Should You Invite Your Students to Your Wedding? (NOT A GOOD IDEA)

Preparing your guest list is a challenging part of planning a wedding.

You want everyone you value to attend. But this isn’t possible, especially when working with a tight budget and limited space.

While it’s common to invite colleagues, you may wonder whether to invite students if you’re a teacher.

So, Should You Invite Your Students to Your Wedding?

Short Answer – It depends. People have varied opinions on this. Some people will argue that your students are not your friends or colleagues, so there is no need to invite them. Others would invite them because they feel they are a crucial part of their life. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide whether to invite your students or not. But mostly, many people are of the idea that you don’t invite them.

See Also: How Many People Should You Invite to Your Wedding?

Why SHOULDN’T You Invite Your Students to Your Wedding?

Well, there are so many reasons inviting students to your wedding is a bad idea.

But the main one is that they are not your family, friends, or even co-workers.

When planning the invitation list, the focus should be on people close to you, and your students don’t fall into this category even if you love them.

Another reason is that it may come out as a gift grabby.

The parents may think you’re using this chance to get more gifts since the students will feel obligated to give you a gift if they attend the wedding.

Lastly, it may be considered as crossing ethical boundaries.

Remember that besides being your student, they are not part of your personal life. So, inviting them to a personal event like a wedding may be considered unprofessional.

Two Things to Consider When You Invite Students to Your Wedding

At the end of the day, the ceremony is yours, and you have the right to control the guest list.

If you’ve decided to invite students, you need to keep certain things in mind.

1. Wedding Type

If you’re inviting students, your wedding must be kid friendly.

You don’t want the students to be excited to attend, only to get bored during the day. Another thing is that you must have a big wedding.

Even if you only have ten students, they can significantly add to the guest list.

2. Parents Are Needed For The Reception

It’s also wise to invite them to the ceremony only. You don’t want the students around when you are partying. It is a bad idea even if you only have one glass of champagne.

Even if you don’t misbehave, some of your guests will, which is not something you want your students to see.

Instead, you can give them a little bag of party favors as they won’t be present at the reception.

But, if you invite them to the reception, remember that their parents will have to accompany them.

So, be prepared to cater to more people. Also, because you don’t want to be seen as gift-grabby, make it clear that they shouldn’t bring gifts.

Six Kid-Friendly Wedding Considerations

Many people are skeptical about having kids at the wedding, and for good reasons.

Kids are unpredictable. They can misbehave or disrupt key moments at the ceremony.

That is why you need to think carefully about whether you want them at your celebration.

But despite that, kids make the wedding colorful and memorable. If you are thinking of having them at your wedding, here are some things to help you.

1. Make Your Decision Early

Decisions involving kids should be made early to allow parents to plan their kids properly.

The parent would need to plan how to prepare their kid, handle them, etc. These preparations can’t be made at the last minute.

2. Be Explicit In Your Invitation

Sometimes, parents are confused about whether to bring kids to the wedding since it is not well stated in the card.

If you want children to be present, include their names on the card.

If you are using cards with an inner and outer envelope, the parents’ names can appear on the outer, and the inner should be the kids’ names.

Otherwise, children’s names should be written under their parents’ names.

3. Get In Touch With Guests With Children

Once you send the invitation, call your family and friends with children to explain how your wedding is.

It seems like a challenging task, but if you are willing to invite the person, you should be ready to have a discussion with them.

This tip is crucial if you are worried about a stubborn relative that will bring their children to the wedding without your consent.

Plus, if you are planning for childcare, you should let the parents know that their children will be well cared for at the wedding.

4. Prepare A Special Menu For Your Young Guests

Unfortunately, this is something you won’t avoid if you’ve decided to invite kids to your wedding.

But the good news is that the meals are often less expensive and make the kids happy. Consider less complicated options.

If you invite kids aged 13 years and above, they should do well with the adult menu. However, confirm with their parents first.

5. Seating Arrangements

Kids aged between 7-14 can have their table. But those younger than this should sit in an entirely different room with people taking care of them.

Parents with very young kids will often get distracted and on the lookout for when their child cries. Therefore, to keep them still, provide childcare services if possible.

If the kids will be in the same room as adults, it’s best to designate an area to the side where the kids will eat from.

You can arrange for small buffets, mini tables, and kid-friendly décor.

Also, include things that will keep them busy, like books and crayons for coloring. Also, consider hiring a babysitter.

6. Entertainment

Lastly, make sure you keep the children occupied.

Here, you need to think like a kid when planning for distractions.

But mainly provide toys and art supplies for their entertainment.

Conclusion

Your guest list is for you and your partner to decide, So if you are comfortable with inviting your students, go for it.

Otherwise, don’t because of the reasons listed above.

If your students are small, consider the above tips to ensure they have fun at your wedding without being stubborn.