By Emma Morley

Last updated at 09:45, Thursday, 05 July 2012

There was never any question whether there’d be children at Liz and Stephen Mawson’s wedding.

Liz Porter and Stephen Mawson hired Jumblies Mobile Creche from Wigton and organised games and bikes for children at their wedding

There were about 40 children out of a guest list of around 250 at their wedding at St Cuthbert’s Church and then at The Bailey Ground Hotel, Seascale and the couple embraced the idea, going to all lengths to make sure the kids enjoyed the day as much as the adults.

They hired Jumblies Mobile Creche, Wigton, who put up a marquee and organised painting, games and brought bikes for the younger children from about 3pm to 7pm and then the children were picked up and taken home or went home with their parents.

For the older children and other guests there were stilt walkers, magicians and a casino.

“All our close family have children of about the same age,” says Liz. “It’s a long day and you can’t expect children to behave all day without anything to do.

“It was a conscious effort to organise it all for them.

“The children loved the casino. There was something for everybody.”

During the ceremony families with babies sat near the back but Liz says the children were brilliant.

“You can’t exclude them from the service,” she says. “Our son was two and we’d given all the groomsmen hipflasks as gifts and he had one with Ribena in.

“Everyone remembers him in the church before the ceremony walking up and down drinking from his hipflask!”

Liz believes that it’s a decision that should be made by the bride and groom and they shouldn’t feel under any pressure if they don’t want children at their wedding: “It’s quite controversial as you don’t want to upset anyone.

“I think children do make a wedding day but every couple is different.

“If I got an invite for a wedding and the children weren’t invited I wouldn’t question it.

“It’s down to the bride and groom.

“Parents do like to get away for a day without their children though and not all venues are suitable for children.”

• Children were always going to play a part in Tracey and Dave Wildey’s wedding and to make sure everyone enjoyed their special day they hired the services of a childminding company to look after their young guests.

Dave had a seven-year-old daughter so there was never any doubt that there would be children there and they wanted to make it as exciting for them as for the adults.

“In this day and age people do have children before they get married and you don’t like to invite parents without their children as they do get upset,” says Tracey. “You have to find a happy medium.

“My friends’ children are my friends so I wanted them there but I also wanted the adults to have a good time.”

There were about 15 children from the ages of four weeks to 11 on the day and when it came to the ceremony at St Paul’s Church, Holme Eden, the couple, from Anthorn, weren’t worried about them disrupting proceedings.

“I don’t think I would have noticed if there was anything going on behind me,” says Tracey. “I only saw Dave.

“I can’t tell you what I heard in the background during the ceremony.

“If there was a problem I knew my friends would’ve taken the child out.

“You have to trust them.”

As there were no speeches nor a table plan apart from the top table and a buffet which included things children would enjoy at the reception at Fantails, Wetheral, it was a relaxed affair.

Then from 7pm to 9pm they hired Lyndsey Rafferty of The Event Nannies, based in Carlisle, to take the children into a special area to keep them entertained.

“Lyndsey came in and swept them all up and there was peace for two hours,” Lyndsey laughs. “The children loved every minute of it and it allowed their parents to chat to people.

“We saw it as giving a gift to the adult guests.

“The last thing you want is anything that will stop you having the perfect day.”

It wasn’t until Tracey saw the photographs that she realised what they’d been doing and how much effort Lyndsey had put into it.

Lyndsey offers a closed creche where the children are in the sole care of the nannies, say during the speeches, or an open creche where they can come and go as they please and she will bring crafts and outdoor activities such as a treasure hunts, giant games, football and rounders.

The children bonded so well as they’d been playing together that when Lyndsey left they continued playing together and used party bags which Tracey had put together for them including things to make, badges, sweets and games.

First published at 21:10, Wednesday, 04 July 2012
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk