Archive for August, 2009
The Role of the Flower Girl in a Wedding
The flower girl plays a very important role in your wedding. As she precedes you down the aisle, she scatters beautiful flowers (that you have carefully chosen) towards the alter where you will meet the man of your dreams. Not everyone has a flower girl in their bridal party, but if you choose to use one it is a wonderful way to get the younger members of your family involved in one of the most memorable days of your life.
The Flower Girl’s Role
Historically speaking, little boys and little girls would slowly walk ahead of the bride as they sprinkled a mixture of grains, fragrant herbs, and flowers in her path. The herb and grain mixture represented the hopes for the bride’s fertility, and the future prosperity of the bride and groom. The flowers, which have evolved as more of a modern tradition, symbolize good luck wished upon the bride and groom.
As time progressed, the role of the flower girl has changed a bit. These days, the flower girl position is saved for mostly little girls while young boys now assume the role of the ring bearer or page boy. Flower girls are typically aged between five and ten years old. While many choose to have one flower girl, some larger weddings can opt for using several flower girls.
As stated before, in a modern wedding, the flower girl usually walks up the aisle ahead of the bride. She may carry a basket of rose petals which she scatters in the bride’s path, or alternatively may simply carry a bouquet or basket of flowers.
The Flower Girl’s Dress and Accessories
Choosing your flower girl’s dress and accessories can be a fun experience for both you and your flower girl. You may wish to have your flower girl “help” you choose the dress, to make the process a little more exciting for her. If your flower girl feels as though she has helped to choose what she will wear on the big day, she will be much more likely to feel comfortable and happy in the garment.
When shopping for the flower girl gown, try to choose fabrics that are not itchy and irritating for their skin and try to choose accessories that will not cause a distraction for your young flower girl. The fabric and fit of the dress should be comfortable and easy to wear. For a very young flower girl, it is probably a good idea to choose a slightly shorter dress to make sure she will not trip on the hemline during the ceremony.
It is very important to consider specific shoe and hair options for your flower girl. Just as with the dress, comfort and ease of wearing should be very important during consideration. Her shoes should be extremely comfortable and ones that she will enjoy wearing. Ideally, you should allow your flower girl to wear the shoes a few times before the wedding, so she can get used to the way they feel.
Tips to Help your Flower Girl enjoy Her Part in the Wedding
Your flower girl is usually aged ten or below, and for a young child, attending a wedding and playing a part in the wedding ceremony, is both exciting and overwhelming. Here are some tips on making the flower girl’s role more enjoyable for her.
Great Ways to Accessorize a Flower Girl Dress
No member of your bridal party will draw the same reaction as its youngest member. Regardless of age or behavior, the flower girl is sure to draw lots of attention. This makes it very important that she look her best. Luckily, there are numerous great ways to accessorize a flower girl dress.
Headpieces
Deciding what to put in the hair of your flower girl is a fun aspect of the wedding planning process because there are options available with a younger child that you might never consider using on the older members of your bridal party. The primary limitation you may run into is the length of her hair. There are great hair accessories for every length of hair. Make sure to involve a parent in the final headpiece selection, as they will be able to tell you which pieces might work best in their child’s hair.
The best advice is to keep it simple. While your bridesmaids will be able to sit through a session with the hair stylist, young children often become bored and will be unable to sit still. For this reason, elaborate hairstyles and accessories should be avoided.
Nothing will make your flower girl feel more like a princess than a small tiara. This is an especially appealing option if she will be wearing a dress of a similar style to the bride. Of course, flowers are also a classic option no matter whether they are worn as a garland on her head or as a few well-placed buds in her hair. If the simplest effect is desired then a thin headband in the dress’s color is a good choice for keeping unruly hairs at bay while adding a hint of color.
Sashes and Bows</b
For the bride looking for a way to keep a sense of uniformity to her bridal party, the addition of a sash or bow to the flower girl dress is a good idea. Not only are bows adorable on small children, but they also serve to tie in the color of the bridesmaid dresses. If the flower girl is already wearing the same color as the rest of the wedding party then an accent color may instead be used to coordinate with the wedding colors.
Sashes come in a variety of lengths so there is sure to be one to achieve any desired look. For example, if the bride will be walking down the aisle in a sash trailing down the length of the train then a longer sash could be used on the flower girl dress. Conversely, the length of the sash may also be tied into an elaborate bow with very little length.
Gloves</b
Gloves are a great way to add a touch of class to any flower girl look. They are a way to make her feel special by giving her the same kind of accessory the “big girls” in your wedding party wear. This will also serve as a tactile reminder of her task as she walks down the aisle.
Flower girl gloves typically come in elbow length and wrist length. An adorable idea is to select a set with a colorful bow in a shade that matches the bridesmaid dresses or the petals in the basket. However, keep in mind that not every color will be available in all glove styles. You should also remember that gloves might annoy younger children so they are best skipped unless you know your flower girl will be okay wearing them through the wedding ceremony and all the pictures.
Shoes</b
Shoes are a particularly important accessory for any flower girl. As most flower girl dresses do not touch the floor, they should look beautiful without sacrificing comfort. Keep in mind, the more comfortable she is, the better the chance that she will make it down the aisle without incident. This will also help her to have a better time at the reception when she might otherwise be prone to act up out of boredom when she is not eating cake.
It should be understood that the heel for a flower girl’s shoe should always be low, if not a flat style of shoe. The ultimate shoe selection should be driven by her age more than any other factor. A younger child will require shoes that buckle or otherwise fasten while an older child will be able to walk confidently in sandals or strappy shoes.
Basket</b
The basket is a great way to accessorize the flower girl dress. If the bride has chosen a white dress for the flower girl then a white basket with the accent color on it is a beautiful accessory. The plain white basket is also an evergreen style that will never fall out of favor.
New Balance Little Kid/Big Kid Take Down 769 Running Shoe
From the Manufacturer
New Balance, is dedicated to helping athletes achieve their goals. It’s been their mission for more than a century. It’s why they don’t spend money on celebrity endorsements. They spend it on research and development. It’s why they don’t design products to fit an image. They design them to fit. New Balance is driven to make the finest shoes for the same reason athletes lace them up: to achieve the very best.
The New Balance KJ769 running shoes are great w…
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Reebok Little Kid/Big Kid Retro Aztec Running Shoe
Understated style, comfort and versatility can go a long way. This shoe goes perfectly with jeans for sport style any day of the week.
Take the little ones back to an era three times their age with these fabulous Reebok Retro Aztec Toddler sneakers. Leather upper in a casual athletic sneaker style with a round toe. Signature Reebok side striping and logo accents add classic detail. Lace-up front, softly padded collar and tongue, textile lining and cushioning insole. EVA …
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Air Jordan 10 Retro Shoe 310805-161
The Air Jordan X marked Michael Jordan’s triumphant return to basketball following his first retirement. Nike may have been caught off guard by his sudden return to the basketball, but the Retro 10 manages to celebrate his achievements from 1985 to 1994 on the sole of the shoe. The Air Jordan X is nothing special technologically and the design is a combination of several older Jordan models. The most prominent feature of the Retro X is the striped white/black/light steel grey color…
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ASICS Gel Stratus Cushion Running Shoe Womens
A new addition to the ASICS® cushioning lineup, the Gel Stratus women’s running shoe is designed to provide a lightweight ride and a super-flexible platform. The classic GEL® Cushioning System reduces shock during the impact and toe-off phases, while the SpEVA® midsole enhances durability. An open mesh upper offers lightweight breathability.
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adidas Little Kid/Big Kid Kanadia Trail Running Shoe
Review
No one takes to the trail with the same high energy as kids do. This aggressive running shoe is made to match them step for step, with a bold new design and an attitude to match. One of the core brand values of adidas is innovation. As a result, their products include some of the most innovative technologies in the industry today. The following technologies featured in this shoe will help you find the perfect fit for active youngsters. adiWEAR®adiWEAR ® is an extremely …
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School shoes for little girls
One of the major part of the day in the life of a little girl or a little boy is spent in school. Most children go to school and learn new way of doing things. They get acquainted with the world around them and learn different subjects, languages, and more. The also make new friends and get together with them to run, stomp, jump, kick, and skid to their heart’s desire. Young people are – as it is – active and all that the parents could do in such a situation is to make them comfortable by buying the best school shoes. And with the many options for boys school shoes and girls school shoes currently available, the parents would not be constrained due to a lack of options. School shoes for little girls and little boys need to comfortable as well as smart. Ideally, they are made of the best materials to protect your little angel’s feet completely. The best school shoes would also allow for the proper development of your child’s feet. And all these and more features are now available in many of the girls school shoes as well as boys school shoes that are being designed and developed by shoe manufacturers such as Clarks, Startrite, and Hush Puppies. Most of the girls school shoes are very smart looking. There are different shoes for infants, junior girls, as well as senior girls. The infant school shoes are available in different colors from pink and purple to blue, green, and black. One can find a pink shoe for a little hat comes with a decorative bow detail and a single bar rip tape fastener. The overall look of this little girl shoe is cute; moreover, it comes with padded ankle and leather linings that make it very much comfortable for the little angels. The point is that there is a wide assortment of little girlâ??s shoes that are a perfect blend of comfort and style. One could also find shoes that little girls can wear outside school as well. Premium quality leather is used in the manufacture of these and other little girlâ??s shoes. Another merit that can be mentioned is that these shoes can be used with little care and maintenance. When looking for girls school shoes, parents would find a wide plethora of options. These shoes fit comfortably and come in different sizes. The school shoes that are manufactured by some of the more reputed brands come with soles that are durable, flexible, lightweight and non slip properties. Many a times, one could find shoes with breathable linings; the little ones are totally comfortable while they are wearing these shoes. Many a times, the manufacturers of these girls school shoes undertake considerable research before launching their products in the market. This is done to ensure that the shoes are completely safe and comfortable for the little ones. So, all you people out there who have been searching for the perfect pair of little girls school shoes can now make well informed purchases from the Internet. You can find the best brands in men’s shoes and women’s shoes online. Visit shoesonline4u.co.uk to know more.
Shoe Wallet for Walkers, Runners & Travelers.
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Roller Derby Girls Helping the Community
In spite of a strong wind that threatened to carry our check-in tents away, we helped the YWCA staff and volunteers set up the shoe station, where the male participants would be able to choose women’s shoes with the right color, style, and fit for their walk. From SJSU athletes to San Jose firefighters, policemen and EMTs, these walkers had SVRG girls help them select mules, pumps, and stilettos in their sizes. We also outfitted them with event tees, in case their flashy heels didn’t give them away as YWCA supporters.
When it came time for the walk to begin, we packed up our skates and moved out to the half-mile point. Our YWCA coordinators paired us perfectly with our next role: offering water and band-aids to the participants. After all, who knows more about blisters than rollergirls? We handed out water to the walkers, some striding and some stumbling, and cheered them on as they passed us.
Once the crowd passed our station, we packed up and followed the high-heeled walkers to the California Theater in downtown San José, where participants and sponsors were rewarded with prizes for fundraising and refreshments.
Overall it was a great afternoon—a fun and lighthearted way to raise community awareness for some very serious issues. Next year, we hope to cheer on our own SVRG male referees as they complete their first mile in our shoes.
If you missed our event but would still like to make a donation to the YWCA of Silicon Valley or learn more about their programs, please visit their website at:
https://secure.cnchost.com/ywca-sv.org/donateform.php
Silicon Valley Roller Girls (SVRG) is an all-female flat track roller derby league established in 2007 and represents what is known as Silicon Valley, California. SVRG aims to bring an additional exciting sport to the communities of Silicon Valley and allows women from all walks of life a chance to show their athleticism, intelligence, individuality, inner beauty and strength by participating in the subculture phenomenon of roller derby. SVRG is entirely skater-owned and run. Its dedicated members represent Silicon Valley’s mothers, professionals and students. SVRG encourages competition between other leagues and strives to represent Silicon Valley with sportsmanship and excitement.
2008 marks SVRG’s first season of bouting against other leagues. This year, in addition to increasing our numbers and creating 2 or 3 distinct teams of our own, we hope to achieve our accreditation from WFTDA, the women’s flat track derby association.