Taking an 18 month old to a wedding

[Maud]

We are meant to be going to a family wedding in September. My LO will be 18 months and I'm a bit worried whether or not it's a good idea to take her? The wedding is 250 miles away from home (4.5 hour drive, before stops) so we will have to spend two nights in a hotel. The wedding is an all day affair in two different locations with the reception being held ten minute drive away from the closest hotel.

Has anyone taken a toddler to a wedding? I have so many questions: Is she likely to enjoy it? How late can an 18 month old be kept up in the evening? How do they tend to cope with long car journeys?

The last thing I want to do is drag her all that way (at considerable expense) and only be able to attend the ceremony.

 

[Mummybexee]

If the reception was at the hotel id be inclined to say go for it.

However with 3 different places to travel throughout the day.. So far from home... Such a while away ... I'd be alittle concerned at the possible expense that could be wasted.

I didn't take our easy baby to a wedding when he was 4 months old- and when hubby got back along with all his mates - they said I'd made the right decision

They too had wedding in church- reception at a venue with hotel 15 mins away. X

 

[Mrs CW]

We took our eldest at 15months to my brothers wedding and he had a great time. It was only a 2hour journey and we ended up making it a break away by staying in a cottage for the week after the wedding. When we've done a longer car journey we try to time it around a nap time and we've almost always had a break after 2hours of driving. The wedding was in one venue and D loved running around the place, being cheeky, having his photo taken and he enjoyed the meal. I can't remember if he napped during the day but I think we had our buggy if needed, if the wedding your going to is 2 venues then your LO should be able to nap during the travelling time between the 2. We stayed until about 8/8.30, he had a bit of a dance, changed into his pjs and fell asleep. I was expecting our 2nd so wasn't drinking and my DH doesn't drink so leaving early didn't bother us too much but if we'd wanted to we could have put him in his buggy to nap. You can never predict how a toddler will behave in the day but I hope that helps x

 

[sophiadavies]

I'm taking my lo to a family wedding in May, he will be 1 year old! Luckily the wedding is fairly local, and the hotel is near the venue so I can take him back and forth for naps etc but I am a little concerned about he's going to be during the ceremony , speeches etc, though tbh it may work out in my favour if I need to escape for a breather! lol its tricky isn't it? I'll be stalking this thread x

 

[Maud]

If it were closer to home and/or all in one location I'd be less worried. But money is so tight now I'm scared of spending a lot of money and not enjoying ourselves. Plus I'm being pressured to book the hotel room (as the closest and cheapest one is nearly fully booked already!), but if we decide not to take her we won't be going as we have no one to babysit for such a long period.

 

[Mrs CW]

If that's the case with money and hotels being booked I would say don't go. We were lucky that my parents rented a cottage for us and some other family members to stay in for the wedding so it was really close and didn't unsettle our LO. I always think if I'm worrying about the cost of something would I actually enjoy it when I'm there x

 

[Mummybexee]

I agree ^

Who's wedding is it?

 

[Maud]

It's my cousin

 

[Maud]

Gah. My OH has just pointed out that we'll have to go to bed (with a Kindle!) with LO as sharing a room we won't be able to have lights on/watch TV/talk, let alone go and have a drink! That hadn't even occurred to me!

 

[Jojo84]

Is take them. We take our LO all over and at night too and as long as we take provisions (toys, favourite nap time snuggle, spare clothes, nappies, snacks etc) he's great and really enjoys being different places. But Luke is a ridiculously social baby.

The latest he's been kept up is about 11pm as he just naps is his chair. And he has a lovely lie in he next day too- bonus!

If it were me I would go if I was close enough to the person To go to the effort.

 

[Pumpkin9]

I'd take them too. Thomas has been to 2 weddings (admittedly when he was around 6 months old) but there were lots if children at one and they ranged in age from 4 months all the way through to 3 1/2.

The 3 1/2 year old stayed up till 9 and then went to bed. We had Thomas sleep in his pram for naps and before we left at 10.30pm. He absolutely loved it!

It's totally doable I just think it depends on whether you want to be on child alert the whole time or take some time out for you. Ultimately if you do take a toddler with you, in fact any child you will be focused on them the whole time and I don't think you can quite enjoy a wedding as much as a result

 

[Pumpkin9]

Sorry Maud just realised you don't have a babysitting option so my comment about taking time for you is abit irrelevant!

 

[Lyllian]

Don't know about your little one but it sound tiring even to me! X

 

[Goat]

I've taken my toddler when she was 15, 19 and 22 months the latter two being because she was a bridesmaid in both...and that's the only reason I took her again after the disaster at 15 months. We too had to stay in hotels the first two times and the wedding was smack bang on nap time, so she had no sleep. She was fine in church but couldn't stand all the hanging around during the canapés, the meal time was past her usual dinner time and she was miserable. Luckily the first two times the wedding was onsite so hubby or I could just go back with her. But it was stressful and I was so flustered the whole time.
I would say if you can go and leave her with someone, do it. I'm not taking my kids to a wedding until they're 5 now, I've had enough.xxx

 

[CARNAT22]

Even taking the baby out of the equation it sounds like a complete hassle to me? 2 nights away from home at your own expense plus the cost of a wedding (outfits, gifts.etc) is a big ask.

Unless it was someone I was super close to I don't think I'd attend. ... baby or no baby.

X

 

[JJ Mum]

When I got married my kids were 4.5,2.5 and daughter 18 mths, she made alot of noise in the registry office ceremony, if that was me as guest I would have been standing outside with her fir same of bride, but as my own child we just let her wander about, it didn't matter. The afternoon reception party she loved but I had alot of kids there and she danced and two of the three kids conked out in single strollers in the corner quite happily, if your close to your cousin go, or speak to her if your worried and do a smaller visit x

I had a chuckle at your tablet in the dark comment, weve always got a child in my room, i read by booklight and lay here on phone

 

[BunnyN]

LO would love the wedding and have great fun. She likes lots of people, music etc but the car ride sounds hard and the whole trip sounds a bit exausting and expensive plus our LO always ends up grumpy and out of routine for several days after traveling. If its just to have fun I would opt out, there are easier and less expensive ways to have more fun closer to home. If its because you really want to be at your cousins wedding it sounds doable.

 

[StaceyRainbow]

I'm taking my will be 13.5 month old to a wedding in Cyprus in May, we've had our flight times changed by Thomas cook and I'm not looking forward to it! We've also been changed to a diff airport so travelling an extra hour then 5 hours on a plane. But we are doing it! I haven't even thought what he will be like at the wedding once we're there just going to go with the flow.

 

[Maud]

Thanks for all the replies. We're still very much undecided, but plenty to think about.

 

[openeyes]

My little man was about 17 months when my brother got married. It was a local affair, but was in a church with a reception at a hotel afterwards. He slept through the ceremony, despite being sat close to the organ with my oh and loved the reception as he got to play with his cousin and the other kids there. He did really well during the speeches (ie, kept fairly quiet) and in the end we left just as the disco was getting going, he even slept through it starting up and the first few songs being played. I don't think staying in a hotel would have made much difference as my boy will literally sleep anywhere. It all depends on how you think lo will cope with it all, really. Only you know them that well, don't let anyone else talk you in/out of it.