Things to keep in mind when you have a toddler in a wedding:
1. Do not expect your child to know that this is the most important day of someone else's life. As in any day, they expect to be the center of attention, all things revolving around them.
2. Do not expect your child to pose for any picture. Admit it. You hate holding a grin on your face more than two times in a row. Imagine having to do this 100 times being tired and hungry with a strange man making goofy and annoying comments at you.
3. Do not expect your child to sit still. Do they sit still for extended amount of periods at home unless being visually stimulated? No. So how can you expect them to watch two people stand in front of room talking to each other about things you don't understand for longer that 3 minutes?
4. You need to make anything that looks like it could have a fun aspect to it fun. That includes having juice in a fancy cup ( a wine glass ), using the fancy accessories in the bathroom, ( a little hairspray never hurt anyone), lightly sticking their finger in the cake to taste the icing (only to have this be one of the few times the photographer can get them on film), playing hideseek under your table, and doing the enitre hokey pokey and chicken dance with everyone at the reception with the child in the center.
5. 2 key elements. Nap & Snack. In this case the ring bearer fell asleep under the head table with his legs sticking out under the table cloth, and the flower girl passed out while sitting on her Honeygram's lap. We also bribed for one more minute of good behavior with fruit snacks and pretzel sticks. (several times)
There are many more tips, perhaps I should write a book.
Kendall did great for being a flower girl. I totally kept in the forefront the reality of the situation and that is simply that she is 2. So with that fact out there, she did splendidly for 2. The rehersal went well. She walked down the aisle to Daddy hand in hand with the ring bearer, Roberto, with the thought of a princess as a reward for doing this as her motivation. At the dinner she was spotted digging her fingers into the cake for a little taste long before it was time for dessert, but a minor incident that was fixed with the spaghetti coming to her spot. I think the bottom line was that it was 8 p.m. and she was hungry and if that meant she sank her teeth into some cake, well thats what she had to do for nourishment. For her presents she was given a butterfly necklace and a little bracelet that had links the shape of little hearts. She was also given a tee shirt with her name on it with flower girl on the back in 'sparkles, mommy,' that she wore the morning of the wedding with all the other girls in their special tees. She also was given a willow tree of spring that has an angel holding flowers, much like a flower girl.
The following morning we went to meet the bridesmaids at the bride's home to ride to the ceremony in the limo to the ceremony and to also get ready with the girls. I think that once Kendall walked in and saw Heather in her gown it all finally made sense to her. So she eagerly got into her princess dress and joined the other princesses in the 'whimo.' This was a great treat for Kendall since she did not have to be in a car seat. For the first five minutes she sat very still next to Heather and then she warmed up to her surroundings and thought that this was the greatest opportunity in her short life thus far.
Kendall did o.k. for pre pictures in the bridal suite. She cooperated for a few and opted out of a few and when it was time to go to the ceremony site outside I think she started getting a bit overwhelmed. Roberto decided he wanted to walk down with his mom, a bridesmaid, and so he did. So I knelt down next to Kendall and pointed to Daddy when it was her turn and said, 'there is Daddy, go and get your princesses from him.' She excitedly said, ' I see him,' and took off down the aisle.
I hurried to me seat and as I sat, I heard laughter, and then heard Kendall cry. My parents later told me that Kendall had stopped mid way and must had heard the harp that was not at rehersal, she began to dance right there in the aisle and then when everyone laughed she froze and cried in embarassment. Andy went and scooped her up and the cries got louder. He handed her to my mom who had an aisle seat and then went to the back. After a few loud sobs she was quited down. It was a beautiful ceremony with a little memorial to Heather's mother who had passed away only a month before the wedding of cancer.
Roberto, the ring bearer
Kendall enjoying the bubbles post ceremony, about the only thing she enjoyed at that hour of the day
And here comes a major meltdown
After the ceremony there was group shots which Kendall and Roberto outright refused to participate in. It was an early morning for them and lunch and nap time was looming. We had some snacks in the suite to wait for the announcement of the bridal party and then I scooted out to my seat. Kendall loved the loud music and I was told by Andy that as she waited outside of the ballroom for her name to be announced she kept getting more and more excited. She was announced with the best man, her daddy, the maid of honor, and Roberto, and she came running in twirling and dancing around. Quickly after lunch Kendall fell asleep in Honeygram's arms.
When she woke up from her nap, about an hour later, she was a new woman. We asked the d.j. to put on the Hokey Pokey for her and she danced for about 2 hours until the end of the reception. She also loved the chicken dance.
Kendall dancing with Bruno, the groom
The puffy dresses. Kendall loved that she and Heather had on such puffy dresses. I love this shot of Heather's dress.
She still talks about the wedding when asked or reminded. So all in all it was a really fun day and a successful one for the two year old flower girl.
Oh and if you were wondering about E, he was at my aunts home playing all day, never the wiser that he was missing his sister's debut moment as a flower girl, which made the day so much easier for me.
Thanks Aunt Amy.
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