Should children be invited when you tie the knot? Call it the Yanny and Laurel of the wedding world…a debate that can spur a family feud or at the very least, uncomfortable conversations with friends who have children.  It’s a personal decision each couple is entitled to make. However, I’d like to take a moment here to say how nice it is to see Prince Harry and Meghan Markle including so many little ones in their big day.

Along with Harry’s nephew Prince George and his scene stealing niece Princess Charlotte, the couple has 8 other children in their wedding party, all 7-years-old or younger.  Meaning if it’s anything like Pippa’s, you can count on some adorable photo ops:

As it turns out, the inclusion of children in wedding parties is a long standing royal tradition.  Actually, from what I’ve read, it’s a common sight at many British weddings, unlike those here in the United States, which may include a solo ring bearer and a couple of flower girls.  It seems our friends across the pond are big believers in “the more the merrier,” even when it comes to kids. Check out Kate Moss’s wedding party back in 2011:

Now let me tell you why I find this take on weddings so refreshing.  A while back, when I was single and still ready to mingle, I pounced on a career opportunity that brought me more than a thousand miles from home. After my big move, I could only watch from afar as one by one, old college buddies and high school besties started having babies.  I called to congratulate them, sent little gifts in the mail and liked every Facebook photo that popped up in my news feed. Hard to believe just 10 years before, their parents and I were sitting in dorm rooms together, plotting our futures over pizza and cheap beer.  How far we had come! And how I couldn’t wait to meet their little minis.

A few years later, it came time to plan my own wedding and from the get-go, we decided kids were welcome. After all, we were asking people to travel out of state and the last thing I wanted was a loved one not to come because their child wasn’t allowed. Plus, I couldn’t wait to hug and hold those little babes myself.

In the end, only a couple of guests took us up on the offer.  As it turns out, most of our friends wanted a night of dinner, cocktails and dancing WITHOUT the kids…something my husband and I wouldn’t fully understand until we had children of our own.  Still, I’m glad we extended the invitation. It gave parents some options when it came to planning for our destination wedding. And though we are far from royal, we got some pretty adorable photos too!