friendlier. (Think some sort of pasta or other universal dish.)

 
Include them in Your Gifts



If your nieces and nephews are in the wedding party, they’ll be receiving gifts alongside everyone else. Of course, you can’t always get them the same things!

Try to find something special for them that fits in with the “theme” or get them one personal item and one “group” item, like a matching robe with the bridesmaids. That way, they’ll be excited about what they get and feel like they fit in!

I had a matching robe made in a smaller size for my niece, and she was over-the-moon excited, and so tickled to be one of the “big girls.”

 
Toast with Them



Whether it’s the best man, maid of honor, your parents or your new in-laws, someone is sure to give a toast at your wedding. But, as the grown-ups raise their glasses full of champagne, the kiddos might feel a bit left out.

Have a few bottles of sparkling cider on-hand so that they, too, can participate in the well wishes. If they’re in the party, be sure to have some with you when getting ready in case the bubbly gets popped.

And, if your wedding party is more of the bottled-beer type, you can give your nieces and nephews old-school glass bottles of lemonade, root beer or even juice.

 
Snap Silly Pictures



There’s a very slim chance you’ll be able to corral all of the kiddos at your wedding for a serious or even a smiley group photo – especially if they’re in the wedding party and have to stick it out for hours of photos.

Break up the serious shots with some fun ones, or suggest a silly-face compromise with them: If everyone poses around you and the groom, then they can make funny faces for the next shot.

 
Add Fun Poses to Your Must-Have List



Of course you’re going to want posed pictures with your niece or nephew doing all of the adorable things you’ve seen on Pinterest. But those are going to get very boring for them. Break it up by adding some fun poses that they can enjoy to your must-have shot list.
Throughout the day, your photographer can also capture amazing, in-the-moment shots of children at the wedding to supplement your silly family photo.
 
Candid shots like these will always have a special spot in your heart, and will be perfect to share with them post-wedding!
 



Play Their Favorite Tune(s)



You don’t have to invest in the latest “Kidz Bop” album to make your child guests happy at your wedding! You can, however, ask their moms and dads what contemporary songs they like to jam to and add a few to your wedding track list. Then, just wait and watch them break it down to “Happy,” “Uptown Funk” or other kid-friendly music that adults will groove to, too.

My nephew absolutely loves to dance to “Shell Shocked” from the Ninja Turtles movie, so we asked our DJs to play that before it was time for them to hit the hay. We gave him a special shout-out and gathered ‘round to watch him bust his moves (including a little break dancing action at the end!).


Keep Them Entertained



Your wedding is obviously going to be the best day of your life, and you’ll be engaged every single minute. Your nieces and nephews, though? They might lose interest after they see you in a pretty dress, or after the excitement of the DJ’s blaring speakers wears off.
It’s important to have a handful of alternate entertainment options on-hand for the little ones in the room.

While getting ready, have them come a little later than everyone else. Or, bring activities for them to keep busy with. If they still need something to do, try an impromptu dance party!

Fortunately, many people before you have had to come up with similar games and activities, so there are countless ideas for how to entertain your youngest wedding guests. You could cover a table in paper, arm your nieces and nephews with crayons and let them go to town! You could also print out wedding-themed coloring books or stock up on board games and puzzles. Just go with what you know your nieces and nephews like, and base your choices off of that.

 
Spend Time with Them



Nothing can make the day more special for them than the memories they’ll create with you. Of course you’ll have a million things to do and people to see, but try to carve out a few minutes just for them. Be the one to put on your niece’s lip gloss, or the one to tie your nephew’s shoes. Hop in the photo booth with them and show of your funniest faces. Have a special dance at the reception, or sweep them up for one of the slow songs.
 
Some wedding planners prefer not to have kiddos around on the big day, but, as an aunt, you know one thing is for sure: The day wouldn’t be the same without them! With a few proactive steps, though, you can incorporate even the youngest attendees into your big day so that everyone has the time of their life. That’s well worth raising our champagne flutes to toast!


Sarah Landrum is an aunt of two, a freelance blogger and the founder of Punched Clocks, a blog to help you balance your life and career and find happiness along the way. Follow Sarah on social media for more great tips. You can tweet her @SarahLandrum

Photos courtesy the author. Photography by George Street Photography
Published June 15, 2016