AMERICAN WEDDINGS BLOG
Stay up to date with the latest wedding ceremony trends, script writing inspiration, tips and advice for first-time officiants, and news that matters to couples and wedding ministers.
Stay up to date with the latest wedding ceremony trends, script writing inspiration, tips and advice for first-time officiants, and news that matters to couples and wedding ministers.
Published Thursday, Jan. 23rd, 2025
If you want a blissfully child-free wedding without the inevitable pushback from the parents in your life, here’s a perfect compromise: Hire a wedding babysitter or two.
These unsung wedding vendors will save you from the downsides of having kids at weddings, without offending your friends or relatives with offspring. That means no uncontrollable crying during your vow exchange, no diaper blowouts during the unity candle ceremony, no high-voltage screams during your first kiss – and fewer slighted loved ones looking up ‘how to decline a wedding invitation.’
Hiring a wedding babysitter to keep your child-free wedding inclusive sounds like a no-lose proposition to us, but we know you might have a few more questions about these magical vendors. Let’s take a look at.what they do, how much they cost, where you can find one, and more.
Providing wedding childcare is one of the easiest ways to plan a parent-friendly and kid-friendly wedding that feels child-free! (Photo: Caiaimage/Tom Merton / iStock)
Here's everything you need to know about these important wedding vendors!
A wedding babysitter or ‘special event sitter’ is a professional vendor who provides childcare throughout the wedding day, so that you can enjoy an adults-only wedding experience without inconveniencing your guests who have children. Consider them the unsung heroes of a low stress, adult only wedding!
The average cost of a wedding babysitter is between $20 and $40 an hour, but can be more depending on how many children need to be cared for, how young the kids are, and if additional staff members are needed.
According to the Montana-based company 406 Nannies, a common ratio is 3 to 4 children per sitter (this will vary). In this case, childcare for 10 children for a 5-hour wedding ceremony and reception might cost you around $200 to $400, or more.
In most cases, you will hire a sitter (or team of sitters) for a specific block of time and pay them by the hour. As with other wedding vendors, you may need to sign a contract or pay a deposit when booking childcare services. You can usually hire sitters for any length of time: the ceremony or reception only, both the ceremony and the reception, or for the full day, from prep to afterparty.
Kids are very cute, but you don't have to invite them to your wedding. The perfect compromise is to hire a wedding sitter! (Plus kids will have more fun doing their own thing anyway.) (Photo: FatCamera / iStock)
Why hire a wedding babysitter? If you want more guests at your wedding, hiring an event sitter is definitely worth it. Wedding sitters are often overlooked when drafting a wedding budget, but they can be an essential part of a child-free celebration.
Think about it this way: Parents are stuck with their tykes, and arranging a full day off from parenting to attend your wedding can be stressful and expensive. Loved ones with kids might want to come celebrate, but say no because they can’t afford childcare, or because their childcare falls through at the last minute.
Providing childcare at your wedding will also help you avoid that reputation as the cousin who hates kids…even if it’s true. Like we said, it’s win-win!
There aren’t a lot of cons here, to be honest. But we do want to emphasize that babysitters aren’t expected at a typical wedding, and you aren’t obligated to provide one.
Now, we’re usually big fans of having friends and relatives help out on the wedding day, especially having a friend officiate a wedding! But asking a loved one to watch the kids on your wedding day is different, and we don’t think this is the best idea.
Think about it this way: If one or two loved ones are working in a separate room while others get to sit back and enjoy the celebration, this can easily lead to resentments and misunderstandings. And you don’t want anyone to miss out on all the special moments during your wedding ceremony or reception!
Whenever possible, we recommend you hire a professional instead of asking a loved one to provide this service.
Before you begin interviewing sitter services, gather an estimate of childcare needs by contacting your guests for a rough headcount. Then, start researching vendors!
Let guests know ahead of time that your wedding is child-free, but that you’ll have a wedding babysitter on standby to make that possible. This information can be included on your wedding invitation or wedding website. See three examples of the wording you might use below.
Good things happen when friends and relatives help out at the wedding ceremony! Having a friend officiate your wedding is more affordable than hiring a professional officiant, and a great way to ensure the wedding day is as intimate and personal as it can be. When a loved one officiates, every moment means more!
Ask a friend or family member to officiate your wedding with free online ordination through American Marriage Ministries (AMM).
ORDAINED MINISTER ONLINE APPLICATION
Why AMM? American Marriage Ministries is an inclusive nondenominational internet church that ordains and trains ministers to officiate marriage ceremonies. We are a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit church, and help people from all backgrounds and beliefs become ordained ministers for weddings. Our online ordination is free, accessible, and never expires.
Officiating weddings is an incredible honor, and a great way to show your love and support for the people getting married. As a wedding officiant, you will help to create memorable ceremonies and memories that last a lifetime.
AMM Ministers can legally officiate weddings in every state* (it's much harder in Virginia, where we're looking into our options). After getting ordained with AMM, you might need to register your ordination with your local county clerk’s office. Click the link above to get started!
Become an ordained minister online with American Marriage Ministries and officiate wedding for friends and relatives. (Photo: Jacob Wackerhausen / iStock)
Love it? Pin it!
Become a Wedding Officiant with Our Free Online Ordination!