Flower Girl Dress Guide: 10 Essential Questions Answered

By Amelia BrownAug 27, 2024

1. What is a Flower Girl?

A flower girl is a young participant in the ceremony of a wedding. The roles are:

Symbolically, she represents innocence and the transition from childhood to adulthood that marriage represents.
Practically, she walks down the aisle with the bride, throwing petals; sometimes, beauty takes an aisle before the bride does.

In British tradition, sometimes the flower girls carry horseshoes as a sign of good luck. These are usually just fake ones, made out of lace and fabric to match her dress. Nowadays, it is common that they scatter petals, although some still carry small bouquets or baskets of confetti or other items that would fit in the style of the wedding.

2. Who Should Be the Flower Girl?

This can be very subjective, very often depending on family dynamics and relative relationships. Of course, a few natural choices happen relatively frequently, including:

Nieces or young cousins of either the bride or groom
Daughters of close friends
The couple's daughter, if any
Younger sisters of the couple

There is no hard and fast rule, and hence you need to pick a person who enjoys this role and is in the possession of traits that bring extra flavor to your celebration.

3. How Old Should They Be?

The ideal flower girl age is anywhere between 3 and 8 years of age. A lot depends on the maturity level of the particular child and what works best for the couple. For instance,

3-4 years: Adorable, but most will require a bit of guidance and support.
5-6 years: Usually the sweet spot-just old enough to understand what is expected from them but young enough to be adorably cute.
Ages 7-8: Much more reliable, but getting to that age where they might appreciate just being a junior bridesmaid

Consider these when selecting:

Can follow simple directions
Are comfortable walking down an aisle alone in front of an audience
Have the stamina for the ceremony and photos

If you have a younger in mind, consider pairing her up with an older flower girl or ring bearer to help her through. It's no surprise that English wedding ceremonies include a series of younger flower girls combined with very slightly older ones or mixed with page boys for added appeal and presence.

4. Can I Have More Than One?

Of course! It is very common to have more than one flower girl. Reasons you may want to do this include:

You have a large family and would like to incorporate several girls.
You would like to balance the representation between both sides of your family.
You would like to have a more dramatic entrance in which there's a little procession.

If you will have more than one flower girl: take their pictures together, so you can have them all coordinated; if there are going to be more than two, you may want to assign certain things that each can do.

5. What Does a Flower Girl Wear?

The flower girl should dress in such a way that complements your style of wedding. Also, she should be old enough to be comfortable and actually fit into a dress. Dresses can include:

Miniature wedding gown replicas
Simpler white or ivory dresses
Themed attire: attires that match the style of a fairytale, a vintage era, or bohemian flavor.

Key Considerations:

Fabric – appropriate for the venue and season and still comfortable for the kids to move around in
Length – Floor-length dresses for gals may be a bit difficult to manage especially for younger girls. Tea-length or knee-length frocks can be the better choice in some cases.
Accessories – it would help to add sashes, flowers, or headpieces in coordination with the outfit
Shoes: Comfortable enough that she will be able to walk -and dance, if appropriate-with ease.

6. What Colour are Flower Girl Dresses Supposed to be?

They have traditionally been white or ivory but have recently become more varied. You might base your decision on:

Wedding colour scheme
Bridesmaids' dress colour(s)
The flower girl's colouring and preferences

Other popular colours include:

White or Ivory: Classic wedding colours that reflect a continuation of bridal customs.

Pastels: Delicate pinks, lavenders, or blues give a subtle, romantic feel.

Bold colours: so as to make a statement or tie into a vibrant colour scheme.

Patterns: Floral prints and even more so, subtle designs add charm and personality.

7. Who Pays for the Flower Girl Dress?

Traditionally, the flower girl's family pays for her attire. Of course, there are some modern weddings where there are exceptions to this rule. Some other options include:

The bride's family pays
The flower girl family pays
The couple pays for it
Parties split the costs

To avoid confusion:

Discuss the budget openly and early in the wedding planning
Keep your overall wedding budget in mind and how this expense fits into your overall wedding budget.
Specify any expectations about shoes, accessories and other incidentals.

Is the flower girl's family paying? If so, be sensitive to their financial situation and offer to help offset any costs, if possible.

8. How Much Should Flower Girl Dresses Be?

Costs for a flower girl dress: £30-£300 and up and are usually based upon:

Material Quality
Name and Designer or Brand Name
Complexity of the Design
Custom-made or off-the-rack

Budget considerations:

Lower end (£30-£80): A good range for when the style is relatively simple or the flower girl will grow its use quickly.

Mid-range (£80-£150): Strikes a healthy balance between quality and price.

Highest range (£150+): Designer dresses or gowns of your choice or bespoke

Just to reiterate, an increase in price does not always equate to the best fit for your wedding. Remember that you are really looking for a dress that fits within your style and budget and at the same time makes the flower girl comfortable.

9. Does a Flower Girl Have to Match the Bride or Bridesmaids?

Well, it does not have to be an exact match, but matching the flower girl's outfit with the wedding party pulls their look together. Consider these choices:

Exact Match: A miniature of the dresses of the bridesmaids
Tone-on-Tone: keeping all the bridesmaids in the same colour palette.
Complementary: in the same colour palette or with elements of style that are similar.
Contrasting: a standout dress with many elements from the other dress types.

Tips to coordinate:

Similar fabrics or textures
Elements of the Bride's dress, ie. lace or beading
Accessorize with the same sashes or headpieces on the bridesmaids

The idea is to make the flower girl look as though she were indeed part of the bridal party, all while allowing her to maintain her own sweet, age-appropriate style.

10. How to Thank Your Flower Girls for Being a Part of Your Wedding Day?

Your flower girl(s) would deserve appreciation so try these thoughtful ways to say thank you:

Gifts:

Age-appropriate jewelry: charm bracelet or necklace
Personalized items like tote bags or robes
Special toys or soft animals
Books about weddings or being a flower girl

Experiences:

Include her in pre-widening activities such as dress shopping or a special tea party
Allow her to get her hair or nails done with the rest of the bridal party

Recognition:

Mention her by name within your speech
Include a special photo session just for her
Let her take a part in the reception, such as cutting the cake

Why not accompany your gift or gesture with a note written from the heart to say how grateful you are and what, specifically, you and husband, to be, will never forget?

Even with the littlest members of the wedding party, preparing and planning for the role of a flower girl may be a time of happiness. Think about the ten questions above and your flower girl experience will be one of beauty and treasured memories for your wedding day.

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