When brides were very young and stepping themselves from childhood to womanhood through the wedding ceremony, the flower girl leads her forward as a symbol innocence “blooming” to become a wife and mother. In classical Roman and Greek times, the flower girl would scatter select herbs and grains to beckon fertility in a new union. Sheaths of wheat were carried in the wedding procession by medieval European flower girls.

For many genres, the only female attendants to the bride were children. This tradition continues often with multiple flower girls in large society or royal weddings. In France, it is common that all attendants in the procession are children.

The flower girl that is now classic to the modern wedding world evolved through the Victorian beauty and sentiment nurtured through Queen Victoria herself. This is the bright young girl in white with perhaps a colored sash; carrying the decorated basket of petals and floral hoop. The floral hoop, like its circular relative, the wedding ring, symbolized eternal love. With Victorian times, humanity begins to value the romantic aspects of marriage. It is celebrated that marriage not only be an economic or even political union, but also a union of true love. And in love, we all walked doe-eyed and innocent like the beautiful flower girl leading the wedding procession.

So the flower girl brings beauty, innocence, and wishes for healthy children to the wedding ceremony based on tradition alone.

In modern times, with gender roles expanded and evolution of the family from bride and groom not always involving the addition of children, our appreciation for the flower girl grows from pure sentiment: the love beauty, innocence, and whimsy.

Having a flower girl or several flower girl is a beautiful and time honored tradition that will bring special charm to your wedding, and traditionally, good luck as well.