The Role of the Flower Girl in a Wedding

The flower girl plays a very important role in your wedding. As she precedes you down the aisle, she scatters beautiful flowers (that you have carefully chosen) towards the alter where you will meet the man of your dreams. Not everyone has a flower girl in their bridal party, but if you choose to use one it is a wonderful way to get the younger members of your family involved in one of the most memorable days of your life.

The Flower Girl’s Role

Historically speaking, little boys and little girls would slowly walk ahead of the bride as they sprinkled a mixture of grains, fragrant herbs, and flowers in her path. The herb and grain mixture represented the hopes for the bride’s fertility, and the future prosperity of the bride and groom. The flowers, which have evolved as more of a modern tradition, symbolize good luck wished upon the bride and groom.

As time progressed, the role of the flower girl has changed a bit. These days, the flower girl position is saved for mostly little girls while young boys now assume the role of the ring bearer or page boy. Flower girls are typically aged between five and ten years old. While many choose to have one flower girl, some larger weddings can opt for using several flower girls.

As stated before, in a modern wedding, the flower girl usually walks up the aisle ahead of the bride. She may carry a basket of rose petals which she scatters in the bride’s path, or alternatively may simply carry a bouquet or basket of flowers.

The Flower Girl’s Dress and Accessories

Choosing your flower girl’s dress and accessories can be a fun experience for both you and your flower girl. You may wish to have your flower girl “help” you choose the dress, to make the process a little more exciting for her. If your flower girl feels as though she has helped to choose what she will wear on the big day, she will be much more likely to feel comfortable and happy in the garment.

When shopping for the flower girl gown, try to choose fabrics that are not itchy and irritating for their skin and try to choose accessories that will not cause a distraction for your young flower girl. The fabric and fit of the dress should be comfortable and easy to wear. For a very young flower girl, it is probably a good idea to choose a slightly shorter dress to make sure she will not trip on the hemline during the ceremony.

It is very important to consider specific shoe and hair options for your flower girl. Just as with the dress, comfort and ease of wearing should be very important during consideration. Her shoes should be extremely comfortable and ones that she will enjoy wearing. Ideally, you should allow your flower girl to wear the shoes a few times before the wedding, so she can get used to the way they feel.

Tips to Help your Flower Girl enjoy Her Part in the Wedding

Your flower girl is usually aged ten or below, and for a young child, attending a wedding and playing a part in the wedding ceremony, is both exciting and overwhelming. Here are some tips on making the flower girl’s role more enjoyable for her.

• Choose two or three flower girls. Being able to walk together down the aisle will boost the confidence of all the girls, and having several flower girls definitely increases the cuteness factor as well!
• It is best if your flower girl is at least four or five years old. Any younger than this and she may be too confused or intimidated to enjoy the day.
• Consider buying her a picture book about being a flower girl. Read her the book and then ask her if she would like to be your flower girl! This can be a lovely bonding experience and a great way of helping your flower girl understand her role. “The Little Flower Girl” by Linda Trace Brandon is an excellent choice for this, as well as “Emily is a Flower Girl” by Claire Masurel.
• Ask one of your bridesmaids to be the flower girl’s “buddy.” The buddy can make sure your flower girl uses the restroom before the ceremony begins, and can provide help if there are any last minute dress adjustments, or if your flower girl suddenly has an attack of the jitters.
• Give your flower girl plenty of opportunities to practice her role, so that she can be as relaxed and calm as possible on the wedding day.
• Try not to put too much pressure on your flower girl to get everything perfect. After all, if your flower girl runs up the aisle instead of walking, or throws out all her petals at the beginning of the aisle, your guests will only think it’s cute!

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