Getting Kiddos Down the Aisle

A couple months ago I was asked to start blogging for the Woman's Hosptial's Mommy-Go-Round Blog. One of my first posts hit in the middle of Spring or, as we think of it, wedding season! So, I shared my thoughts on getting young kiddos down the aisle through my personal experience of getting my own little wild woman down the aisle at Jennifer's wedding. She was right around 18 months old...so of course, hilarity ensured! Please enjoy this "repost"! 

XOXO

Rachel 

As a wedding planner, I’ve seen my fair share of ceremony bloopers. From the best man forgetting the rings to bridesmaid trip-ups and even officiants mispronouncing names… you name it, I’ve seen it! My favorites, however, revolve around child participants. Oh how those flower girls and ring bearers can steal the show with their adorable little tactics!  

Well, it was all fun and games until my Lily was asked to be a flower girl when she was just about two years old. Will she wear the dress? Will she walk down the aisle? Will she show her tail (literally and/or figuratively)? Before my eyes flashed every screaming child from years of weddings. I was stressed out before I was done expressing my gratitude to the bride for asking her. I now completely understood the looks of terror on the parents’ faces beforehand and the several glasses of wine they would down afterward. While I had a few tricks up my sleeves to get strangers down the aisle…this was personal. I approached this little challenge with vigor and determination. Lily would be the most adorable flower girl…if it killed me. So the preparations began…and while rocky at times…worked! With wedding season currently in full bloom, I wanted to share our experience with our terrible two flower girl!

Before the Wedding

We talked “wedding” often. As soon as she was asked, we started talking about how fabulous weddings are and what fun they are to be in. She was so young that I’m sure she caught about .01% of everything we said but I was determined! We read books, colored pictures, and even sang made-up songs about the honor of being a flower girl. I’m sure she just thought her parents were cuckoo birds but on the off-chance it got her excited, we kept it up!

We practiced. We placed our dining room chairs into a make-shift ceremony, played some Canon in D, and had her prance up and down the “aisle”. Thankfully, we didn’t have to worry about her actually doing anything, like drop petals, so practices basically revolved around reminding her not to sprint whilst laughing like a hyena. My heart palpitations never let up…because she never walked down the practice aisle without the hyena-esque laughter. Oh joy…

We played dress up. When the dress arrived, I was so excited to have her try it on. It was a full and fluffy little dress that I just knew would make her look like an adorable cupcake. I made a big deal about trying it on and once she had it on, I kissed the visuals of her twirling around with a hug smile goodbye…because she screamed with discontent. She hated it. Again, oh joy…

Day-of the Wedding

We kept her happy. Oh, you want some goldfish? Here you go. Oh, you want some juice? No problem. Oh, you want to play on this iPad? Let me turn it on for you. Nap time was non-negotiable and that was about my only line in the sand.  Don’t judge…I was not going to have a screaming baby in front of all these people.

We kept her occupied. While everyone was getting dressed and having pre-ceremony photos taken, we kept her occupied with reading, coloring, and supervised exploring. I was actually a bridesmaid so we called in reinforcements. GranZee and Pops kept Lily as happy and as busy as possible! She was loving every minute of it…probably due to all the attention!

We bribed. Oh yes, we took it a step further from just keeping her happy…we bribed her with the idea of the biggest piece of wedding cake that could be cut and the promises of dancing the night away. Worth it.

Actually Getting Down the Aisle

Once the wedding started, I was a hot mess. Would she cooperate? I walked down the aisle as a bridesmaid, took my place, and held my breath. GranZee stayed with her until the very last moment and showed her where my husband was seated (on the end and as close to the front of the seating as possible). I heard GranZee say “now, walk to Daddy”. I’m sure everyone in attendance could hear my heart beating and if they couldn’t, they could see the terror on my face! While she took off at a speed that did not match the sweet and soft music playing…she made it and she was adorable!

Photo by Chantilly Wedding Photography

Whew! The much anticipated moment had past…the couple was successfully married…and now, I was allowed to relax and make good on my promises!

Photo by Chantilly Wedding Photography

Yep, that girl had her cake and danced the night away!

If your little one is heading down the aisle soon, my advice is to prepare for the worst and hope for the best! It’s a fun experience that your kiddo will probably love and so will you…afterward…with drink in hand!