There is nothing sweeter than seeing a flower girl and ring bearer walk down the aisle during a wedding ceremony. Of course, anyone who has experience with kids knows that the task of getting them down the aisle without a hitch can be tricky. Kids can be unpredictable, but these tips will help prepare the children for your wedding and get them to participate without a fuss.
Discuss Ideas with Parents
Talk to the parents of the potential flower girl or ring bearer about whether their child will be up for the task. The parents will know best – and they’ll be able to tell you if their kid will be willing and able to handle the role! If the parents decide that their kid can commit, talk to them about what you can do to make the child as comfortable as possible with their important role.
Get the Children Excited About Their Role
When a child recognizes the importance of their role, they are going to be much more excited to take part in your wedding – and will likely be much better behaved when the day comes around. Be sure to talk to each of the kids that are going to be a part of your wedding, and get them excited in the weeks leading up to the big event!
Give Them a Gift
In addition to giving them a kid-friendly wedding favor at the reception, tell the children that they’ll get a special gift for participating and being well-behaved in your wedding. A little bribery will do the trick to get them down the aisle easily! It can be more sentimental (like a locket with a picture of the two of you), but kids will be just as happy with a toy or treat.
Assign them a Task
A child is more likely to get down the aisle if their focus is going towards a specific task. Throwing flower petals, holding a sign, or carrying the ring pillow are all common tasks that you can assign. Be sure to stress the importance of their task so that they feel like they are making a significant contribution to your ceremony!
Familiarize Children with the Music
Of course, you’ll have the chance to rehearse the ceremony with the entire wedding party the day before the celebration. However, in order to give the kids a little edge, give the parents a link to the song that will be playing when their kid is walking down the aisle. That way, they can get familiar with the song, and will know their cue when it is their turn during the ceremony. If they have a specific task, they can also practice walking to the music while doing their task.
Schedule in Pre-Wedding Nap and Snack Time
In order to avoid temper tantrums, be sure you have some time scheduled in before the wedding for the little ones to eat snacks and take a nap, if necessary. To the best of your ability, work with the parents to make sure the kids are staying on their normal nap schedule to keep them well-rested.
Dress Them Later
To avoid any unwanted stains on their wedding outfits, be sure to dress the kids as late as possible. If you’ll be taking photos with the children, save those shots for last. The kids can get ready with their guardians as you are taking other pre-ceremony photos.
Pair Up Young Children with a Responsible Partner
Let’s be honest: there’s a good chance a 2-year-old isn’t going to make it down the aisle on their own. In order to keep things moving, pair up the younger flower girls and ring bearers with more responsible partners who can guide them down the aisle. If you have older kids in the wedding party, pair them up with these younger children. If not, a responsible adult can help get them to where they need to be, whether that is a bridesmaid, groomsmen, or the child’s parent.
Go with the Flow
When it comes down to it, no matter how much you practice and prepare, kids will be kids – and they might throw some unplanned punches. Be flexible, and roll with it if a child decides not to cooperate. As long as you and your partner (and the rings!) get down the aisle, you’ll have a perfect ceremony.
If you are in the process of planning your wedding, come to the next Georgia Bridal Show near you. You will have the chance to meet with professional wedding vendors of all talents who can help bring your vision to life!
Georgia wedding vendors, as well as other wedding professionals across the Southeast, can contact us about opportunities for exhibition and online marketing with Georgia Bridal Show.