Hellobee Boards

@Alba4: Hahaaa I could have written This a month ago!
We all went 2hrs west for BIL wedding! All family was there on his side, DH was a groomsmen and DD (3) flower girl and DS (15 months) ring boy! I was so nervous!

We stayed in a hotel and On Friday the rehersal was at 11 a.m. we went to that then left got lunch and headed back to hotel to let DS nap! After we meet at rehersal dinner at 7 p.m. I fed them a light dinner around 5:30 and let them pick or eat whatever at the dinner!
DD actually asked to sit in her brothers stroller at like 8 p.m. and was out!!!! DS partied with us we left at 9 he fell asleep on way back and they bitb crashed back in hotel!

Wedding day I was lucky to have my sister drive up for the day!
We took them to a park that morning, ate Lunch and DH left to be with his brother and we lwt DS nap!

My sister helped get the kiddls ready and me ...
We arrived at venue at 5 ceremony started at 6
Snacks were a must!

I waited down the aisle with fruiy snacks for DD and DS lol

They stayed for about an hr at reception it was 200+ and crazy!

My sister picked them up and took them back to hotel for room service and bed!!

Having her was a life saver!
But they were CHAMPS!!!!

I think you know your kiddos best, mine get tired but will nap/sleep anywhere if really tired so I was ok, with being on the go!

My older daughter was a flower girl last year at BIL’s wedding, when she was almost 4, and DH was in the wedding. I was not in the wedding party and our younger daughter (then 1) was not invited. My parents were able to come up for the weekend and we booked connecting hotel rooms so they could stay next door and babysit.

We had the almost 4 yo go to the rehearsal, then I brought her to dinner with my parents and the baby, and my parents put them both to bed in the hotel room. I was late for the rehearsal dinner after helping get them settled with my parents in the room. No way did I want her up late the night before the wedding.

Day of the wedding she didn’t nap but I made sure she had some down time to rest during the day. Lots of snacks to get through the ceremony. In hind sight I wish I had taken her out during the cocktail hour to run around instead of trying to get her to behave during what was really boring for her. She stayed at the evening reception for several hours, ate some of her kids meal, loudly announced she had to go potty right in the middle of DH’s best man toast, and had an absolute blast dancing. Then I brought her up to the hotel room and my parents got her to bed while I went back to the reception.

It worked out really well, but it was key having my parents there and the wedding take place in the hotel. SIL actually asked me to read at the wedding and I declined because I wanted to be able to focus on keeping LO in line.

Both girls, now 4.5 and 2, are flower girls this May and I’m a bridesmaid. Reception starts at 5:30 and the hotel is 15 minutes away, no babysitters. So it will definitely be a lot more challenging!

@misolee: I guess I am spoiled by my parents because my folks were always willing to take the bulk of kid duties at weddings, even if they were guests. For my BIL's wedding, they took DS back to the hotel after dinner and the wedding so I could stay. For another family wedding this April, they are doing the same. I'd think through what you need as a wedding party member and ask your folks if they are willing to take one for the team to help you out. If not, I know some folks are ok asking for babysitter recommendations or using care.com to find a sitter to stay with the kids while they sleep so you can go back to party. Honestly, if you found a babysitter, I'd just ask them to do whatever made sense- I've babysat for friends in a non suite hotel room and while it was annoying, you do what you have to do. Hang out in the bathroom, bring an iPhone and headphones to watch TV while the kid sleeps, go into the hallway so you don't keep them up, whatever you think will work! Or, could you see if the hotel has connecting rooms? You could request to have your room and your parents' room next to each other, so the babysitter could use the second room? I'm just spit-balling ideas

Following!

SIL is getting married in Milan, Italy over labor day weekend. We have already told my parents that we will pay for them to go and babysit if they aren't already planning on attending. I already know there is going to be a battle over the fact that DS (who will be almost 4) is going to leave the reception early....but we have a 12 hour daytime flight home the next day so I don't really care.

The hotel we're "required" to stay at (oy...) is 30 minutes from the wedding venue. We don't have a time for the ceremony yet, but since everything will be on an Italian schedule, I assume it will be late in the evening. I also just can't imagine her agreeing to have a daytime wedding... I'm considering packing our family up and staying at a hotel that is closer to the wedding venue just for that one night.

@MrsLonghorn: oy that is so hard. My son’s godfather lives in Milan, and he regularly tells us stories of dinners out that start at 9 or 10 where people bring their kids my sons age (2)! And they somehow.... behave? And are fine? How?!?!?? Luckily he gets he cultural difference and doesn’t judge out more American/ bedtime centric parenting, but I could see how that would be tough is SIL or her fiancé are immersed in that culture.

@MrsBucky: wait, they START at 9 or 10?! I knew things would be late, but wow....

Our current plan is to adjust only half-way to the new time zone. Fully adjusting to the new times, an 8pm bedtime is way to early in Milan...but if we don't adjust his time zone at all, he'd go to sleep at 1am Milan time (8pm in TX) which isn't happening either. We were thinking of splitting the difference -- treating 10-11pm like bedtime, shifting all of our meals accordingly, and praying that he adjusts his wakeup time to match!

@MrsBucky: we'll be there for a week. DS will turn 4 at the end of that month. Good to know - thank you!!