Picture this, the little two year old flower girl floating down the aisle, dressed in puffy layers of satin and lace, gently dropping petals as she goes. During the ceremony, she stands quietly next to the maid of honor, with her tiny thumb in her mouth, awed by all the grandeur. Seem like a movie; well it is…because that just does not happen in real life. Believe me I have sent enough little girls and boys down the aisle to know.
Want to know what I’ve seen? How about the flower girls that screamed bloody murder and would not go down the aisle no matter how much bribing we did. Or the one that refused to wear her shoes (ok, not that bad, but still), the ones that walked all over the stage during the ceremony, tugging on the bride, groom and minister. There was the ring bearer that screamed to be picked up by the groom during the wedding. Even better we had a flower girl that sat on the stage and tore her kissing ball to shreds during the service. There was the flower girl that tossed her basket into the stream running by the ceremony. I’ve seen a ring bearer use his pillow for an air plane, engine noises included. Need I go on? I think you get the picture.
I’m not against children in the wedding, if it is handled correctly. You can believe that I had advised each of the brides in the above scenarios not to have a flower girl that young or at least not have them up front during the ceremony. Did they listen; no…did they wish later they had…oh yeah.
If you want to be the complete center of attention, skip the children. They can’t help being the center of attention. If sharing the spotlight is ok with you, then follow these rules.
1) No children under 3 years of age (at 3 they need to be really mature).
2) Have them walk down the aisle, but be seated with Mom or Dad, or Grandma at the front. Do not have them standing at the front during the ceremony.
Want to know what I’ve seen? How about the flower girls that screamed bloody murder and would not go down the aisle no matter how much bribing we did. Or the one that refused to wear her shoes (ok, not that bad, but still), the ones that walked all over the stage during the ceremony, tugging on the bride, groom and minister. There was the ring bearer that screamed to be picked up by the groom during the wedding. Even better we had a flower girl that sat on the stage and tore her kissing ball to shreds during the service. There was the flower girl that tossed her basket into the stream running by the ceremony. I’ve seen a ring bearer use his pillow for an air plane, engine noises included. Need I go on? I think you get the picture.
I’m not against children in the wedding, if it is handled correctly. You can believe that I had advised each of the brides in the above scenarios not to have a flower girl that young or at least not have them up front during the ceremony. Did they listen; no…did they wish later they had…oh yeah.
If you want to be the complete center of attention, skip the children. They can’t help being the center of attention. If sharing the spotlight is ok with you, then follow these rules.
1) No children under 3 years of age (at 3 they need to be really mature).
2) Have them walk down the aisle, but be seated with Mom or Dad, or Grandma at the front. Do not have them standing at the front during the ceremony.
3) Do not expect the very young children to walk down the aisle alone. Place the ring bearer or flower girl together, there is courage in numbers. Or send them down the aisle with a junior bridesmaid or the maid of honor.
4) Ring bears DO NOT carry the real rings unless they are 7 or older and even then I’m against it.
Having small children in the wedding is one of those things that are great to imagine, pretty in pictures and the movies, but a huge gamble in real life.
4) Ring bears DO NOT carry the real rings unless they are 7 or older and even then I’m against it.
Having small children in the wedding is one of those things that are great to imagine, pretty in pictures and the movies, but a huge gamble in real life.
1 comment:
OMG that is to funny and to have been able to see it in person would be priceless. Excellend suggestions that you probabily would not think of at the time.
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