Wedding planning is not an easy feat – but it’s even more so when you wish for the special day to be child-free.
There are many reasons why couples decide against having children at their wedding. A practical one is cost – according to Easy Weddings, the average cost of a wedding in Australia is $32,940. While the addition of children into the guest list may not sound like a lot, the costs could easily add up with the requirements for more space, tables and meals.
Excluding kids also helps the couple plan their special day more easily, and ensure the event goes more smoothly. “No kids means the parents can cut loose and enjoy the party you’ve set up for them,” an author wrote on Brides.
“Not inviting children closed the risk of skinned knees on cobblestones and screaming adults trying to track down their kids.”
However, the rule has proven to be quite controversial. Writing for Today’s Parent, Karen Pinchin argued that child-free weddings are “totally insulting” to the guests.
“If you love and trust the people you’re inviting to your wedding, then love and trust that they will make the best decision for you on your big day,” she wrote.
“By explicitly saying ‘adults only’ or ‘no kids’, these invitations are dictating terms, taking guests’ best judgment out of the matter entirely.”
Meg Keene of A Practical Wedding suggested a middle ground, where exceptions are made only for new and nursing mothers. “New motherhood is isolating, and if you can avoid your girlfriend having to sit out a wedding because the baby won’t take a bottle, do it,” she wrote.
This article originally appeared on Over60.