Saturday, September 27, 2008

I Am So Not Above Bribing...


We have a family wedding in a few weeks and the boys have been tapped as Ringbearer and Ringbearer's Assistant. Any thoughts on how to get a 3 year old and 20 month old down the aisle? The grandparents will be in charge of getting them down as Mr. Incredible and I are in the wedding as well and will have already walked.

Our current strategy is to have Papa at the back and Momo at the front of the church in the pew with candy in tow (a very rare treat for my kids). We got them into their tuxes for fitting by bribing them with candy corn, which neither of them had seen before. Worked like a charm.

Everyone knows what they signed up for as far as toddlers in weddings go...it is anybody's guess what they'll do. Just wanted to see if anyone has any helpful hints...

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

if you both are already at the front they can just walk to you and maybe you could hold them for a bit and then send them to the pew with grandma (who is holding candy?)

Unknown said...

Hi--wedding coordinator here. :) Have them walk down together, and meet Grandma near the front row. Don't have them up on the altar--it's too difficult. On the way down, have one of the attendants (maybe Mom & Dad) grab them if you want them in the recessional--but that's optional--you just want to make sure they are with the wedding party if you are doing pictures afterward. Having little ones usually works out fine, but is unpredictable. They may add some comic relief! Have fun!

Juris Mater said...

Tex, Bella was the flower girl in my brother's wedding when she was 26 months old. The bride's mother hand made her dress, and put it this way--she used tea to color the ivory antique lace and it took her several months to complete--the dress was a true heirloom work of perfection. Bella's flowery, ribbon crown and flower basket alone cost the bride's family a small fortune. We spent the eve of the wedding practicing over and over and over again (50 times maybe?) her walking down the aisle straight to my mom who had M&Ms waiting for her each time. Yet the day of the wedding, Bella had a total tear-flooding screaming meltdown during the procession and refused to walk, so I had to carry her in one hand and her flower basket in the other. I'm sure it was cute by some standards.

I say you got it right with your closing comment... everyone knows what they sign up for when they invite toddlers into the wedding party : )

I really think it's an age thing. Bella gets a second shot at being flower girl in a couple weeks for my sister in law's wedding, and judging from the way she recently treated our family portrait as a personal glamour shot photo session, I expect her to shoot the lights out this time around.

Juris Mater said...

PS--Tex, your boys look unbelievably handsome and dapper in their tuxedos. I won't show Bella and Angelina this picture yet because I want them to at least give fair consideration to a celibate vocation.

Anonymous said...

Do not let them actually give the boys the real rings. Those should be safely in the best man's pocket. Sew some fake rings onto the little pillow.

At my aunt's wedding, the ring bearer dropped the rings outside the church and no one realized until they got to that part of the ceremony. Luckily they were still on the sidewalk when someone finally thought to search outside. There was a 15-20 minute pause while everyone searched the church.

And 40 years later that's all anyone ever mentions about her wedding and reception.

B-Mama said...

lol anonymous about the ring bearer dropping the rings! I can't even imagine... Tex, I echo JM's thoughts that the boys look so handsome!! They are going to steal the show!

Lara's thoughts on having the boys walk together would be so cute. Then you could give Dash the responsibility of getting his little brother down the aisle (and himself while he's at it!) The question is, will Jack Jack hold Dash's hand? Our T-baby is being quite the stubborn 2yo these days and won't hold his big brother's hand when crossing a parking lot!

All that said, the boys are going to be adorable!

Right Said Red said...

They look really cute! I'd try the candy (just once during rehearsal). Let them know they will get it again the next day. Make the candy bigger, and give them something in a shiny wrapper so they can see Grandmom and Grandpop dangling it at the end of the aisle.

Good Luck!

Kate E. said...

Alice's kids were in my wedding and it went 50-50! I think the meltdown happens day of because all of the people and the "feel" (they do feel that tension) really can affect those little ones. Also her oldest (who was 2 at the time) was so freaked out to see me all decked out in my bridal get-up, and in general to see people looking different so that is a factor as well.

There was also some wind and leaf issues that I won't go into.

But...they both looked totally adorable and the point is, we tried, I loved having them there, and it was nice to focus on that issue in the few minutes leading up to my walk down the aisle because then I wasn't nervous!

Good luck, they will look great no matter how it goes!