Coordinating your Bridal Party can be one of your most difficult chores as a bride; you’re constantly dealing with scheduling conflicts, wardrobe malfunctions and sometimes even difficult personalities. With the chaos of wedding planning, it’s easy to overlook some of the smallest bridal party guests; your flower girl and ring bearer. While these guests may have a simple role in your wedding, it’s important to remember that this may be a very new experience to them, and children can easily become overwhelmed when they are uncomfortable or confused with a situation.
Explain their Role – Many brides and grooms will ask permission from the parents of the flower girl or ring bearer, and will never speak with the bridal party guest until the wedding rolls around. Take the time to talk to your flower girl and ring bearer when you first offer them the role. Let them know exactly what you need from them and that you’re available to answer any of their questions.
Practice with Them – Most kids can understand what you expect of them, but depending on their age, they may not understand the full responsibility of their role. Take a couple minutes out of your rehearsal to focus on your flower girl and ring bearer. It’s best to choose a €buddy€ bridesmaid and groomsmen to walk them through the process. Their €buddy€ can not only keep an eye on them the day of the wedding, but when your flower girl and ring bearer walk down the aisle, they will see a familiar face at the altar to walk towards.
Reduce the Pressure – Kids sometimes don’t know how to react to stressful situations. Remind them that their job will take them only a few minutes. Let them sit with their parents during the ceremony, so they don’t get bored and fidgety. Wait to give them their flower petals and ring pillow until right before they walk down the aisle. Most importantly, let them know they can’t €mess up€ and that if anything unexpected happens, they are free to go sit with their parents.
Thank them properly – It’s tradition to give the flower girl and ring bearer a small token of your appreciation for participating in your big day. Giving them their gifts before walking down the aisle can help them understand how special this day is, and make them feel like they’re a part of something great. You have plenty of bridal party giftsto choose from; you can give your flower girl custom jewelry, a tiara, a personalized tote bag or T-shirt or even a cuddly teddy bear. For the ring bearer, you can give custom toys, sports bags or keepsake boxes to help them remember your special day.
