9 Things You Must Know Before Picking a Flower Girl Dress

When it comes to wedding attire, you probably spent oodles of time finding a stunning wedding dress. But there’s one (literally) tiny ensemble that deserves just as much attention as your gorgeous gown: the flower girl dresses.

Here are some must-know rules for picking flower girl dresses.

1. Make sure the flower girl dresses match your wedding theme

If you’re having a traditional wedding, pick traditional flower girl dresses. Likewise, if you’re throwing a laid-back beachside affair, opt for more fun and unique flower girl dresses. “A perfect flower girl dress should fit the formality and ‘feel’ of the wedding, suit the personality of the lucky little lady and be comfortable for her to wear all day. Remember that there is more to a flower girl than just the dress, so if you are set on her having a certain hairstyle or statement accessory, the dress should be able to accommodate it, and not clash with the rest of your ideas,” says Courtney Geigle of My Wed Style.

2. The flower girl dresses don't have to be white

Traditionally the flower girl wears white, but you don’t feel like you have to limit yourself to ivory, white or diamond. If you’re wearing a pastel colored wedding gown, consider a flower girl dress that matches or is accented with pink or blue.

3. Try a different brand than your wedding dress

Don’t think you must order your flower girl dress from the same company you bought your wedding gown or bridesmaid dresses from.n “The only advantage of buying the flower girl dress from the same brand as your wedding or bridesmaid dresses is that the colors will be the same,” says Geigle. “If you already have your dress ordered in, you can compare the colors of the flower girl dresses against it for the best and most accurate result.”

4. Consider the length of your flower girl dresses

If your flower girl is older, go for the longer dress. If she’s younger, stick with a short frock. After all, most flower girl dresses are short for a reason: “The last thing you want is her tripping and falling while walking down the aisle,” says Geigle. “We know it looks adorable, but in the end it's not worth the risk.”

5. Order the flower girl dresses close to your wedding date

We know, we're always telling you to order wedding-related items and attire early, but in this case, it pays to wait a bit. Since kids can literally sprout up quickly, it’s best to purchase the flower girl dresses as close to your wedding date as possible. If you buy it a few months before your wedding, you run the risk of the dress not fitting the day of.

6. Let her help pick the flower girl dresses

If you want to make sure that your flower girl will love her dress, bring her along when you go shopping. Send her a few options and let her pick the one she likes best. Make it fun for both of you.

“The bride should share her dress with the flower girl as that will create a relationship and help them bond. It will be a lot easier to choose a flower girl dress when the flower girl respect the bride. Without that bond a bride may have a harder time convincing a flower girl to wear a certain dress. If you make the dress shopping process fun and engaging it will be very easy to select a dress the bride and flower girl will both love,” says Chu.

7. Think about the flower girl dress fabric

To keep the flower girl dresses (mostly) wrinkle-free, opt for a wrinkle-free fabric or choose a material that hides wrinkles well, like chiffon.

8. Entertain her before the wedding

Since kids are notorious for spilling drinks on their clothes, dress her last. Before you put on the dress, give her a few snacks. Once the flower girl dress is on, ask that she sip water or milk through a straw and eat colorless foods, like crackers or cheese. Give her games to play while the bridal party gets ready.

“When you talk to her, congratulate her on how clean and elegant she is and how she looks just like the bride. She should understand that it's important for her to be on her best behavior,” says Geigle. Chances are, she’ll love being included in the wedding.

9. Take photos together

“Having a flower girl as a part of your wedding celebrations is an adorable touch that will result in sweet memories and even cuter photos. Take advantage of this beautiful tradition and capture some moments of the bride and flower girl sharing thoughts, opinions or just a few laughs,” says Geigle. “You'll treasure those shots forever.”