What Is a Wedding Crèche? A UK Guide for Couples and Parents
What is a wedding crèche? How a pop-up crèche works at your venue, who looks after the children and when to book, from a Midlands team. Get an instant quote.
Key takeaways
- A wedding crèche is a pop-up crèche at your venue, run by qualified carers, so children have their own celebration just next door.
- Happy Little Guests brings two qualified carers to every wedding, and more when the number and ages of children need them, all enhanced DBS checked and paediatric first aid trained.
- Parents stay at the venue and can pop in, and children can come out for the first dance or the cake cutting.
- Book early: we notify Ofsted at least 14 clear days before each event, and a short-notice booking runs for 4 hours.
In this guide
A wedding crèche is a professional pop-up crèche set up at your wedding venue, so the children on your guest list have their own safe, happy space just next door to the celebrations. At Happy Little Guests we run wedding crèches across the Midlands from our base in Redditch, Worcestershire, and this guide explains how one works, who looks after the children, what they get up to and when to book. Whether you are a couple early in your planning or a parent wondering what the "little guests' room" on the invitation means, you will find your answers here.
It is a trend that has been building for years. Back in 2018, GoodtoKnow reported research by Childcare.co.uk showing a 168 per cent rise in demand for wedding nannies over two years. Couples want their nieces, nephews, godchildren and their own little ones in the photos, without anyone worrying about a cry during the vows or a tired toddler halfway through the speeches.
What is a wedding crèche, and why are couples booking them?
Think of a wedding crèche as a small celebration inside the big one. Instead of children sitting at the tables for hours, or parents taking turns to walk the corridors with a grizzly baby, the children have a room, a marquee or a sectioned-off area of their own. It is run by qualified carers and filled with things to do.
A mobile crèche like ours arrives with everything it needs, so it works at a converted barn, a country house, a hotel function room in Birmingham or a marquee on a Cotswold lawn. The children stay close enough for parents to pop in, and far enough away that the ceremony and speeches stay calm. All the venue has to provide is a suitable space, which is why a pop-up crèche suits so many different kinds of wedding.
Why couples love them
- Children can still be part of the day. They can walk down the aisle as flower girls and page boys, smile for the family photos, then head off to play.
- Parents get to be guests. They can listen to the speeches, eat their meal while it is hot and enjoy a dance without one eye on the door.
- The day runs to time. There are fewer interruptions in the quiet moments, and no little ones wandering between the bar and the dance floor.
- Little guests have a great time. A wedding is a very long day for a four-year-old. A room full of crafts, games and cushions turns it into a good day for them too.
How does a wedding crèche work on the day?
Most of the work behind a good wedding crèche happens before your guests arrive, so that on the day it feels like part of the wedding. This is how a day with Happy Little Guests usually runs.
Before the wedding
We liaise with your venue and your planner about the room, access, timings and anything particular to your day, such as when the children are needed for photos. Then we fit the crèche around the parts of the day you want covered, most often the ceremony, the speeches and the evening reception.
Once you have booked, you get a registration link to forward to the parents. Each family tells us about their child directly: allergies, medical and additional needs, naps, nappies, dummies and comforters, what settles them and their favourite things. By the time a little one arrives, we already know that a dummy helps at nap time, or that a quiet corner works better than a busy table.
What makes a good crèche room
Venues are usually happy to help, and the best spaces tend to have a few things in common:
- Close, but out of earshot. Near enough for parents to look in, but not right beside the speakers or the band.
- Toilets and fire exits nearby, so nobody has a long walk through the wedding to reach either.
- Away from the busy routes. A room that waiting staff and the bar do not need to pass through stays calmer and safer.
- Somewhere to wind down. Lighting that can be softened for the evening helps tired children rest.
- Outdoor space, if there is any. A safe, enclosed patch of lawn is perfect for parachute games when the weather plays along.
Setting up, signing in and packing down
We arrive and set up before your guests do, with a craft table, a games space and a story den, and we walk the routes to the fire exits and toilets before the first child arrives. Every child is signed in by a parent when they arrive and signed out when they leave, so we always know exactly who is in our care. Each parent chooses a collection password when they register, and we will only release a child to someone who gives it. When the crèche closes, we pack everything away and leave the room as we found it.
What do children do in a wedding crèche?
This is the part the children remember. This is where a wedding crèche differs from booking an hour of kids' entertainment: we plan the activities around the ages coming, mixing busy play with calm moments so nobody gets overtired. All activities and materials are included, so parents do not need to pack a bag of toys.
Crafts and keepsakes
Paper crowns are a firm favourite, especially as children can wear them proudly back into the reception. Children also colour, decorate, and make cards and drawings for the couple, which make lovely keepsakes from the day.
Games and active play
Parachute games, music and movement and outdoor games (when the weather and the venue allow) help children burn off the energy that builds up during a long ceremony and a sit-down meal.
A story den and quiet time
Our story den is a teepee with fairy lights, cushions and picture books, set up as a calm, sensory-friendly corner. It is where little ones go when they need a rest, a cuddle with a book or simply a few minutes away from the music.
You can see what children get up to on our home page, and if you are planning a few things for the tables as well, we have activity ideas for every age.
Charlotte's tip Put the crèche on your timeline as a place, not just a service. A line on your wedding website or order of the day, such as "Little guests' room open from the end of the ceremony", tells parents what to expect and saves a lot of questions on the day.
Who looks after the children, and where are the parents?
The people caring for your little guests
Charlotte plans every Happy Little Guests booking personally. She has nearly a decade of childcare experience in private nurseries and primary schools, and works regularly with children with special educational needs (SEN). That means she knows how to settle a nervous toddler who has never been away from mum in a strange building, and how to keep a table of excitable eight-year-olds happily busy.
There are always two qualified carers at every event, and we add more when the number and ages of the children need them, following the EYFS ratios:
- Under 2s: one carer to three children.
- Two-year-olds: one carer to five children.
- Ages 3 and over: one carer to eight children.
Every carer is enhanced DBS checked and paediatric first aid trained, and we are fully insured. If you would like the detail, we explain how Ofsted, DBS checks and ratios work for event crèches in a separate guide.
Which ages can come?
We plan around the ages coming to your wedding, babies included. A baby needs a quiet corner and their own routine, a toddler needs room to move safely, and older children want activities that feel a little more grown up. The ages also decide how many carers you need, which is why our instant quote asks for them. If babies are on the guest list, our guide to babies and toddlers at weddings covers naps, feeds and noise.
Where the parents are
Parents stay at the venue while their children are with us. That is a big part of what makes a wedding crèche work: parents can relax knowing their child is a few steps away, and they are always welcome to pop in and say hello. Every parent gives us a mobile number that stays switched on and with them, so if a little one is unsettled or just wants mum or dad, we can reach them in moments. Children can also come out for the moments that matter, such as the first dance or the cake cutting, and then come back to carry on playing.
We sometimes take photos of the activities, but children's faces are never shown and their names are never used, and any parent can opt out.
Good to know Our carers do not give medication. The one exception is an emergency auto-injector that a parent provides, shows us how to use and registers with us before the day. As parents stay at the venue, any other medicine stays with them.
Wedding crèche, wedding nursery or mobile crèche: what is the difference?
People search for this kind of childcare in lots of different ways, and the names are not always used consistently. Here is what they usually mean.
- Wedding crèche (or wedding creche). A group childcare space at the venue, run by a team of carers, for all the children on the guest list. This is what we provide.
- Wedding nursery. Usually the same thing as a wedding crèche, though some people use it for a space aimed mainly at babies and toddlers.
- Kids' room. Sometimes this is just a room the venue offers with a television and a box of toys, with no professional carers. It is always worth asking who will actually be in charge.
- Mobile crèche or pop-up crèche. A crèche that travels to your venue and brings all its own equipment. A mobile creche for weddings is exactly this.
- Wedding nanny. One or two nannies, often looking after a single family or a small group, sometimes in a hotel room. If you are weighing up wedding nannies against a crèche, our guide to choosing a wedding nanny or wedding crèche compares them side by side.
What to look for, whatever it is called
- Who exactly will care for the children, and what are their qualifications and experience?
- Is every carer enhanced DBS checked and paediatric first aid trained?
- How many carers will there be for the number and ages of the children coming?
- Is everything included, from activities to set-up and pack-down?
- How are children signed in and out, and is the provider insured?
When should you book a wedding crèche?
As soon as you know your date, your venue and roughly how many children are invited. Summer Saturdays are especially popular for weddings, so booking early gives you the best chance of securing your date.
What we need from you
- The number of children coming and their ages.
- Your timings, including which parts of the day you would like covered.
- The room or space your venue has set aside, plus contact details for your venue and planner.
- Any allergies, medical needs or additional needs you already know about. Parents fill in the detail when they register each child.
Why booking early matters
Event crèches like ours are exempt from Ofsted registration under the Childcare (Exemptions from Registration) Order 2008, and we notify Ofsted in writing at least 14 clear days before each event. If you book with less notice than that, your booking runs for 4 hours. 4 hours is also our minimum booking, so booking early keeps the full choice of packages open, including a longer day.
In practice, if you would like more than 4 hours, that means booking at least 15 days before the wedding, with your deposit paid in time for us to notify Ofsted. Our instant quote does the maths for you: choose a date 14 days away or less and it sets your quote to 4 hours.
How Happy Little Guests can help
Happy Little Guests is a professional pop-up event crèche for weddings and corporate events, run by Charlotte Pennington from Redditch, Worcestershire. We cover Worcestershire, Birmingham and the West Midlands, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire, and travel up to 20 miles from Redditch is included.
- Short and sweet: 4 hours, ideal for the ceremony and speeches.
- Full event: up to 6 hours, from the ceremony into the evening.
- Longer days: available when you would like cover from the first guests to the last dance.
Every booking includes two qualified carers (and more when the ages and numbers of children need them), enhanced DBS checks, paediatric first aid, full insurance, all activities and materials, set-up, sign-in and sign-out for every child, and pack-down. We liaise with your venue and planner, and we notify Ofsted before every event.
Questions first? Email Charlotte at hello@happylittleguests.com. When you are ready, get your instant quote.
Your questions answered
What is a wedding crèche?
A wedding crèche is a professional pop-up crèche set up at your wedding venue, in a separate room, marquee or sectioned-off area, where qualified carers look after the children with crafts, games and quiet time. Parents stay at the venue and can pop in whenever they like.
Where does the crèche go at the wedding venue?
Usually in a side room, a section of a marquee or another space the venue can keep just for the children, close to the main celebrations, with toilets nearby and clear fire exits. We talk it through with your venue and planner before the day.
Do parents need to stay at the venue?
Yes. Parents stay at the venue while their children are with us, so they can pop in to say hello, and children can come out for moments like the first dance or the cake cutting.
How far in advance should I book a wedding crèche?
As early as you can, ideally once you know your date and roughly how many children are coming. We notify Ofsted in writing at least 14 clear days before each event, and a booking made with less notice than that runs for 4 hours.
Happy Little Guests
What every Happy Little Guests booking includes
Happy Little Guests is a professional pop-up crèche for weddings and corporate events. We bring everything to your venue, look after the children in a space of their own and hand them back happy, so parents can enjoy the ceremony, the speeches and the dancing.
- Weddings and corporate events: ceremony, speeches and evening cover, family fun days, conferences, summer parties and awards nights.
- Two qualified carers at every event, with more when the number and ages of children need them, following the EYFS ratios.
- Enhanced DBS checked and paediatric first aid trained carers, and full insurance for every booking.
- Ofsted notified in writing at least 14 clear days before your event. Booking with less notice? A short-notice booking runs for 4 hours.
- Crafts, games, a story den and a calm corner, with every activity and all materials included.
Based in Redditch, we cover Worcestershire, Birmingham, West Midlands, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, The Cotswolds, Herefordshire, Shropshire and Staffordshire, and events anywhere else in England. Travel up to 20 miles from Redditch is included.
