Bring 1 year old to wedding?

my brother in law is getting married on September 12 at brooklyn botanical gardens. Wedding is Saturday night at 7pm. They asked my DS to be a ring bearer. He will be almost 14 months. I'm debating not bringing my DS because I don't think he will make it past then. Unless he can somehow sleep in the stroller. I'd love for him to be in pictures. I don't have anyone who could bring him home after pictures or even the ceremony. What would you do in this situation. My DH isn't even in the wedding party which is a whole other issue so if my DS isn't there I wouldn't feel too bad (my DH's only part is help walk him down the aisle). I would have to hire s babysitter though.

Bring 1 year old to wedding?

If you can avoid it. Don't bring him. I had to bring dd to 2 weddings at that age and neither nor Dh and I actually enjoyed ourselves. Our dd has never been a sleeper though and had no interest in the stroller.

Re: Bring 1 year old to wedding?

If you feel its too much trouble then just tell your brother you can't have DS there... otherwise I would find a babysitter. I went to a wedding recently where the parents of the flower girl hired a babysitter to stay with her in the bridal suite during the wedding.

Re: Bring 1 year old to wedding?

Re: Bring 1 year old to wedding?

i just had a wedding with my two little ones in June
My daughter (almost 2.5) was the flower girl and my son (1yo) was not in the wedding.

I would highly recommend getting a babysitter. Go for pictures and the ceremony and maybe stay for the cocktail hour (thats what we did) but after that get someone to watch him - either at BBG or bring him back to your house.
we were not able to even enjoy the cocktail hour when we were at the wedding bc all our kids wanted to do was run around. once they were with the babysitter we actually enjoyed our night

Message edited 7/20/2015 9:47:01 AM.

Bring 1 year old to wedding?

I wish we could just bring him and then go back to the house but it'll be too far from Brooklyn to LI.

Bring 1 year old to wedding?

If you want DS to be in the ceremony and in the pictures, but still want to be able to enjoy the wedding with DH, I'd look into getting a babysitter that could stay with DS in the bridal suite during the cocktail hour and reception. If that is something you are interested in, I would check with the bride to make sure that she is okay with it (I assume some brides wouldn't want a child/babysitter in the suite -- not sure why, but ya never know....). Someone did this at our wedding and it worked out great. The parents brought toys, coloring books, a mini DVD player so their kid could watch movies, and a sleeping bag. The babysitter hung out with them in the suite for the night and the parents drove everyone home at the end of the night!

Re: Bring 1 year old to wedding?

Bring 1 year old to wedding?

We're in a similar situation, but our wedding is not local (Boston Science Museum) so we have no one to watch him. DS will be 17 months old and we're going to bring a pack and play and/or stroller and hope for the best... I'm still nursing him so if he's tired that usually knocks him out for the count!!

Re: Bring 1 year old to wedding?

I suppose it depends on your child. Our dd was used to, from day one, long and late family get-togethers. She definitely had a schedule, but was really adaptable to late hours. We took her to a charity function that was for all intents and purposes like a wedding when she was 13 mos old, and she did great. We brought her fisher price booster seat for familiarity. We left just after dessert was served. She went to a wedding a few months after that and had a blast. Goldfish got her out of the cranky moments til she got her second wind. How does your ds do out of routines? Is he easily entertained by the other family members in attendance? I think that my dd's love for her grandparents and uncles really helped at both these functions, as they helped to entertain her. How does your brother in law feel? For our wedding, my b-i-l and s-i-l left our nephews at home (ages 3 years and 20 mos) and while I understand their decision, we did feel like something was missing and strongly preferred they were there.

Bring 1 year old to wedding?

SIL wanted DS to be a ring bearer when he was 13-months-old (DH and I were not in the bridal party) and I said no. They were getting married outside in August, he was just walking independently, and he liked to scream in public places. She asked when he was an infant, but I'm glad I said no.

Bring 1 year old to wedding?

Dd was a flower girl at 22mos. Also in Brooklyn. I can officially say it sucked. Family member wanted her here at the reception too. I really didn't have a great time as I was in the wedding party too. So a lot of responsibility combined with running after her.

Bring 1 year old to wedding?

I guess I'm hesitant because I've never left DS with a babysitter before at our house. He goes to daycare or my in-laws are always gracious enough to watch him. It's always great hearing different opinions and experiences. He is used to large family gatherings. He can definitely stay up and I know food with distract him. It's been awhile but he totally rocked my MIL birthday party at a Russian restaurant in Brooklyn when he was 6 months old. He's usually not the greatest when he doesn't get to nap. Luckily he would get his naps in since it is a night wedding. My husbands cousin's DD (2 y/o) was supposed to be the flower girl but her parents decided to leave her home. To be honest they rarely bring her anywhere. There's already a little bit of family drama with this wedding already (isn't there always?). My MIL keeps saying, "it's only 5 hours, it's only 5 hours."

Bring 1 year old to wedding?

Will there be other family members there to help out? Inlaws, cousins, to take your LO for a little?
I would bring him, especially since it's your brother in laws wedding.
When my DS was 13 months we went to my friends wedding in FL. And it honestly wasn't that bad at all. When he got tired DH took him for a walk around the grounds in his stroller and he passed out. Once he was sleeping he came right back in and enjoyed the wedding with me.
I guess it depends on your child, you know what's best.

Re: Bring 1 year old to wedding?

Bring 1 year old to wedding?

Ds1 was in a wedding when he was 15 months and I was 3 months pregnant with DS2. It was my brother's wedding. DH, DS, & I were all in the bridal party. I left the house to get ready at 10am. DS missed his nap and was pretty cranky. It was hard to have a great time, but I would never have left him out for such a close family wedding. He was invited to a friend's wedding and I declined- had much more fun without him!

Bring 1 year old to wedding?

Ds1 was in a wedding when he was 15 months and I was 3 months pregnant with DS2. It was my brother's wedding. DH, DS, & I were all in the bridal party. I left the house to get ready at 10am. DS missed his nap and was pretty cranky. It was hard to have a great time, but I would never have left him out for such a close family wedding. He was invited to a friend's wedding and I declined- had much more fun without him!

Re: Bring 1 year old to wedding?

Our DS was in a wedding party at that age (as was our 4 y/o) and we all had a good time! I brought the double stroller and they went to sleep in it when they got tired.

Re: Bring 1 year old to wedding?

I don't think I'd ever tell DH's brother 'no' in that situation.

My boys were 2 1/2 and 8 months for my sister's wedding. We were ALL in the wedding party. They were there. I insisted the baby go home with my BIL, but my older son stayed b/c it was important to my sister. It was ONE day. My son passed out by 8:00 and my Aunts were more that happy to pass him around for the evening to cuddle him up.

When BIL got married, we had to spend the weekend up in Rockland County and my boys were 3 and 13 months .......DH was the best man.
He took the 3 year old with him into the limo and I followed with the 1 year old - It wasn't at all convenient or relaxing or 'fun' for us ........we were totally exhausted. But it was an important family event, and I was honored that my BIL wanted his nephews to be a part of it.
We brought the double stroller, the boys were both passed out at 9:30 - party still going musin blaring etc.

When SIL got married we were again, all in the wedding party and the boys were 4 1/2 and 2 1/2 - Again COMPLETELY exhausting, long day .......but again, major family event and ONE day.

So, I'd let your son be the ringbearer for his Uncle, bring the stroller and let him sleep whenever he passes out.