Skip to main content

The Little Man's Role as the Ring Bearer


Children are so adorable in weddings!  A cute little ring bearer that ends up running down the aisle always gets the crowd smiling.  Little brothers, nephews, cousins or even children of close friends are fair game to be chosen as your ring bearer.

The Ring Bearer & The Ring Pillow

The ring bearer walks down the aisle just before the flower girl and carries  a ring pillow with two rings tied to it. As you can imagine, typically these are not the ACTUAL wedding bands, rather a representation of them. It can be risky to entrust the real rings to a young child, so the ring bearer role is largely symbolic (but definitely cute). Generally, the best man and the maid of honor hold on to the real rings.


Here are a few tips for choosing your ring bearer and making it fun for the little guy to be part of the wedding party, as well as the wedding ceremony and reception.

1. Who to choose:  Ring Bearers are usually between the ages of  3 to 7 years old.  Kids 8 and older are typically given another role, such as a "junior groomsman".  Generally there is one ring bearer but if you have more than one little boy who you can't resist including in your wedding, you can give them different roles. For example, one may have the task of ringing a bell and announcing "Here Comes the Bride!", just before you walk down the aisle, or one can be the page (who manages the long train for the bride).

2. Dressing the ring bearer:  The ring bearer's outfit typically matches or complements the groom's attire and the theme of the wedding.  Be sure to take into consideration how comfortable (or uncomfortable) the formal outfits are for the kids to wear.  Make sure you don't dress him too soon on your wedding day. He will tire of the outfit quickly, so it's generally best to dress the ring bearer close to the time of ceremony.

3. Make him a part of the wedding party:  Include your ring bearer in the rehearsal as well as any other pre-wedding events that are appropriate. This gives the ring bearer time to get to know the others in your wedding party (so he's not nervous or intimidated on the day of the event) and allows him to be more comfortable being part of this group.

4. Keep him occupied: As soon as his job in the wedding ceremony is done he may become bored or restless during the remainder. Make sure his parents are seated on an aisle so they can assist, if needed. After the ceremony, have a few items available to keep his attention while he waits for pictures.  Stay away from candy or sweet treats before the ceremony, though.  You don't want to give your ring bearer a sugar rush for the ceremony or for the photo session afterward. Small healthy treats are okay, but make sure they are easy to eat and not messy so you can keep his outfit clean through picture time!


4. Be sure to give him a small thank you gift:  The ring bearer's job is hard when you think of what he has to do, especially for his age. A fun thank you gift may be one of those items you give ahead of time. Depending on what type of gift you select, it can help keep them busy during the remainder of the wedding ceremony and well in to the reception.

Remember, with children anything can happen, so don't be frustrated if all doesn't go exactly as planned.  

After being part of the wedding ceremony and the photo session your ring bearer will be looking forward to the reception.  He'll be able to eat and play with his toys or gifts to his heart's content!


~ The WhereBridesGo.com Team
Take 15% off your entire order at WhereBridesGo.com with coupon code WHATBRIDESLOVE, plus get FREE SHIPPING on orders over $100.

Where brides go®  ... for what brides love! For a great selection of affordable bridesmaid giftswedding accessories, and wedding cake tops, check out WhereBridesGo.com!  

For more ideas, wedding favors and accessories, check out WhereBridesGo.com! 
Connect with WhereBridesGo.com online!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist

There's no need to be  overwhelmed with the thought of planning your big day. Sit down, take a deep breath, grab a cup of tea or a glass of wine and look over our popular 12-month planning guide. Planning a wedding is simply a matter of getting organized. 11-12 Months Before the Wedding Officially announce your engagement online and in your local paper. Bride's Planning Tote Decide on a time and date for the wedding. Decide style of ceremony (size, setting, formality, etc.). Contact a wedding officiate. Arrange for your families to meet if they haven't met before. Develop a budget and decide who will pay for what. Begin compiling your guest list. Visit and reserve your reception venue. 9-10 Months Before the Wedding Order your wedding gown and determine who will make any necessary alterations. Choose your wedding party. Decide on a color scheme (consider the recepti...

The Ultimate Wedding Party Responsibilities Checklist

Planning a wedding and participating in a wedding can be a daunting task. Traditionally, wedding party members all have very distinct roles to help with the process and make life easier on the bride and groom. This wedding party responsibilities checklist can serve as a guideline to help you get a grip on who does what. Customize this list to meet the unique needs for your wedding party. Bride and Groom : Together Decide on your budget. Consult with your parents, if they are paying for or contributing to the wedding. Decide on and set the style, wedding theme , date, time, and the place of ceremony and reception. Make the reservations and deposits. Meet with your wedding officiate and participate in any premarital counseling required. Order your Save-the-...

8 Tips to Save Money on Your Wedding Flowers

Yes, you CAN have a beautiful wedding with wonderful flowers -- without breaking the bank. All you need is a little creativity and these eight tips to help cut your floral costs. Integrate festive balloons with your floral arrangements. Balloons are decidedly less expensive than flowers and they can be used at your reception venue to provide an elegant and festive atmosphere. Many balloon artists are now mixing balloons with pretty white lights for evening weddings. These are beautiful! Select flowers that are in season. Selecting flowers in season will dramatically cut your costs. If you have your heart set on exotic flowers that either out-of-season or hard to get in your region, consider using silk flowers instead. Limit the size of your wed...