Helpful tips for choosing the fabulous flower girl dress

When it comes to the wedding party look, the flower girl is like the icing on the cake and provides the perfect finishing touch, tying all of the pieces of your wedding party together.
The flower girl is the sweetest little wedding guest of them all, stealing hearts as she precedes the bride down the isle in her own little fairytale dress. She wants to feel as special and pretty as bridesmaids and bride herself. Here are some helpful tips for choosing the perfect flower girl dress:

Small Style

Flower girl dresses are usually mini replicas of the bride's wedding dress.  But that doesn’t mean that the flower girl’s dress have to exactly match the brides dress.  As long as the flower girl dress follows the theme and style of the event, elements of the fabric such as lace or beading can be incorporated into the flower girl’s dress, or you can match the sleeves, neckline and silhouette to the brides dress.
Another option is for the flower girl’s dress to be the same colour as the brides dress with a satin sash that matches the colours of the bridesmaids' dresses to tie the whole bridal party together. Traditional flower girl dresses are usually white with full, ruffle skirts underneath to create a 'bridal' look.

Dress for the Season

There are a magnitude of fabrics and colours available for flower girl dresses; however it is also very important to consider the time of year when making dress selections.   For autumn or winter weddings, rich fabrics such as velvets and velours are a great choice to keep the littlies warm.   Spring or summer weddings call for natural light fabrics such as silks and silk chiffons to keep the girls from getting too hot. Tights are great for cold weather but too warm for the summer months.
Fabrics such as silk or velvet don’t wrinkle easily, however it’s still best to wait until the very last possible minute to dress your flower girl.  For a clean, wrinkle free flower girl dress we suggest not dressing the flower girl until it’s almost time for the wedding so that the dress will be free from wrinkles and you won't have to worry about any food or drink spilt on it.

Colour me sweet

A flower girl's dress should compliment the bride's dress.  It can be ivory, white, or the same colour as the bridesmaid’s dresses.  Coloured sashes or colour accents can be used to tie them in with the bridesmaid dresses.  And don’t forget to match the colours of the flower petals that she is carrying to those in the bridesmaid’s bouquets.
Today’s flower girl carries a bouquet of flowers that are similar to the bridesmaid’s bouquets, but more proportionate to her size, in place of baskets of petals.

Comfort Counts

Little girls need to have the freedom to easily move and walk in their dress. You don't want your wedding guests' first impressions of your wedding ceremony to be a little flower girl tripping over or watching her itch all night.  Soft, silky fabrics will not make the little ones itchy, fidgety or feel uncomfortable. Flower girl dresses that are lined inside will add to the comfort of the little girl and to the durability of the dress for long term wear.
Leather ballet slipper shoe styles are best as new high heels or strappy sandals can cause blisters and can be uncomfortable or difficult to walk in.  No matter how beautiful the flower girl looks, it’s important to remember that if the little guests are uncomfortable, then it is most likely you or your older wedding guests will be too.

The Ideal Flower Girl Dress Length

Tea-length dresses or knee length princess styles are the most popular for young flower girls. Young flower girls can trip on long skirts, so it's wise to select shorter dress styles.  If you are having multiple flower girls of different ages, rather than dressing them all in the same dress consider different lengths of the same style or different styles of the same colour or fabric to bring their look together.
When shopping for flower girl dresses, it’s a good idea to keep in mind that children grow fast. If you are ordering flower girl dresses six months before your wedding to ensure you get the style and colour you are after, allow for a few extra inches for the dress. It can always be altered closer to the wedding.

Where to buy Flower Girl Dresses?
You can have flower girl dresses custom made or you can purchase them from the same shop where you purchase your wedding dress.  You can even buy flower girl dresses online where you can find flower girl dress shops, children's boutiques and online stores for kids' special occasion clothing, offering a variety of designs and sizes to fit any style and budget.

All about Flower Girl Accessories!

Simple and fun jewellery that the girls can hold onto as a special gift or memento of the big day is the key to accessorising your flower girls. Be careful not to over accessorise as they are playful and need to move freely without restrictions.
Keep hair accessories simple. Just like the bride’s veil, elaborate hairpieces can be taken off the flower girl at the reception. Flowers are a pretty addition to cute little up-dos for girls; just make sure they are held in place securely and comfortably.

Designing and buying a custom wedding dress can help make Wedding day memorable

A wedding is one of the most important events you’ll experience in your lifetime, which is why you want to get it right. Everyone wants to make the day theirs, and to make it a day they’ll never forget. And one of those unforgettable things about the day is usually the wedding dress. Designing and buying a custom wedding dress can help make your day memorable.

One of the great things about having a custom wedding dress designed for you is that you have complete control over what it looks like. If you like slim-fitting dresses, or have an aversion to white, you can pick the dress that suits you best. To find out what kind of dress you want, shop around online and in different stores to see if there are any particular styles or designs that you like. This way you can get a feel for the different types of dresses that are currently available. You might also have the design of your wedding dress in mind already.

When designing your custom wedding dress, you have several options. One is approaching a high-end couture label that specializes in wedding dresses. This will probably be an expensive option, as off the rack wedding dresses tend to retail for very high prices already. Another option is to find a tailor who can sew the dress from a pattern or from an existing garment. A third option for your wedding dress is altering an existing dress to make it fit your needs. For example, you might have found a dress that is perfect in every way but the length, and so you could see if it’s possible to have some extra fabric added or removed.

Another option that you can take when designing your custom wedding dress is to pre-purchase the fabric yourself. Wedding dresses tend to be made of very expensive, heavy fabrics, so it’s great if you can find a cheaper alternative. Try shopping at local fabric shops, and try looking online, as well. In addition, it’s possible to ship back amazing and affordable fabrics from countries such as India. If you take this route, it’s highly likely that you’ll end up with a stunning and unique dress.

One last thing to think about when purchasing a custom wedding dress is whether it’s something you’d like to re-wear. If so, try to pick a colour or style that would be appropriate for other formal events. You can also have your perfect dress designed for the day, and then arrange to have it altered later so that you can still wear it to other events. Versatility is one of the benefits of a custom wedding dress, so you should make the most of it.

Special-Occasion Clothing for Kids Selection Tips

We probably get more reader requests for cute wedding clothes for kids "that aren't, you know...wedding-y" than nearly any other. And now that San Francisco-based Velvet and Tweed has opened their online shop, far more parents can breath a sigh of relief when outfitting their little flower girl or ring bearer or first birthday party guest of honor. 

At least a few times each year, my kids need to dress up for special occasions such as school or county-wide band concerts, awards ceremonies, and weddings. Acquiring appropriate attire can be time-consuming and costly, especially as children seem to outgrow clothing and shoes quickly.
Over the years, I have discovered some ways of keeping my dollar outlay for special-occasion attire low for my children.

Determine What Kind of Attire Is Truly Needed

School-sponsored events often have published guidelines, which should be read carefully.
Admittedly, some instructions are vague, asking parents to dress their children in clothing that is typically worn to church, which would mean letting my kids wear t-shirts, shorts, and sneakers to a special event. Similarly, some event sponsors caution parents not to buy new items or incur a financial hardship to acquire appropriate clothing. These instructions make me wonder if I am the only parent who does not always have formal clothing and dress shoes available at a moment’s notice.
Fortunately, most guidelines are more precise. The band director at my youngest son’s middle school, for example, specifies dress shirts with ties, slacks, and dress shoes for boys and dresses for girls. My scrutiny tells me that a suit jacket is not required. Paying close attention and distinguishing requirements from suggestions are first steps in saving time and money.
There are many occasions that have no requirements but rather a social obligation to dress appropriately, such as a wedding or high school graduation. Consider the desires of family members or close friends who are hosting these events. Think about whether professional photographs or family photos may be taken, and factor the significance of these images in choosing dresses, suits, etc. for your children and teens to wear.

Check Your Closets

You may have precisely what is needed somewhere in your home. A few days ago, my son asked me if he had a pair of khaki pants for a special event the next day; his question instigated a panic. I quickly realized that he did have several pairs of pants readily available (hand-me-downs from his older brother who attended a multi-day event that required these clothes, purchased at Goodwill).
Even if the hanging-up clothes (dresses, slacks, suit jackets) in your daughter’s or son’s closet are too small, there may be appropriate clothing in another family member’s closet. Consider what is ready to pass along from one sibling to another or which items a child can borrow from a parent. For example, my youngest son is able to borrow dress shoes from my husband as they currently wear the same shoe size.

Decide What You Want to Buy New

Review your family’s calendar to check upcoming events. If you happen to have several special occasions in the span of a few months, then your cost per-wear for purchases will seem reasonable compared to buying a dress or suit that may be worn just once. Keeping this approach in mind, select items that will be appropriate for as many of these events as possible.

Consider what items are essential and which are less important, and shop accordingly. Depending on your needs, you may want to spend most of your budget on a pair of well-fitted slacks and save on shoes.


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