Flower Girls

It's an honor for your child to be part of a loved one's wedding, but with that special position comes a bit of responsibility. With wedding season in full force, we're outlining some of the must-know duties for flower girls and ring bearers. Will your little one be walking down the aisle? Here are some tips and details to guide you through the experience:

Parties
Between engagement parties and bridal showers and bridal party luncheons, the number of prewedding events can be high. If your child is invited to one of the get-togethers, here are a couple tips to keep in mind:

• Consider the party an opportunity for your little one to establish relationships with the rest of the bridal party. You may not be present for all the day-of festivities, so it's important that your child feels comfortable with the others.
• Get to know the maid of honor or another person who's close to the bride so that you have another contact to reach when the bride is busy — both before and during the wedding day.

Attire
Whether your child is the flower girl or the ring bearer, the wedding attire is definitely something you should discuss early on. You want your little one's style to fit in with the rest of the bridal party, but it's just as important to find a comfortable option, too. Keep these specifics in mind:

• The bride likely has a vision for the entire bridal party, so reach out ahead of time to see what she prefers. Plus, since it's probably a one-time wear, be open and honest about your budget from the get-go.
• Depending on your child's age, you may want to wait until a month or so before the wedding to buy their outfit. Not only will you ensure a better fit, but you'll also have a chance to adjust the pieces as necessary.
• Shoes should be purchased in advance so that your little one can break them in and be extra comfortable for the big day.

Read on for more bridal party expectations.

Wedding days can be full of surprises, but a reluctant flower girl doesn't have to be one of them. OWD addresses tips for keeping the littlest wedding attendants happy on her OnSugar Blog, Our Wedding Day.
Perhaps the only one photographed as often as the bride at a wedding is the adorable toddler flower girl. Who can resist the sight of a cherubic little girl in her own beautiful gown? Of course, that perfect portrait may be hard to catch if the little cherub is red faced and throwing a toddler-sized tantrum. As cute as a toddler flower girl can be in her tiny toddler flower girl dress, it's important to remember that she is still a very young child and special considerations will need to be made to keep her happy on your wedding day.

• Choose a dress and shoes that are comfortable and age appropriate. Most toddler flower girl dress designers will offer styles that are easy to put on and take off and easily wearable for long hours. However, when picking out toddler flower girl shoes it's important to take into consideration current walking abilities and general comfort. If your flower girl is a fairly new walker, soft soled flower girl shoes may be most appropriate.
• Make getting down the aisle easy. Speaking of walking, consider the distance of an aisle from a toddler's perspective. If your flower girl is still wobbly, consider having an older ringbearer pull her down the aisle in a decorative wagon. Some toddlers get self conscious in front of groups of people, so having a church full of strangers stare at them while they walk down the aisle can be intimidating. One of your attendants can walk beside her or may even carry her down the aisle.

See the rest of OWD's tips when you read more. Want to see more? Start following Our Wedding Day or start your own OnSugar Blog. It's fast, it's easy, and we just might feature your content on our site.