what to do abt kids???

hey girls... sorry this is long!

i didnt think this annoying drama would occur 2 yrs away but it has!!! heres the details

** FH and I both have very large families - we invited 200 ppl to our e-party - we are looking at 250-300ppl being invited to the wedding

** my parents are paying for my family & friends plus 80 of FH ppl (abt 240 total) anything FH goes over his parents have to pay for - My parents say NO KIDS AT ALL!!!

** we did not include any of my cousins kids (abt 40 kids!) even though some of them are teenagers or even over 18!

** one of my first cousins will be coming from South Carolina and is insisting on bringing her kids (3 of them - 18, 18, and 16 yrs old) - even saying she will pay for them to come!

what should i do????
- invite just her kids? -- then my other 1st cousins will get mad right??? but thats then adding abt 15 kids
- only ppl coming from out of state can bring there kids?? but how do you do that??? so my cousins kids who i see more and are therefore closer to arent invited cause they live here???
- do 16 and over only?? that would split families also like 2 kids are invited but 1 isnt?? that would add abt 15 kids

this is sooooo annoying!!!!! what would you do??
PLUS lets not forget my parents who are paying are saying NO KIDS at all!!!!

I hear you girl. My family has also already been at it. I personally would stick to what you originally said. I know that my family would give me problems if certain people's kids were coming and other's weren't. I feel like it would just be easier to say no to everyone's kids. You could always just blame it on the budget you know? Good luck. HTH.

thanks! i really needed that!! you are right i dont want all those kids there anyway! so thats it... NO KIDS... ill let my parents enforce it since they are paying... LOL

I actually am having kids at the wedding. FH has about 10-11 (I lost count ) siblings, the youngest having just turned 2 by wedding day. Also some of our friends have kids not to mention brothers and sisters that we're close to, so an adults only affair wasn't really have option for us.

ITA about blaming it on the budget. I'm paying 1/2 price for kids under 12 so it works out for me. But make sure you're happy with watever you choose. After all it is YOUR wedding.

I would stick to my guns and say NO KIDS. Many of my cousins have small kids and if we invited everyone's kids it'd be 15-20 kids, most of them under 10!

What I did offer to do was if child care was the only thing holding them back from coming I would arrange for a babysitter to watch the children at the hotel while the adults are at the wedding.

I would stick to an Adult reception only. If you invite one and not the other there will be drama. If your parents are paying for it- you should just go by what they are asking. I dont think 18 is a kid- But at that age do they even really want to be there?

I dont have a choice- FH said no one under the age of 21 is allowed there--- i had no say in that =/