Kids at rehearsal dinner?

We had a child-free wedding but we let kids come to the rehearsal dinner and the farewell breakfast the next day. I think that child-free weddings are very common (if not the norm in my social circle), but child-free rehearsal dinners and breakfasts are less common. I've only been to one rehearsal dinner where kids were not included and it was at a michelin star restaurant with a full open bar. I suppose it depends on the vibe of your rehearsal dinner. If it's a super formal and fancy sit down dinner with a full open bar, then I can understand not wanting kids there. If it's a more casual affair, then I'd lean towards allowing kids. Keep in mind that your SIL's husband is already missing the wedding to babysit the kids.

I think it depends on the formality and intimacy of your rehearsal dinner. I do believe some spaces are not appropriate or safe for children. Another option is changing the rehearsal dinner to a welcome party and loosen up the guest list and itinerary.

If you are wondering should it be all or nothing for your wedding weekend, to that I say you can mix. I invited my nieces and nephews (from out of town) to the welcome party, and our friends' children to our daytime Church ceremony. In the evening, I had an adults-only ballroom reception. Good luck with deciding.

We're having a kid free wedding minus my cousins 7 year old who is our ring security. The only other child in question that would be invited is my FBIL and FSIL's one year old son. My FSIL is 100% find with us having a child free wedding, she wants to not be a mom at the wedding and her and FBIL are taking advantage of our hotel block which includes transportation so they can party like their not parents for the night lol.

I did let her know he can come to the rehearsal dinner if she wants to bring him, but it's 100% up to her. Her son is truly the light of my life, but I'm not the one who has to take care of him (despite her handing him to me often and saying "here you're a mom now" at events lmao) so it all depends on if she finds one of her family members to baby sit two nights in a row. I do have a feeling she'll try to do everything in her power to not bring him to the rehearsal dinner, just so I can have my time to shine and my FMIL is impossible and forgets the world does not revolve around this one year old lol

We are inviting kids to the rehearsal dinner and wedding. It will be interesting. But too many of their friends would not have come if they could not bring the kiddos. I am buying kid friendly wedding activities so they have something to do.

We had a kid free wedding for my son and his wife and people brought kids to the wedding anyway. At that point I did not care. But I felt bad as my brother and his wife did not come because of the kid issue.