The Adorable Significance Behind Flower Girls at Weddings

Flower girls sprinkle the aisle with petals before the bride makes her entrance. And, in there adorable white dresses, sometimes even steal the show. But, they’re not just a part of traditional weddings to make the guests say ‘aww’ as they walk down the aisle; they actually signify the bride losing her innocence. (Ever wonder why the bride always stands on the left at weddings?)

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This tradition originally began in Ancient Rome. During that time most marriages were arranged and the main purpose of the marriage was to have children to carry on the family name. Therefore, fertility was a concern for the newlyweds. Back then only youth would attend to the bride, so a young girl would walk down the aisle before the bride carrying wheat and herbs. The wheat and herbs were scattered on the aisle to bless the couple with fertility and prosperity, and to also ward off evil spirits. Over time, the wheat and herbs were replaced with flower petals. Here is why brides originally carried bouquets during their wedding.

The main focus of having a little girl walk down the aisle first, though, has always been to represent the transformation of the bride from a child to an adult. That is why they wear white dresses too, so they can look like a mini version of the bride. As the flower girl walks down the aisle she symbolizes the innocence of the bride fading away and her role as a wife and future mother beginning.

So, even though the flower girl plays a minimal role in the wedding, she means a lot to the bride. And, come on, how could you not love an adorable little girl in a frilly dress and little white shoes bouncing down the isle? Also curious about where the tradition of the garter at weddings came from? Here is how it got started.

Source: blog.weddingstar.com