Is there any mail more fun than a fancy wedding invitation?

You open up the gold-lined envelope to reveal the shiny, sparkly number. The calligraphy is working its swirls, the floral decals are showing off its romantic side, and oh, how pretty is that lace belly band! This is going to look so beautiful on your fridge.

However, there are three little words that might be included on the wedding invite that could piss off quite a few parents. And no, we’re not talking about “Dinner to follow.” We’re talking about “No children allowed.”

Couples these days are opting more and more to leave kids out of their wedding day. “No-kids” weddings have become a huge commodity, and for a variety of reasons: perhaps the couple wants to make sure everyone can let loose without a child by their side, or maybe they want to avoid toddler meltdowns during their vows, or it could also be they want to keep costs down. Makes sense when you put it into perspective, right?

But if you have kids, seeing “no children allowed” might really throw you for a loop. You might be thinking about what the heck you’re supposed to do with the kids the night of the wedding. Plus if the wedding is out of town, you might have to stay the night and…how dare this couple not allow my kids to their big special day!

We get it. This leaves you in a bind. Plus, is it really fair for them to setting such a rigid rule, especially when it involves your family? After all, you’re really making an effort for this wedding! You have to get a new dress! Drive hours in traffic! Listen to long speeches!

The truth is, in the end, the bride and groom are the ones who get the make the decisions. Heck, they can choose to forgo wedding cake if they want to. Or hire acrobats. Or literally anything they want to do. And if they don’t want kids at their wedding, it’s important to respect that.

If you’re the one hosting a kids-free wedding, we’re hoping you’re in the clear when it comes to angry friends. But you’ll probably have to deal with some pushback from parents.

Here are 3 scenarios you might find yourself in—and how to respond.

1. The pissed-off parent

Parent: “If you really cared about your guests, you’d let people bring their kids and not make it harder on them to come!”

You: “Of course we care about our guests! Our venue has a strict age 13+ rule. I have lots of sitters I can recommend to you, who promise to give you a reasonable rate.”

2. The parent who just doesn’t understand

Parent: “I don’t get it—you don’t like my kid?”

You: “I love Sophia! We just want everyone to enjoy the party. You need a night out, anyway!”

3. The one who tries to invite their kid anyway

Parent: “I know you said you don’t want kids at your wedding, but I’ll be sure to keep Timmy quiet. Can he come?”

You: “I appreciate you asking, but we’d love to keep it to just adults for the day. Sorry, but we have to stand firm on that! Let’s have a play date when we get back from our honeymoon.”

Have you ever hosted or been to a kids-free wedding? What are your thoughts on them?