Planning a wedding where the center state will be shared by you, your partner, and your baby can be quite a tall order. The occasion is already a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and when you must also account for a little person who babbles and gurgles, the stakes are sky-high.
Many couples now consider marriage several years after they first got together. Life is harder, and achieving financial stability takes time. Some people don’t believe marriage will be on the cards, but end up changing their minds when a baby enters the equation.
Whatever your idea of marriage, it is totally understandable that you want to celebrate the little human you made with your partner. Here are some ideas to help you do this fuss-free.
Cannot Go Wrong With a Floral Photo Wall
Floral walls have eternally been popular at parties. You may have seen them at all sorts of events, from baby showers to Bat Mitzvahs. At your wedding, flowers and photographs can come together beautifully to celebrate your baby and your journey thus far as a couple.
Traditionally, flowers have symbolized love and passion at weddings. Flowers may have different meanings based on their colors, which makes floral arrangements a loaded responsibility. For instance, many wedding venues use white roses as the color has long been synonymous with innocence and new beginnings. When you have a baby together, why not honor them with something rarer and even more exquisite, like lavender?
Intersperse the flowers with photographs that showcase special moments you have shared with your partner and little one. The occasions could be as grand as your proposal dinner or as everyday, but nonetheless, unforgettable as shared coffee at sunrise. Baby pictures are mandatory, of course (although you may want to skip labor room shots).
Tip: Since the wall will likely be a prime draw for selfies and group photograph backdrop, keep the surrounding area decluttered. You don’t want excited kids to pull at stray strings and bring the entire arrangement down.
A Calm Corner For Baby to Relax
The festivities of a wedding can be a little much for newborn babies. The lights, sounds, and excited cuddles can become overwhelming after a point. You may find the little one getting cranky, their grumpiness quickly catching on.
Since your baby is a VIP guest at the wedding, they deserve their own special calming corner. Get your decorators to create a tasteful, quiet spot, complete with a cozy chair, lovelies, blankets, and the like. It can be a soothing getaway for the mum too, particularly when she needs to nurse the baby.
Nowadays, many parents designate a dedicated person to look after the baby during the wedding. Managing diaper changes and nap time can be challenging when vows need to be said!
Even so, you may need a haven to catch your breath and let your baby feed. More moms consider breastfeeding now, after developments like the ongoing NEC lawsuits have left them paranoid about baby formula.
According to TorHoerman Law, some formula brands, such as Similac and Enfamil, have been connected to necrotizing enterocolitis, a serious intestinal condition in preemie infants.
The additions below can make a lovely baby-calming zone at your wedding and also make breastfeeding and changing easier:
A separator, shutter, or divider to bring privacy from the main event area
Dimmed lighting
A white noise machine to balance dance/party music
Party Favors That Favor the Childlike
Haven’t we all had those fleeting moments of gay abandon by a fountain in the park or an evening when the ice cream cart arrives at exactly the right moment?
Being childlike is one of life’s greatest joys, allowing us to be free and expressive without any constraints. It is a beautiful emotion to embrace on your wedding day when tying the knot and raising a baby is likely making you feel (much) too grown up.
Consider curating party favors that have a little something for the children in the family and the childlike delight that resides in our spirits. This needn’t be elaborate: a mini-jigsaw or a 3D-printed coloring kit can be perfect additions to your party favors. Or you can put in:
Assorted candies and sweet treats
Stationery, the more colorful the better
A family mini-board game
Or if you are the craftsy type, try making something personal and reflective of your family. Martha Stewart-recommended DIY wedding favors emphasize locally sourced materials and resonate with the couple (and baby). Perhaps you can do a wood-based scrapbook with handcrafted details, for your guests to enjoy filling in as a shared activity.
The essential idea is to remind yourself and your loved ones that playing together and sharing fun moments are also what marriage and parenting are about.
When your guests reach home, they will appreciate the chance to reconnect with their younger versions. The kids in the house will also feel special, like valued guests and not ones the hosts just endured.
Walking down the aisle to see your partner waiting for you and your baby, beaming, all toothless and adorable, isn’t something you will ever forget. While you are unlikely to notice anything other than their faces at this time, everyone deserves an artful composition where they are the central character.
It is highly likely that your baby will be almost as popular as you and your partner on the big day. Let them soak it all up and unleash their cuteness on everyone around. After all, it’s their parents’ big day. The three of you standing against tasteful yet heartfelt decor will make a picture for the ages.