The flower girl has been a traditional member of the wedding party since ancient times, when she represented the bride blossoming into womanhood. The flower girl is usually a relative of the bride or groom between the ages of four and eight. She walks in front of the bride and throws flower petals during the wedding processional.

Does this tradition fit into your budget wedding plans?

A flower girl is not very expensive. It is easy to create your own coordinating flower basket or find one inexpensively. You can buy packages of fake flower petals from a craft store, or you could easily tear off real ones from a couple of flowers that coordinate with your color scheme.

These days, most couples don't even pay for the flower girl dress. It is generally the parents of the flower girl who purchase the dress. Many brides select a coordinating flower girl dress at a bridal shop, but those can be expensive. If you'd like to make a budget wedding choice, you may wish to choose a dress from a non-wedding store that has a color or pattern or style that coordinates with the bridesmaids for a much lower cost to the flower girl's family.

The other costs for having a flower girl in your budget wedding would simply be another head at the reception and a small thank-you gift for her participation.

Some brides prefer not to have children in the wedding party, though. The traditional flower girl and ring bearer (who carries the his and hers wedding ring set on a pillow) can be adorable, but they can also add an element of chance. Sometimes children forget their rehearsed roles, walk in the wrong direction, or make other mistakes in their performance. (This writer became infamous for coming to a dead stop at the head of the aisle as a seven-year-old and sobbing loudly until the bride herself came to rescue her.) If you would be upset rather than charmed by such an incident, then you may wish to forego the flower petals and ask an adult member of the bridal party to carry the his and hers wedding ring set. The decision is up to you.

Photo Credit: Flickr (edenpictures)