Age: Between 4 to 8 years Number: As Required Duties:

• Scatter petals on aisle before bride
• Accompany ring bearer (if applicable)
• Look adorable

It's true that for a child so young, even the seemingly simple of scattering petals may seem like a covert Mission-Impossible-style op. OK, exaggerations aside, let's talk about the flower girl: that little angel who will walk down the aisle, dropping soft petals for the bride to step on. Who should you pick? What should she wear? How should you train her for the job? All that and much more, right here. Most bridal couples pick a niece, cousin, family friend, or any other relative who has a special relation with either of them to be the flower girl. Here are some tips for deciding on the right child.

• A child between 4 to 8 years of age will be perfect. Kids younger than 4 are a little difficult to manage, and an older child can be given another job at the ceremony―holding the train of the dress, perhaps.
• If you have many options in this age range, you can go with multiple flower girls because there's no set rule about the number. But if you have to pick just one, pick a child who you know will be confident, and more importantly, excited to do the job.

Just choosing the girl is not enough. You need to prep her for the big day. While practice is always the best way to get her ready, you can also help build her confidence by assigning one of the bridesmaids to be her buddy and take care of her. Talk to her parents and ask them how she will be most comfortable. Have her accompany you to pre-wedding functions so that she gets to know the rest of the wedding party better and is more comfortable around them. You can have her parents seated in the first or second row so that she can see them while she walks down. It will help her relax, in case she gets a little stressed on the big day. Dressing up the flower girl is not a difficult task, but there are a lot of things you need to keep in mind while shopping, because it is for a child. Here are some pointers regarding the kind of dress you can buy. The Budget: The flower girl's outfit is generally paid for by her parents. So, you can ask them what their budget for the dress is and pick one accordingly. Alternatively, you can foot the bill for the outfit and give it as a gift to the little girl, but it is still necessary to fix a budget. The Size: Kids grow super-fast, which makes shopping for them a recurring task. Hence, if for some reason you're purchasing the dress way in advance of the wedding day, make sure you buy a dress that is a size (or two) bigger than what she is at the time. This way, you can get it fitted perfectly just before the big day with some last-minute hems and tucks. The Fabric: The quality and feel of the fabric are important factors that you need to keep in mind. Check with her parents if she's allergic to any particular fabric to prevent itching and scratching. Chiffon, organza, satin, silk, and tulle are the most favored fabrics for flower girl dresses. They're light, elegant, relatively wrinkle-free, and quite comfortable too. While cotton and linen are great options for summer weddings, they're prone to wrinkles, and there's no guarantee that the little one is going to be still throughout the ceremony. So, to be on the safer side and keep her looking like the pretty princess she is all through the day, a wrinkle-free fabric is your best option. The Style: The dress of the flower girl is very often coordinated with that of the bride's. It can also borrow an accent from the bridesmaids' dresses for that pop of color. The best way to pick the perfect dress is to ask the little girl and her parents what kind of dress she'll be comfortable in. If she's not too fond of fluffs and frills, avoid such a dress. You don't want a fidgety flower girl, tugging at her dress while walking down the aisle and through the ceremony. If she's not too comfortable in a dress, get her a stylish skirt or pantsuit instead. Her comfort is paramount; always keep that in mind. How simple or elaborate the dress should be is again a matter of choice and comfort. Too many ribbons, beads, and stones can prove uncomfortable, distracting, and pose hazards to her as she runs or plays around post the ceremony. So, be reasonable in the kind of work you want on her dress. It is also important to keep the season of the wedding in mind when you pick the style of the dress. A summer wedding calls for a pretty sleeveless dress in a light fabric with a colorful sash or ribbon, while a winter wedding will warrant a jacket or a sleeved dress. Having tights underneath the dress is also a good idea for a winter wedding to keep the little girl warm. The accessories, undoubtedly, have to be in perfect coordination with the dress. Here are the main accessories you'll be looking at purchasing, along with some pointers for each. The Hair: Tiaras, ribbons, scrunchies, headbands, pins, and clips are all wonderful hair accessories for a flower girl. The length of the little girl's hair will play a major role in deciding which one/s you can pick for her. Just make sure that whatever you pick are of good quality. For instance, the scrunchies and headbands should be tight enough to fasten easily, but shouldn't pull on her hair. The pins and clips should slide in and out of the hair easily, without hurting the child or breaking any hair. The Feet: Comfortable shoes and socks are must-haves for every flower girl. She's going to be in the same outfit the entire day, so it's important that she be comfortable. Flat, well-fitting, closed shoes are the perfect option for any terrain and season. In socks, you can opt for classic white frilly ones or add a dash of fun with colored or printed socks. A comfortable child is a happy child. And a happy flower girl is exactly what you need to begin the wedding ceremony. Keep in mind that she is a child after all, and even if she bounds instead of walking or empties the entire basket of petals within the first four steps that she takes, it'll just make her that much more endearing to the guests.