Planning your second wedding can be even more fun than planning your first, especially when you have kids. While you may have thought you had it all figured out planning your first wedding, your life experiences may have altered your priorities a bit and changed the way you see things.
This wedding will likely be quite a contrast, reflecting who you are now, not the bride you think people expect you to be. Embrace this exciting time for your new family by getting the kids involved in all aspects of your upcoming wedding.
Here are a few ideas on how you can do this:
1. Ask for Their Opinions
Get your kids to involve in the wedding from the beginning stages of planning your big day. Ask for their help in selecting the save the date cards and coordinating wedding invitations. The easiest way to do this is to narrow down the options to two or three choices you love and then have the kids weigh in on their favorite.
If you opt for a photo-centric invitation, include the gang in your chosen photo. This looks especially great if you hire a photographer to shoot some family engagement photos.
You can also empower your little ones to help make other wedding day decisions, too, like choosing the kids’ menu, music, flowers, and decorations. Bring your children to your wedding cake tasting as well, as they’re bound to love the excuse to taste all the different options and help you and your fiancé decide what to serve on the big day.
2. Incorporate Some DIY Trinkets
Wedding prep comes with a whole host of to-dos, from mailing out save the date cards and invitations to crafting any DIY decor. With that in mind, put your little army to work to help get it all done as a family. Start by having your kids help you add postage to all the cards. Then, let them make the table numbers by painting a watercolor background, or have them choose their favorite family photos to adorn each table.
Additionally, they can also play a key role in setting up the children’s activity table, make favors or even stuff welcome bags for guests. Give them a little more responsibility than you typically would and you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised by how helpful they can be and how much the extra effort adds to their excitement on your wedding day.
3. Form a Family Wedding Party
Let the kids take center stage with you as a part of your second wedding party. Whether they serve as ring bearers, flower girls, junior bridesmaids or little groomsmen, it will be a special memory having them all dressed up with you and your fiancé as you say “I do.”
Be sure both you and your fiancé include the kids in your vows as well. Many couples also opt to include kids in a unity ceremony during the wedding. Of course, you’re only limited by your imagination, as there are many ways you can put your own unique spin on the unity ceremony tradition.
4. Include a Special Reception Moment
In addition to making your kids part of the second wedding ceremony, make sure they have a unique role at the reception as well. Older teens may want to give a toast, while budding musicians, dancers or singers may opt to do a performance.
In other words, give your kids the opportunity to choose their own special role. Another option is to put a unique spin on the traditional father-daughter or mother-son dance. With that in mind, have your little ones select favorite songs to make this extra special.
Make Your Second Wedding a Truly Family-Centric Affair
Your upcoming wedding day will be just as memorable for your kids as it will be for you and your fiancé. By getting the kids involved in the planning and DIY projects. As well as giving them special roles in both the ceremony and the reception. This can create a day that’s about coming together as a new family just as much as it is about celebrating the love between you and your fiancé.
