Preparing for your wedding is often an exhilarating task. You must decide on what type of flowers to use, wedding colors for the bridesmaids and ushers, and refreshments for the reception. You want everything to be perfect for that special day. But one detail that often gets put on the back burner is selecting a flower girl dress. Flower girl dresses are precious, frilly dresses worn by a little girl (usually between 3 and 8 years old) as she scatters flower petals down the aisle.

The flower girl is usually of some relation to the bride or groom, either a little sister, cousin, or niece. She gets all dressed up - like the grown-ups - and participates in the introduction to the bride using a basket full of flower petals. The key to finding a lovely flower girl dress is to consider the flower girl's size and height, hair color, and also the actual wedding colors.

A Mini Bride's Dress

Flower girl dresses are often miniature replicas of the bride's wedding dress. A flower girl dress may also be a white dress with a sash that matches the colors of the bridesmaids' dresses. Of course, it doesn't have to be an exact match. The materials can be matched along with the decorative and design aspects of your wedding dress. For example, if your wedding dress has lace and white beads, find a flower girl dress that has the same. If your wedding dress comes with a bolero jacket, make sure the flower girl dress has a similar jacket. You can also closely match the sleeves, neckline, and style of the dress.

Colorful Flower Girl Dresses

Flower girl dresses can also be colorful to match the wedding colors. The key is to match the flower girl dress with the bridesmaids' dresses and the flower petal colors, though the match doesn't have to be exact. The flower girl dress may complement the other colors and look just as beautiful. If the wedding colors are lavender and white, for example, you might dress the flower girl in a lavender and white dress with lavender and white flower petals mixed in the basket. Or, use a lavender dress with a white basket and lavender flower petals. There are many combinations to choose from to create a lovely, captivating moment.

Consider the Flower Girl

Don't get caught up in the moment and forget to consider who will be wearing the flower girl dress. Consider the little girl's likes and how she feels about fancy dresses. You'll want her to be comfortable and happy as she walks down the aisle, not frowning and complaining. The dress should complement her height and hair color. Also, have the dress sized for comfort and flexibility. It should be flexible and free flowing to make walking down the aisle as easy as possible. It should also be easy to move around in - for those emergency moments!

Where to Buy Flower Girl Dresses

You can have flower girl dresses custom made or buy them from the same shop where you'll buy your wedding dress. You can even buy flower girl dresses online. On the Web, there are flower girl dress shops, children's boutiques, and online stores for kids' special occasion clothing. These offer a variety of styles and sizes to fit your needs and budget. They also usually sell other specialty items such as boys' suits, girls' communion dresses, or christening dresses.

Having just the right flower girl dress will bring plenty of "ahs" and "oohs" at your wedding. Use these ideas to create precious memories on your special day!