Q) My 10 year old daughter doesn’t want to wear a poufy dress for her aunt’s wedding, but my sister (the bride)  insists she match the other flower girls.  How can I make them both happy?

A) Your daughter’s is at an age where poufy isn’t her thing and why force her? But I understand the bride’s wish to make everyone uniform.  We can do your daughter’s dress in the same fabric and colors as the younger flower girls, but just in an A-line version, no tulle underneath.  We can also change the bodice style, depending on her style.  That should do the trick!

Q) I have a January Wedding and I’m concerned about the girls getting cold.  Any suggestions?

A) If you don’y want to worry about covering up the dress with a sweater (and finding ones to match), we suggest adding sleeves.  We do ruffled cap, short, three-quarter, and long sleeves.   You can also do a wrap, which is great because if they get warmed up dancing, they can just throw it off!

Q) We have a wedding coming up that my daughter will be a flower girl in and also her first communion in May- is it possible to use the same dress for both?

A) Absolutely!  Most brides choose white or ivory dresses with a color sash, so a great economical idea would be to order an extra sash in the white or ivory and have it switched for the communion.  Our ivory is very light and most people like it for communions anyway.  So in most cases (unless the bride wants a full color dress) the same dress can be worn with a minor adjustment that any local tailor do.

Q) What’s the right age for a flower girl?  I have a niece who is 2 years old - do you think that’s too young?

A) There really is no right age for a flower girl.  While commonly they range from 4-8 years old, they can really be of any age.  A lot of brides have flower girls who are really young because they simply want the kids who are relatives or who are kids of close friends to be involved.  You can always have their mom walk them down ( or even carry them) the aisle or an older flower girl hold their hand. Also, if they do go down by themselves, you can have someone at the end with a candy or a toy waiting as an incentive.  No matter what, whether they make it down, scatter the petals, or not, everyone will think they are super cute anyway!

Q)  I love the idea of a custom dress, however I am worried about spending on a dress that will only be worn once.  Any suggestions?

A)  This is a great question and we actually get questions about this a lot.  There are a lot of ways to make the most out of a Kaya dress.  You can always purchase an extra sash and have your local tailor switch it out very simply after the wedding to create a whole new look.  You can take up the hem and make it more of a knee length party dress.  You can have the dress for holiday dinners, family portraits, and special birthday parties.  Or you can always pass the dress down to a younger sister or relative for another wedding.  Extra sashes can always be coordinated later on depending on the occasion.

Q)  My step-brother’s daughter wants to be in the wedding, but I’m not close to his family and not sure if she should be included.  What’s appropriate?

A)  It can be tricky with who to actually include in the wedding party, even as far as kids are concerned.  If they are willing to pay for their own attire and you are not out anything, I say the more the merrier!  Think of it this way, everyone loves flower girls, and everyone really loves when there are a whole bunch, especially when they match.  And it will also be great in pictures and of course keep everyone happy

We love getting your calls and emails with questions ranging from measuring the girls for the right size to choosing the best style and colors.  Here’s a few of those questions and some helpful ideas in order to make your life a little bit easier when planning the big day! And stay tuned for more Q & A’s for the next 3 weeks and let us know if you don’t see your questions asked - we’ll be sure to add those, too.

Q) My bridesmaids are in a hard to match color, can I use some of that fabric for the flower girl dresses?

A) Many times, brides prefer to have the bridesmaids and flower girls match exactly with colors and fabrics.   There are two options.  One is that you can order some extra fabric from the company that made your bridesmaid dresses (we can let you know how much based on the number of flower girls) and send it to us.  We can then use that that fabric to make the sashes on the little girls’ dresses.  Another option is to send us a swatch of the color you want and we can custom match it for you in our silk dupioni fabric.

Q) I have a bunch of flower girls at different ages - should they all be in the same style and color dress?

A) Its great to have a gaggle of flower girls, no matter what the age, they all look great together and everyone will love them.  Some things to keep in mind.  First off, it’s totally up to you!  If you want them all in the same style and color - go for it, a lot of brides like to keep it uniform.  Or you can change things up slightly, like for girls 4 and under you can do an empire waist, girls 5 and up do a natural waist.  You can change the sleeve options (like adding ruffled cap on the little ones).  You might also want to do a big sash on the bigger girls and a thinner one on the little ones.  There are always ways to make everything customized so everyone is happy.

Q) How do I measure the girls and how do I know if they need a “custom” size?

A) Take a flexible measuring tape and measure around the chest, waist, and full height.  (Make sure they aren’t squirming too much!) Let us know what you get and we’ll let you know whats the best size or if it’s best to do a custom cut size. Keep in mind that our dresses do run true to size so sizing is usually the simplest part.

I’ve compiled a few questions regarding flower girl etiquette and children in weddings in general that I think will be helpful if you’re planning a wedding. There are always questions that come up and I’ve found that for the majority of cases, its best to be open about things in the nicest way possible and not let the little issues take away from the big picture!

Q) Our wedding is on a budget and I would love for my nieces to be my flower girls, but cannot afford to buy their dresses.  How do I tell my sister that I need her to cover the expenses?

A) First off, let your sister choose where she wants to buy the dresses from so she can decide on her own price range.  You can definitely tell her the wedding colors and suggest what you would love since it is your day, but if she is paying she will probably make the decision.  You can be honest and tell her it is customary for the children’s parents to purchase the clothing and that you would so happy to have them participate in the wedding. 

Q) I’m getting married in a few months and have heard that the flower girls are supposed to wear white or ivory to match the bride.  Is that way I’m supposed to go?

A) Traditionally, etiquette experts agree that flower girls should resemble mini brides with white or ivory dresses and sashes to match the bridesmaids color.  However, you don’t necessarily have to go that route.  Now we are seeing a lot of party dresses that the girls can easily wear again.  A little girl can really get away with anything.  I would just recommend going with colors that compliment the colors in the wedding so pictures don’t clash.  

Q) My sister in law is the bride and she chose and bought a flower girl dress for my daughter without asking me and I don’t like it all … is there any way of getting around it?

A) While it was very nice and generous of the bride to buy the dress for your daughter, I understand that people don’t always have the same taste.  I think for one day you should try to make the bride happy by letting your daughter wear it.  But if you really want to get out of it, maybe have your daughter change after the ceremony and pictures and I doubt the bride would mind.  

Let me know your flower girl questions…

With Spring upon us, it is  the perfect time for weddings.  Let the season inspire you just by looking around at the new colors, the freshness, and the simplicity of nature’s beauty, and incorporate them into your special day.

You don’t have to go the expected route of pastel colors.  Go with colors that are your style, whether they may be vibrant bright tones or an all white palette.  You can also use touches of nature in your centerpieces since there are so many amazing availabilities at this time of year, try moss and grass, stones or cherry blossoms  mixed in with florals.  You can have your bridesmaids and flower girl carry a single stem instead of a whole bouquet, calla lilies work great for this idea and look fresh and elegant.

 For brides and bridesmaids dresses, Spring allows us the most versatility since it’s usually not too cool or too hot.  Shorter hems work well, as do sheer layered fabrics.  For the guys, light colored suits in lightweight fabrics work best and really lend well to the season.   For flower girls, ruffled cap sleeves are an adorable addition and blooms on the back of the dress or in the hair really ties everything together. 

Enjoy!

In my opinion, flower girls should be one of the least stressful parts of the wedding planning process and on the actual day.  When brides come to me and say they are getting anxious about picking the dresses, about fitting the girls properly, about who pays what , and even if the girls will make it down the aisle, I always tell them not to worry!  There are just a few tips to keep in mind and everything else will fall into place.

First off, try to avoid picking a girl who is too young or someone you know might have an issue walking down the aisle.  If you want to go that route anyway, just have an older girl walk down the aisle with her.  Another idea is to get the girls excited in advance about the big day by telling them about their special role (there are lots of great books just for this purpose) and how they will look like little princesses.  Gets ‘em every time!  

If possible, have some crayons and coloring books set aside for them since it can be a long event.  Try to make sure the girls are rested and fed before the ceremony.  Don’t worry if they forget to scatter their petals (or if they just dump the basket over at the very beginning of the aisle), all the guests will think they are even more adorable.   Sometimes the unexpected moments are the ones we really cherish.