Image by Todd Hunter McGaw via Princess Catherine Style Brisbane Wedding With A Twist

It can be tempting to leave thoughts of flower girl and page boy attire to the side, while planning all the other aspects of a wedding, but dressing your flower girls and page boys to co-ordinate with the rest of the bridal party can be a surprising challenge. It is important to allocate enough time and thought to this, to avoid any stress at the last minute. It can be super cute to have children involved, and is a thrill for the children and their parents, so keep some of these hints and tips in mind and you will  find it a breeze to choose outfits for the kids in your bridal party!

Image by Brent Lukey via Suong and Robert’s Modern Stokehouse Wedding

Children often become very excited about being involved in your special day, but some can be a little fussy about what they like to wear. Choosing something that they feel relaxed in is important so that they can happily co-operate with everyone on the day. Even the sweetest child can have their moment, particularly if they are not feeling comfortable with what they are wearing. Try to strike a balance between pleasing the kids and finding something that suits your wedding too! It is all about compromise – finding a middle ground to agree upon.

Image and dresses by Very Special Celebrations

Do your research in advance and work out what sort of styles you like in dresses and suits BEFORE you take the kids shopping. You will find it much less stressful if you know what sort of ‘look’ you are going for and what is available, before you start thinking about involving anyone else. By narrowing down the choices first, you will speed up the process. Then you can see what the children prefer, out of the choices you have already prepared for them. Where children are involved, you don’t want to be taking too long to make decisions, as they may become restless and impatient.

Shopping online can be convenient, but when it comes to sizing, I highly recommend visiting the stores in person if you can. This may not always be possible if the children live in a different location from you, or if there are no stores located conveniently for you, but if you can do it then DO IT. It will save you a lot of worry. Many brides think that choosing children’s clothing is going to be easy, but it is very important to try things on and test out the sizes before ordering.

Image by Jess Marks Photography via Emma and Ian’s Elegant South Brisbane Wedding

If you decide that shopping online is actually your best option, make sure you ask as many questions as you can about the garments before making any final decisions. Get measurements of the children and compare these to garment measurements provided by the company you are thinking of purchasing from. The company you deal with should be easily contactable and willing to answer all of your questions. Ask for as much information about measurements and fabrics as possible. Also make sure you are aware of the Terms and Conditions associated with your purchase. If a dress or suit doesn’t fit one of the children, are you allowed to exchange it for another size? What restrictions are there that you may need to be aware of? What if something is faulty or damaged? Do they give refunds in the event that something is not suitable when it arrives? Make an informed decision before you purchase.

Don’t forget – the children will grow in the lead up to your wedding, so take this into account when choosing sizes. I recommend doing your initial research several months before the wedding, then try to finalise sizes about 2 months before.

Ms Gingham says: Great tips in this post. Dressing the little ones can be so much fun because ultimately they LOVE dress ups!

Vikki from Very Special Celebrations says: “My name is Vikki Corones, and I own ‘Very Special Celebrations’. After several years as a Music and English teacher, and then another two and a half years working in Queensland’s major art galleries, I decided to shift my creativity toward weddings and events.”