Your wedding day should be about you and your partner. For some couples, that’s means having an adults-only celebration. There are creative ways to put it politely on your wedding invitations.

There could be a multitude of reasons not to invite children to your wedding. Perhaps it’s not in the budget. Perhaps there’s limited space. Or maybe it’s just because your event just isn’t fit for little ones. Whatever the case, you have to make it known to your guests that it will be adults only.

Here are Creative Wording Samples For Your ‘Adults Only’ Wedding Invitations

Hint at it

This method is the most subtle. However there might be some guests that don’t pick up on the subtlety and might end up bringing their kids anyway.

-Address your envelope with specific names. RSVP cards also contain specific names and a certain number of blank lines for names.

-You can suggest it by alluding to the venue, if it’s a luxury hotel or downtown nightclub. For example:
Together with our families,
Ashley Chan
and
Michael Ko
invited you to the wedding
October 12, 2015
at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, New York, NY
Reception to follow at downtown nightclub, Phillipi’s

Address it in your response cards

This method is a little more forward than hinting at it. It still gets the point across respectfully. However, some people tend not to RSVP by sending their response cards. They just look at the invitation and text or email the couple.

Please respond by Augusts 1, 2024
We have reserved two spots for you.
_______ Adults will attend
_______ but we’re sending our best wishes!

Please respond by Augusts 1, 2024
___Yes! We’d love to be there
___No! But we send out best wishes
(names of guest)
_______ adults will attend

Please respond by Augusts 1, 2024
Your attendance means the world to us
name of guest 1:
dinner choice:
name of guest 2:
dinner choice:

Short and sweet

You can add the messages to the invitation, response card, wedding website or all three!

Please join us for an adults only reception at six o’clock.

Please celebrate with us at an adults-only reception immediately following the ceremony.

Please note this will be an adults-only celebration.

Reception to follow at downtown nightclub, Phillipi’s (Ages 16+ only)

We respectfully request no children under 16 at the reception.

Due to restrictions at our venue, children under the age of 16 are not able to attend.

The bride and groom respectfully request that this be an adults-only reception.

Adding a little more sweetness to your Adults Only message

You can add the messages to the invitation, response card, wedding website or all three!

We love your little ones, but this is our day just for grown-ups.

Call the sitter, this is a party just for grown-ups.

We love to watch the children run and play,
but this is going to be an adults only kind of day.

Kids are fun, yes the are. But no one like them by the bar. Adults only, please!

We adore your children, but we ask that only adults attend.

We love your kids but thought you might like a night off. Adults only please!

Budget and/or Space constraints

The following messages are more for the response card or wedding website.

We have reserved [X] seats for you

[X] seats have been reserved in your honor.

Due to limited venue space, adults only please.

Due to budget and space constraints, we ask that only adults attend.

Although we love your children, we regretfully cannot accommodate them at the venue due to limited seating.

Due to budget/space limitations, we are unable to extend the invitation to children under the age of 16.

Unfortunately, we are only able to accommodate children in the wedding party at our reception.

Unfortunately due to space limitations, we are having an adults-only reception.

The only children attending are those who are part of our wedding party. We hope you understand.

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The Right Wording

Put It Politely: Adults Only Wedding Invitation Wording Samples