Children, oh how sweet they are… They are energetic and full of fun, outspoken and unpredictable, full of laughter, innocence and great charisma. You just can't beat the spontaneous happiness of youth. Having a child or children in your wedding party sounds like a great idea – they bring charm and a feeling of innocence to the ceremony. Your flower girl and ring bearer mirror the bride and groom and make a delightful addition to the wedding celebration.
Who doesn't love a well-behaved, all dolled up youngster walking down the aisle like a pro?
Who doesn't love the giggles, ooo's and awes coming from the pews as they sprinkle flower petals and carry the wedding rings to the altar? Let's face it, kids are really cute and quite entertaining!
And who can resist the sweet flower girl as she smiles and shrugs her shoulders before she dumps out the flower petals into a big pile and then kicks them as she screams for her mom? Or once she gets up the altar with tears in her eyes, and starts taking off her itchy dress and too tight hair? How about the ring bearer spinning in circles and sticking out his tongue while he tosses the pillow up and down? Can we say potty? A sudden urge to use the bathroom mid-ceremony will definitely bring on the 'potty dance'. But, hey, we wanted entertainment right?
Here are a few things to consider before sending the little ones down the aisle:
When it comes to a day in the life of a child, tears are as frequent as smiles. So taking that into consideration, you have a 50-50 chance of a meltdown. Tantrums, tears and even fights are quite common among 60% of weddings that include children in their wedding parties. So, there are a few things you should do…
- If possible, try to use children who are at least 5 years old – the maturity levels between a 4 and 5-year-olds are quite significant.
- Make sure they get to bed early or take their afternoon nap – they need to be fully rested.
- Avoid uncomfortable flower girl dresses and suits. Dress the children right before the ceremony begins.
- Keep the hair styles simple – children often don't have enough patience to sit for longer than a few minutes to get ready.
- Keep activities or videos on hand for the time they are waiting before the ceremony begins.
- Keep snacks and drinks readily available.
- Have a guardian or parent ready to swoop in and remove the child from the ceremony if things start to go bad.
- Praise the children in the wedding party for their effort and good work.
- Practice, practice, practice! Make sure that the flower girl and the ring bearer practice their duties for a few days, if not weeks before the rehearsal and ceremony. Doing this will help them feel more comfortable for the big day.
Keeping these tips in mind when planning your wedding – will help from turning your dream wedding into a nightmare.
This post is brought to you by Austin Wedding Photographers.
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