- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Parenting after 35
First Bday - Is it rude?
I mentioned in a previous post that I would like to have an outdoor party for Charlie's first. Nothing big, just some balloons and a cake and a few relatives and close friends.
Here is the question: The park that we would like to have it at charges $5.00 per car to get in. It's been one of my favorite places since I was a kid. The land was formerly owned by the editor of the Chicago Tribune. He left it to the community when he passed. There are beautiful gardens, an incredible war museum, his mansion that can be toured, real army tanks that kids can play on etc. Is it rude to have his party where there is a $5.00 fee per car?
I figured we can do the party early in the day around 11am at a picnic table. After his attention span runs out, he would probably (hopefully) nap in his stroller and we could walk around the park. Others would be free to enjoy the park with us, or on their own, or they could leave for the day.
I was hoping to get some unbiased opinions on this. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. xoxo
Warning
No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
This discussion has been closed.
Re: First Bday - Is it rude?
DD -- 5YO
DS -- 3YO
I don't think it is rude however my general rule is if I am hosting an event then I don't ask my guests to pay for anything.
It looks like a lovely place though.
Not rude, exactly, but I'd give you an eyeroll with a side order of judginess. Definitely see if you can get guest passes to put into the invitations. Or, if when people accept the invite, get them a pass. That way you only have to get as many as you need.
Added: We're going to a wedding next month at a botanical garden. Same kind of thing.. the bride and groom are paying for our entrance fee so we can come early, walk around, etc, before the ceremony. I'd think this place is used to doing that kind of thing.
But I think I also remember you saying this needs to be on-the-cheap. Perhaps save the nice park place for another event/family only gathering?
Some of your guests may find it rude. If you can't pre-pay, maybe you can reimburse them, & let them know in advance that you intend to. Half of them probably won't even care about the money. But I think it's the principal.
We had LO's 1st Birthday at the lake my sister belongs to. We were told to have our guests let the person at the gate know they were with our party & then we were to pay at the end. Turns out they didn't even charge us. WHY? Because 45 minutes into the party, it poured, I mean monsoon type rain. We all sat soaking wet in our cars waiting for it to stop, after about another 40 minutes with no signs of lightening up, my sister offered her house, since she lived 5 inutes away. The food on the grill was destroyed, every one of us drenched to the bone. I sure can laugh now but was crying then. Be prepared!