By age: a quick guide
| Age | Where they sit | Tell the venue |
|---|---|---|
| Babies | With parents, ideally at the end of a table near an exit for quick escapes | Space for a car seat or pram; no place setting needed |
| Toddlers (1–3) | Beside a parent, never at a kids’ table | High chair; children’s meal or a smaller portion |
| Young children (4–7) | With parents, or at a kids’ table right next to them | Children’s meal; booster seat if needed |
| Older children (8–12) | A kids’ table works well | Children’s meal; drinks served without alcohol |
| Teenagers | Their own table, or with cousins and young adults | Usually adult meals |
Making a kids’ table work
- Put it where parents can see it — beside their tables, not across the room or next to the speakers.
- Mix ages carefully. Eight- to twelve-year-olds together is easy; one six-year-old among teens is lonely.
- Give them something to do: colouring sheets, a simple activity pack, a disposable camera. A kind older cousin or a hired sitter nearby helps.
- Serve them first. Ask the caterer to bring children’s meals before the adults’ main course.
- Use a round table. Children talk across rounds; long tables split into two ends.
Keep parents in mind
Parents with young children appreciate seats with an easy route out — for nap time, nappy changes or a tired toddler. Place them near the doors rather than in the middle of the room, and keep households together so nobody is juggling a child across two tables.
In the planner, mark children in the guest list. The checks will flag any child seated away from their household (unless they’re at a table you’ve named “Kids”), and the caterer sheet labels them for the kitchen.
Adults-only weddings
If you’re not inviting children, say so clearly on the invitation (“We love your little ones, but this is an adults-only celebration”) and address invitations only to the adults. Exceptions — nursing babies, the couple’s own children, flower girls and page boys — are common and fine, but apply them consistently so no family feels singled out.
Plan it, then print itPaste your guest list, seat everyone on a to-scale floor plan, and print the sign and cards — free, no account.
Open the planner