Pepper Spray at a Wedding Reception?

ShaedyKD · #1 08-27-2006, 12:39 PM

This is why, if I ever had a wedding, children would not be invited. And even though it might be some sort of wedding etiquette faux pas, I would put that on the invitation.

sdbeta1 · #2 08-27-2006, 12:54 PM

It was barely the second song of the evening?

FSUZeta · #3 08-27-2006, 01:18 PM

a pox on the key ring owner and the childs parents.

valkyrie · #4 08-27-2006, 01:21 PM

The parents are to blame. Who lets their kid run around and grab stuff that doesn't belong to them? Dangerous (knives, etc.), as well as fragile and valuable objects (crystal toasting flutes) are common at weddings. It's pretty common to leave handbags and other personal items on tables at weddings, and I don't think anybody wants someone's goobery kid running off with her handbag or getting into it.

sdbeta1 · #5 08-27-2006, 01:49 PM

Why is anybody's kid running around during the second song of the evening? It is natural to have pepper spray on your keychain. Even at weddings where there is a large group of people, a lot of whom you don't know. The person with it could have been raped, and felt like she needed it everywhere. It is completely the child's parents fault. Once again, I don't see it being hectic on the second song of the evening. Everyone at the reception must've gotten up to dance really quickly.

tunatartare · #6 08-27-2006, 02:12 PM

I think the parents are to blame. As someone pointed out, it's common to leave purses and other personal belongings at the table while you're dancing and socializing at a wedding. If your kids don't know better than to touch other people's things without their permission, then don't bring them to a wedding. And I agree with ShaedyKD, I too would make my wedding adults-only.

LeslieAGD · #7 08-27-2006, 02:21 PM

I had kids at my wedding and they were so much fun! I couldn't imagine having to exclude those children because they couldn't behave.

AchtungBaby80 · #8 08-27-2006, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valkyrie

The parents are to blame. Who lets their kid run around and grab stuff that doesn't belong to them? Dangerous (knives, etc.), as well as fragile and valuable objects (crystal toasting flutes) are common at weddings. It's pretty common to leave handbags and other personal items on tables at weddings, and I don't think anybody wants someone's goobery kid running off with her handbag or getting into it.

Agreed.

And I'm with those of you who said you'd have a kid-free wedding reception...I would, too. If you knew the kids in my family, you'd understand, but I don't see a thing wrong with the idea in general.

preciousjeni · #9 08-27-2006, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valkyrie

The parents are to blame. Who lets their kid run around and grab stuff that doesn't belong to them? Dangerous (knives, etc.), as well as fragile and valuable objects (crystal toasting flutes) are common at weddings. It's pretty common to leave handbags and other personal items on tables at weddings, and I don't think anybody wants someone's goobery kid running off with her handbag or getting into it.

Ditto.

AXO Alum · #10 08-27-2006, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShaedyKD

This is why, if I ever had a wedding, children would not be invited. And even though it might be some sort of wedding etiquette faux pas, I would put that on the invitation.

If people would learn that ONLY the people's names written on the inner envelope are invited, we wouldn't have the problem of including it on the invitation! So many people get that envelope & assume that "Mr. & Mrs. John Smith" automatically = AND KIDS which is absolutely does not. Nor does "Ms. Jane Smith" automatically = AND GUEST, but I digress...

ShaedyKD, although it is not proper etiquette to include "adults only" on the actual invitation, more & more couples are finding themselves having to add it because people either don't understand, or don't WANT to understand, that the names listed on the inner envelope are the only invited guests. As a wedding planner, I would prefer the faux pas of wording it on the invitation versus the faux pas of having unruly kids show up for the event.

And as for the kids running around - I am the mom to a 4 year old, and I am absolutely on him like a hawk. However, he IS four, and you would be surprised (you non-mom's would be - anyone who has or has had a toddler wouldn't be

) how quickly they can get into things! I was such a great mom before I had kids....

AlphaFrog · #11 08-27-2006, 09:12 PM

My daughter is almost TWO. If you bring it in to her (our, but she thinks it's her) house, it's fair game-she's going to touch it, and probably attempt to claim it. BUT when we are out in public, she doesn't touch things that aren't given to her (with the exception of clothes at the clothing store...she sees everyone else touching them, so it's hard to teach her why SHE shouldn't touch them).

I cannot imagine a FOUR year old who doesn't know better then to touch other people's things, but like ya'll have pointed out, we know where to look for that.

honeychile · #12 08-27-2006, 10:52 PM

If I were the bride, I'd be tempted to send the bills for any unused items (due to the clearing out from the pepper spray) to the parents. No child at any age should be in other people's purses or keys. Yes, children are curious, but that's why raising a child is called parenting.

If you can take the time to have a child, then take the time to teach the child his or her boundries - including the sanctity of going through other people's property!!

jadis96 · #13 08-27-2006, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AXO Alum

If people would learn that ONLY the people's names written on the inner envelope are invited, we wouldn't have the problem of including it on the invitation! So many people get that envelope & assume that "Mr. & Mrs. John Smith" automatically = AND KIDS which is absolutely does not. Nor does "Ms. Jane Smith" automatically = AND GUEST, but I digress...

ShaedyKD, although it is not proper etiquette to include "adults only" on the actual invitation, more & more couples are finding themselves having to add it because people either don't understand, or don't WANT to understand, that the names listed on the inner envelope are the only invited guests. As a wedding planner, I would prefer the faux pas of wording it on the invitation versus the faux pas of having unruly kids show up for the event.

My cousin did something I liked, even though not proper etiquette it seemed to work well for them. When they invited people who had younger children (cousins under 10 mostly) they included a short personal note saying "While we love children, we would perfer not to have them at our wedding. Thank you in advance for your understanding." In our family it's common to invite the whole family to weddings if you are related, but they felt like any of the kids under 10 would be bored and have trouble behaving. When they returned from their honeymoon they had a housewarming party where they invited everyone including the younger kids and asked it be sans gifts.