Were you ever a flower girl? I never was, but always wanted to be. So when my friend, Katie, asked Lira and Zana to be flower girls in her Charlottesville wedding, it was ON.
No time to waste… we read flower girl books, watched YouTube videos (yes, really), and talked about the importance of their mission. “Don’t mess up. You have the most important job in the entire wedding…. Yeah, I know you’re not the bride, but throwing those flowers on the ground sets the stage for the entire wedding.” I can’t figure out why, but the night before the wedding, they both decided they didn’t want to be flower girls anymore.
After bribing them with toys that they could only pay with after getting an A+ on their flower girl final exam, they were ready to roll.
Here’s how they got an A+:
- Asking the tough questions. From “Why do we have to throw the flowers on the ground?” to “What’s that thing on your leg? (a garter). Princess Tiana didn’t wear one of those when she got married,” these girls kept the bride on her toes. So Katie, what does one do with that garter belt? I never heard your answer.
“No really, what is that thing on your leg?” - Launching the party rocket. Just before ceremony time, there was an eerie, nervous silence. A bridesmaid thought a song might lighten the mood… but what song? Just then, Zana screamed at the top of her lungs “PARTY ROCKET’S IN THE HOUSE TONIGHT!” And from that moment, it really was. “Everybody just have a good time!” all the bridesmaids sang back. Also, I think LMFAO got their own lyrics wrong. Zana’s version is much better.
What’s everyone so nervous about? - Providing the getaway. During picture time, it’s hard to notice when someone disappears So it’s no surprise that, before we realized she was gone, Zana climbed into the driver seat of the golf cart, and pushed the gas pedal. Shrieks and screams ensued as Dave and I sprinted toward her. Luckily, she only drove a few feet…. And what did she have to say for herself? Not much -just giggles.
“I could have driven it better.” - Boogey-ing. “I Katie, take you Colin…” “AAAAACHHHHOOOOO!” You know those sneezes with the snot that hangs down to your waist? The thick, greenish-yellow snot producing sneezes? Zana picked the perfect moment for one of those. Terrified bridesmaids exchanged “do I have to deal with this?” looks, but little Z knew to come on over to my purse full of tissues, get her nose wiped, and get right back up there. (Somehow there wasn’t a picture of any of this in the professional photos. Go figure.)
- And boogie-ing. My favorite part of many weddings (including my own) is when the flower girls dance. It’s usually just a dance or two… but not with my party animals. Lira took several twirls around the dance floor, while Zana found her place on stage. Flashbacks of my college days didn’t let me sleep much that night… but the pictures sure do rule.
Bonus Points:
- To Lira for being the most patient and loving big sister I’ve ever seen.
- Dave, for putting on a pirate hat.
Full disclosure: the real reason I’m writing this post is because the wedding photographer, Jack Looney, took some of my favorite pictures of the girls that I’ve ever seen. I mean really…
Tell me about your flower girl experiences in the comments below!
Great post, Besa! That picture of Z on stage is amazing! Elena was a flower girl a few years ago. I was so impressed with her determination to make sure EVERY flower made it out of her basket and onto the ground. It wasn’t the most even of distributions, but I could tell she was on a mission and I was so proud of her…I truly thought it was a window of things to come for her.