It’s become quite common for couples to get married later in life after they’ve had children or to enter a second or even third marriage and as much as this is a big milestone in their lives, it’s also a huge event in the lives of their children.

Making your kids a part of the organization and the ceremony will help them feel special and important and it will surely add to the significance and beauty of your magical day. If you’re struggling with the idea of how to get your kids involved, here are several useful tips.

Involve them from the very beginning

Since your decision to get married affects your kids as well, bringing them on board from the very beginning makes perfect sense. It’s crucial you all recognize that your lives are changing and the kids need to know what it all means for you as well as them. They need a chance to get accustomed to the idea and form their own opinions. It’s also important they get a chance to express those too.

Hopefully, they will love the idea, so then you can involve them in the process, from the picking some romantic spot for your beach wedding venue or a winter wonderland party, to tagging along to your dress fittings, cake tasting and making playlist choices. Surely, they wouldn’t want to accompany you to pick up your marriage licence or meet the bartenders, but involving them in the fun parts will help you all get along and bond.

Include them into the ceremony

You can also take it a step further and give your kids more serious roles in your wedding. It doesn’t just have to be the classic roles of ring bearers and flower girls. These are great for small kids, but the older ones deserve a more responsible part, such as being your bridesmaids or groomsmen, maybe even the maid of honour and the best man.

The wedding ceremony is the most important and exciting part of your wedding as this is the moment you become a married couple, so making your kids a part of that, gives them enormous significance. You can let your kids do the reading, play an instrument, sing a song or recite a poem. They can also walk you down the aisle, be your witnesses and sign the marriage licence, if they’re old enough.

After the ceremony, when it’s time for the reception, your kids can still help by ushering the guests, giving out programs or do any other job that will make them a part of your big day. If your kids are already teens, letting them give a speech and a toast is a great way to let them express themselves and give their contribution to the solemnity of the day.

Do a family vow and a unity tradition

Family vows are one of the best ways to include your kids. Traditionally, vows are made only by the married couple to each other, but if you make family vows, as parents, you can add vows dedicated to your kids and the kids can add theirs for you. It’s a sweet and lovely way to have the whole family commit to each other and your life together.

Another popular wedding ceremony addition is a unity tradition. This is the moment when the newlywed couple lights a candle together or pours colourful sand into a vase as a sign of their new union. You can ask your kids to join in and seal the union with you.

Give them your firsts

Another sweet way to incorporate and honour your kids is to give them your firsts – the first look at your wedding dress before the ceremony starts and your first dance. The first look is usually reserved only for the couple, but it would be so lovely to have your kids there as well before you head down the aisle.

Also, the first dance at the reception is the moment when the newlyweds share their special dance, but this too is a great time to include your kids and dedicate one more special moment to them. You can do a one-on-one dance with them or even come up with a big family dance routine.

Incorporate kid-friendly touches

A kid-friendly wedding with child-like touches in various places is probably the most convenient way to have the kids not only included but entertained as well. Especially smaller kids like to have their friends around and things to do, or else they get easily bored.

To keep them interested, you can prepare activity kits with board games, colouring books, crayons and stickers set up in a nook reserved just for them. You can design a signature drink especially for them and even organize a scavenger hunt with a special prize and a gift for all of them.

Weddings are about joy, love, laughter and unity. It’s a moment when entire families are coming together and the more of them there are, the merrier. Try incorporating some of the tips listed above to include your kids in the making of your newest memories!