When it comes to weddings, the topic of whether kids should be allowed to attend or not has been at the center of a long-standing debate.
For some couples, it's a no-brainer to share one of the most important milestones of their lives with every member of their family, including the young ones.
However, there are many brides and grooms who would rather have a celebration where no one has to worry about watching out for little humans.
Still, some parents find it rude when an invitation isn't extended to their children, and will even go against the "No children" policy indicated on the invitation and show up with their kids.
Recently, a bride was forced to ask guests with children to leave her wedding after she specifically stated on the invitations that kids were not welcome at the event. The newlywed opened up about the incident on Reddit, and her story has triggered the debate all over again.
"At the actual wedding ceremony, I let it slide. I was preoccupied for obvious reasons," the bride wrote. "I also thought that maybe they planned not to attend the reception or to have someone pick the kids up before it started."
When the family, which included a toddler and a baby, appeared to be staying at the reception with their kids, the couple asked their wedding planner to politely handle the situation.
Unfortunately, the situation started to escalate and that's when the newlyweds had to step in.
"The wife gave a sort of apology and then assured me that they were capable of minding their own children to make sure they didn't get in the way of anything. I said that wasn't really the point," she continued. "That's when my now-husband comes over and he and the other woman's husband begin going back and forth and things got a little heated."
"Finally I snapped and said that they just needed to go, which, thankfully they did without much more noise. Still, the whole scene was incredibly embarrassing which is exactly what I wanted to avoid."
The bride explained that while she didn't let the situation put her off track, she still hated that her "wedding day had to be somewhat marred by this incident."
The bride's post has since gone viral and racked up more than 1,500 comments on Reddit.
Some users sided with the family, saying that the couple could've handled the situation better. Apparently, even "a few family members felt it was inappropriate to kick out the couple."
But for the most part, people were in full support of how the bride reacted given the circumstances.
"The a**holes we're [sic] the ones who brought their kids to an explicitly child-free event. And then caused a scene when they were asked to leave," wrote one user. Another added, "I have a six year old, and even if children were allowed I would probably still find a sitter. If I'm getting all dolled up to go to a wedding, I want to relax and have fun. I love my little dude, but mommy needs to unwind sometimes."
The bride later shared an update, thanking her fellow Reddit users "for the feedback," which has helped her "not to feel guilty" and "just realize that not everyone has the same ideas about tact and manners."
The discussion that arose from this has not provided us with a right or wrong answer about inviting kids to weddings, but it is a reminder that people should be more considerate of others and respect their wishes. For many, a wedding is a once-in-a- lifetime event and they work hard to make it as close to perfect as possible, so going against their requests could ruin their day.
[H/T: Reddit]
