Adding little ones to a wedding ceremony can add a level of adorable to even the cutest couple’s wedding. Having a flower girl and ring bearer in your wedding party is a great way to include your littlest family members or friends in your big day.
Flower girls can be a super sweet addition to your wedding, but there are a lot of options to explore when it comes to letting a potentially unpredictable kid lead the wedding party down the aisle. Whether you want a flower girl or not, or want to add a unique spin to her duties, we’re digging into all the details surrounding that flower girl life.
The Traditional Flower Girl
The Flower Girl is usually a friend or family member, anywhere from three to eight years old. After age eight, she would be considered a Junior Bridesmaid. She typically heads down the aisle before the Maid of Honor, carrying a basket of flower petals and spreading them down the aisle as she makes her way to the end. She’ll either stand with the bridal party beside the bride, or find a seat with her parents after her duties are complete.
Her dress often mirrors the bride’s dress, or is a similar style to the bridesmaids’.
She may be invited to come out onto the floor during dances that include the bridal party, and is announced when the rest of the bridal party is introduced. After that, her duties are complete.
Unique Takes
If you don’t need to walk down the aisle across freshly strewn flower petals, you might opt to have your flower girl carry something different, or give her a new task. Here are a few things she can do besides throw flowers:
- Walk with a pet
- Carry the image of a departed loved one
- Carry ribbon wands or pinwheels
- Carry a sign with a fun saying or quote
- Carry a lantern
- Blow bubbles
- Carry single flowers she can hand to guests along the way
- Ride down the aisle in a wagon
- Carry balloons
She also doesn’t have to come down the aisle before the maid of honor. While she typically follows the ring bearer, you can choose to put her anywhere in the precessional. It’s often common to see the ring bearer and flower girl to come down the aisle together, especially if they are both nervous or if one is a little older than the other.
You could also choose to have two flower girls walk down together. Maybe they each carry a sign that creates a cute message for the groom waiting at the end of the aisle.
Want to help your Flower Girl stand out even more? Her dress doesn’t have to match the rest of the bridal party. If you want to show off her individual style, let her pick her dress, or give her one that matches her personality rather than the other dresses.
Tips to Boost Her Confidence
Not sure your adorable niece or god-daughter is going to have the confidence to make it down the aisle? While you should definitely be prepared for anything when kids are involved (yes, she could decide to sit down halfway down her walk or run to her mom), there are a few things you can do to help her feel a little more confident before her stroll down the aisle.
- See if she can make it to wedding events like showers
- Introduce her and let her spend time with the bridal party
- Have her parents waiting at the end of the aisle where she can see them
- Fill her in on what will be happening during her walk (music that will be playing, if guests will stand or sit)
- Let her walk with a Bridesmaid or Junior Bridesmaid
No Flower Girl? No Problem
If you’re not a fan of kids or don’t have any little ones around, it’s no big deal. Flower girls are not necessary and can be skipped if that’s your preference.
Instead of a flower girl, try these alternatives:
- Baby in a wagon
- Your pet
- Spread flowers down the aisle beforehand
- Just have a Junior Bridesmaid
- Skip the flowers
Or, if you don’t need alternatives, you can just skip the idea altogether and just let the bridesmaids precede the bride down the aisle. For couples who don’t love the idea of kids at their wedding, this is the best way to bypass the tradition without calling attention to the fact that they’re skipping it.
Whatever you choose to do, creating and fun and welcoming atmosphere for the littles ones you choose to include is the most important thing. Don’t worry as much about traditional roles, just have fun – encourage your flower girl to do the same thing!
