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Why Kids Belong at Weddings
Some of my favorite photos weren’t planned.
A three-year-old who decided the dance floor was hers. A ring bearer who tripped on the bride’s train. The whole room laughing together.
I’ve been photographing weddings for over 20 years. Early on, I didn’t pay much attention to kids. I was focused on the couple, the adults, the “main event.” But now that I have two kids of my own and watch them grow up, I know how unpredictable they can be. And I can tell you this: kids bring something you can’t fake.
Children: a timeless subject for photographers
Kids have always fascinated photographers. Some of the most iconic images in the history of photography feature children.
Let’s think of Robert Doisneau, who captured Parisian kids playing in the streets, full of mischief and freedom. Willy Ronis did the same, with that warm, humanist touch. Henri Cartier-Bresson found in children the spontaneity he was always chasing. Sally Mann built an entire body of work around her own kids, raw and intimate. Elliott Erwitt brought humor and tenderness to his portraits of children and dogs.
Why? Because kids don’t perform. They react. They live in the moment. For any photographer drawn to authenticity, children are un sujet en or (a golden subject).
And, if you check my post-wedding, some adults like to act as kids, creating a lot of silly faces, raw expressions, which are highly photogenic.
Small kids are truly authentic in front of the camera
Adults see a lens and immediately put on a face. Kids don’t do that. They’re just… themselves.
You get real expressions. Shock. Wonder. Boredom (yes, sometimes). Pure joy.
A flower girl yawning during the vows. A toddler chasing bubbles. Someone’s nephew sneaking a cupcake when he thinks no one’s looking.
These are the photos couples come back to me about, years later. Not the posed group shots. The real stuff.
Kids and funny situations
Kids don’t fake anything. They act the way they want, without the social codes that hold adults back. This often leads to hilarious moments during the most formal parts of the day. Church ceremonies are especially true; So half of the photos in the Ceremony portfolio are also about kids! If you want to see more you check this church wedding.
And here’s another layer: watching the parents. Instead of accepting that kids misbehave and quietly finding a solution, some parents start scolding them right there, in the middle of everything. It rarely helps. But it does show their own stress. And yes, I photograph that too.
They break the ice
Here’s something I’ve noticed: kids connect people, and it’s always great to have kids around you when you get ready, asking silly questions and helping to destress.
Two families who don’t know each other? Put a toddler in the room and watch what happens. Suddenly, everyone’s talking, laughing, and making faces at the baby.
And when it’s time to dance? Kids go first. They don’t wait for permission or for enough wine. They just go. And they pull everyone else with them.
There’s a kind of joie de vivre that only kids bring to a party.
They’re part of the family story
A wedding is about two families coming together. The little ones are part of that.
I’ve seen grandparents dancing with grandchildren. Cousins meeting for the first time. A child holding her mother’s hand during the ceremony, not quite understanding what’s happening but knowing it matters.
These quiet moments (les moments de tendresse) add depth to your album. Ten years from now, twenty years from now, these are the photos that will make you cry.
Kids look incredible in photos
I’ll be honest: there’s a visual element too.
Tiny hands holding big bouquets. A small figure next to a flowing gown. The contrast just works.
And because kids are always moving (running, twirling, jumping), you get dynamic images that feel alive. Way more interesting than another stiff portrait.
Then there’s the other side: a child asleep under a table, shoes kicked off. A little boy resting his head on grandpa’s shoulder. Quiet counterpoints to all the energy.
Flower girls and ring bearers
There’s something about a kid with a job to do.
The concentration on their face. They are so proud!
The moment when things don’t go as planned ,and they improvise (or freeze, or cry, or throw the petals at someone).
It’s funny. It’s sweet. It’s real.
And it means something: the next generation, witnessing and participating in your moment.
If you have kids of your own
For couples who already have children, including them changes everything. Getting ready together. Walking down the aisle as a family. Dancing with your kids at your own wedding.
Those photos often end up being the most treasured. It’s not just a wedding album. It’s your family, exactly as it is, right now.
The beautiful chaos and tantrum moments.
Look, kids are unpredictable. They’ll do things you didn’t plan for. They’ll make noise at the wrong time. They’ll fall asleep in weird places.
That’s the point.
A wedding with kids feels less like a staged event and more like une vraie fête de famille. Personal. Alive. Yours.
The imperfect moments? Those become the ones you love most.
Kids at Weddings, Photo Use Notice
This gallery celebrates the joy and spontaneity children bring to wedding days. All images are displayed with permission from the couple through their signed photography agreement. No child is identified by name, and only positive, respectful moments are included.
If you are a parent or guardian and prefer that an image of your child not appear online, you can request removal, and we will take care of it promptly.
