Weddingbee boards

We don't have any small children in our wedding party.  We invited kids over 12 to the reception (only family, though, but that's kind of easy for us because any of our friends that have kids still have babies).  We mostly didn't want any small children there because it's an evening reception and I genuinely don't think it's an appropriate setting for small children.  A few family members are still bringing their small kids to our 4:00 ceremony (and I'm keeping my fingers VERY crossed that they don't act up or cause a distraction, but there's nothing else we can seem to do or say at this point), but otherwise we told them a babysitter will watch kids at the hotel where our reception is during the festivities. 

For your situation, I think it's reasonable to say that your wedding party little one is an exception, but otherwise I think it's okay to allow kids over 12.  I mostly didn't want any little ones to be fussing and crying on our big day, and I think 12 year olds are certainly past that :-)  If you say you were babysitting by the age of 12, isn't that an indication of a 12 year old being mature enough to know how to handle him/herself in this type of social setting? If you make this rule, will you need to include a lot of other children beyond the 12 and 15 year old of the bully?