Tips For Having A Flower Girl and Ring Bearer In Your Wedding

One of the most adorable parts of any wedding is the charming duo of a flower girl and ring bearer. Typically the age range most appropriate for a ring bearer or flower girl falls between ages 4 to 10 years old. However, weddings today showcase toddlers and even infants in these distinguished roles.

Having a flower girl and a ring bearer in your wedding includes planning, specifically deciding what outfits the little ones will wear, what they will carry, and any accompaniment to ensure children successfully make the trip down the aisle. The Manor has sound advice for how to make the walk down the aisle be a highlight of your wedding. Here are some tips and trends to best prepare the flower girl and ring bearer at your wedding for any given age.

Flower Girls and Ring Bearers Ages: 0-3

Choosing a flower girl and ring bearer this young will mean providing close assistance to the children during the entire ceremony. For example, if he or she is too young to walk, a parent should escort him or her down the aisle and stay with them for the duration of the ceremony. Be sure to have toys available to distract any noisy children. Typically, the ring bearer or flower girl will sit with their families during the ceremony.

There are several different ways to escort young children down the aisle. Many people are jumping on the bandwagon by having the flower girl and ring bearer being pulled down the aisle in a wagon. This is a great idea if your ring bearer and flower girl are still too young to walk. Also, you can recruit an older flower girl or another member of your wedding party to pull the wagon. As per outfits, it is common to have an ornate headband for girls or bow tie for boys. For infants, your baby will look adorable in a tuxedo onesie or tutu.

Children in this age range typically do not understand the tradition of carrying the rings on a pillow or sprinkling flowers down the aisle. It is more so the thought and act of walking, or waddling down the aisle, rather than performing a task. For toddler ring bearers, tie the wedding rings to a pillow so that the ring bearer does not drop them. You could also attach fake rings to the pillow and have the best man or maid of honor hold the real wedding rings. Likewise, the flower girl can hold a single flower instead of traditionally throwing flower petals down the aisle.

Flower Girls and Ring Bearers: Ages 4-6

Flower girls or ring bearers in this age range are still young enough to adore, yet mature enough to understand their roles in the wedding. For this age range, you may consider have multiple flower girls or ring bearers rather than one for each role. This makes the wedding more fun for the children since grouping kids together to walk down the aisle can be far less intimidating. More than one set of flower girls and ring bearers may walk down the aisle in pairs. However, this age range is still young enough that children may be rambunctious. Grouping the children by gender and as a group may help avoid hyperactivity while still allowing each child to have their moment in the spotlight.

At this age, flower girls are mature enough to have a small basket of flower petals to scatter down the aisle. Ring bearers, still young at this age, should each carry a pillow of fake rings attached so that they do not lose the rings.

As for attire, try to match the flower girls and ring bearers in the colors and themes of your wedding. Flower girls will be more comfortable wearing white ballet flats. If your ring bearers are uncomfortable in a suit, modify with a bow tie matching the groomsman. For a more traditional look have your ring bearer wear a conductor hat in the colors of your wedding with suspenders. This look fits the dress code of most weddings and looks adorable on young ring bearers.

Flower Girls and Ring Bearers: Ages 7-9

This is a wonderful age range to pick flower girls and ring bearers because they are mature enough to understand a wedding and can happily look forward to the big day. Make it fun for them and ensure that they understand what an important role they have in the wedding.

For this age range, flower girls and ring bearers should be able to escort themselves down the aisle and perform their duties. You should be able to give a flower girl a full bouquet of flower petals to spread as she walks down the aisle. If a ring bearer is mature enough, you can attach the real wedding rings to the pillow for him to carry down the aisle. To avoid having the rings slip off the pillow, place them in a heart shaped box or another unique object.

Flower girls at this age may feel comfortable wearing some light makeup and even wedges. Try to match the ring bearer’s and flower girl’s outfits in some way; perhaps her sash has the same design as his lapel or tie. Unity in the wedding party captures the excitement of the day for all ages.

Flower Girls and Ring Bearers: Ages 10-12

Flower girls and ring bearers between the ages 10 through 12 are preteens. Thus, they are old and  responsible enough to assist with younger flower girls or ring bearers. They still keep the wedding delightful with a sense of independence. For this reason, you can dress her or him in a similar outfit to the bridesmaids or ushers. Instead of giving the flower girl a basket of flower petals, you can trust her with a full bouquet of real flowers that she can fold into petals on her own.

Embrace Trends Into Your Wedding Party

If you have family or friends with little ones, having flower girls and ring bearers in your wedding will delight all your guests and make the children feel special the whole evening. Ring bearers and flower girls help to enhance your big day. Contact the wedding planners at The Manor to help you incorporate some of these trends into your wedding.