How to Include Kids in Your Wedding

Whether you have kids of your own or want to include family members or friends, there are many ways kids can take part in your wedding day. From traditional roles like ring bearers and flower girls to modern adaptations, kids always add fun, charm, and lots of laughs to your perfect day.

The Best Wedding Roles for Kids

Including kids in wedding ceremonies goes back as far as ancient Greece. Flower girls would spread seeds and grains in front of the bride as a wish for future fertility in her marriage. Today, many couples are thinking beyond the ring pillow or flower basket and incorporating their own sense of style into the role kids play. Here are some of our favorites you might love, too!
Cover the aisle. You can stick to tradition and have kids spread petals down the aisle, or something less expected like confetti or feathers. If you’re having a fall wedding, using red and yellow leaves is a festive alternative to flowers.
Light the way. Give kids a small lantern or fairy lights to carry, especially if you’re having an evening wedding.
Carry a sign. This is a trend that’s grown in popularity, and it makes for adorable pictures. Have one or two kids walk down the aisle just before the bride with a sign that says “here comes the bride” or “just wait ‘til you see her.” 
Act as ring security. From the traditional ring pillow to a fake lock box, you can really get creative with this role. Nothing is cuter than a kid dressed like a secret service agent!
Carry something that matches your theme. If you have a forest or woods theme, have kids carry baskets of pine cones decorated in your colors. For a holiday wedding they could carry a festive wreath, or for a spring wedding try ribbon wands in your colors.
Escort family members. If the kids are a little older but want to be included, have them walk honored guests like parents and grandparents to front row seating. 
Walk the dog. Have a four-legged friend you want to include? See if the kids in your family want to walk them down the aisle. Kids love animals — and vice versa — so it’s really a win-win. Just have them practice walking down the aisle a couple times prior to your actual ceremony.

When You’re Blending Families

If you and your partner have kids together or from a previous relationship, having them in the wedding is a meaningful way to honor the new family you’re starting as a married couple. In this case, there are a couple special considerations you might think about beyond the usual roles kids fill in weddings.
Include them in planning. This is especially important if you’re blending families, or have kids who are nervous about their parent getting remarried. Feeling like they’re part of the process lets them feel like they have a say in the matter, which can help reduce nerves. Let them come with you to try on your dress, to pick out flowers, or to a cake tasting and ask for their opinion. 
Let them help create a kids’ page on your wedding website. Add a page with things to do in town and ask them their favorite things to do, restaurants to eat at, or parks to play at. 
Share your first look with them. You and your partner can certainly have a first look alone, but including your kids shortly after gives you all a chance to have a moment as a family. It’s a great way to help them settle their nerves (and yours!) prior to the ceremony. Not to mention the amazing photo opportunity.
Have them walk you down the aisle. There’s nothing that says your father has to be the one to walk with you. Letting your kids walk you to the altar is a great way to let them feel this wedding is about them too.
Include them in your ceremony. There are lots of ways to do this, but popular options are to write them into your vows, include them in a unity ceremony, or have them do a reading or musical performance.

Your wedding is a magical day, full of love and celebration. Adding kids into the mix is a great way to add charm and whimsy to the day. Just make sure the kids are comfortable in their role and have patience with them on the big day!

FEATURED PHOTO COURTESY OF ELSIE FORTUNE PHOTOGRAPHY