A Guide to Flower Girl and Junior Bridesmaid Dresses

Flower Girl or Junior Bridesmaid?

The flower girl is the child who walks just ahead of the bride, scattering rose petals along the way or carrying a small basket, and is usually aged 3–7. A junior bridesmaid is a slightly older girl, usually aged 8–12; she stands alongside the bridesmaids and often carries a small bouquet.

This distinction also shapes the choice of dress. A flower girl dress usually echoes the feel of the wedding dress: pale tones, tulle, lace and floral details. A junior bridesmaid dress follows the bridesmaids' colour palette, but its cut should stay right for the child's age. We've gathered general suggestions for children attending a wedding as guests separately in our guide to children's outfits for weddings.

Matching the Wedding Dress: White, Ivory and Blush

At weddings there's an unwritten courtesy that everyone notices: not wearing the same white as the bride. If the wedding dress is bright white, choosing ivory, cream or champagne rather than repeating the same tone makes the bride stand out in photos. If the wedding dress is ivory, the child shouldn't wear bright white; side by side, the wedding dress can look yellower than it really is. In flash photos bright white looks slightly bluish while ivory looks warm, and the difference becomes noticeable in side-by-side shots.

The most reliable approach is to ask for a photo of the wedding dress taken in daylight and, if possible, a small fabric swatch. If the wedding has a theme colour (such as sage green, dusty blue or lilac), the dress can stay in a pale tone and carry that colour in a sash, a bow or a few flower details. You can browse pale designs on our white and cream party dresses and pink and blush party dresses pages.

If the wedding dress has a distinctive lace or floral motif, you can send us a photo and ask for a similar detail on the child's dress. The colour, fabric and details of the designs in the collection can also be changed as a custom design.

Designs in light tones

White Lace Party Dress₺3,500 · VAT includedCream Leaf-Embroidered Long Tulle Party Dress₺3,500 · VAT includedBeige Satin Ruffled High-Low Party Dress₺3,500 · VAT includedBlush Chiffon Party Dress with Bow₺3,500 · VAT included

Skirt Length and Walking Safely

The flower girl's most important moment is a walk of a few metres, often over a carpet, steps, grass or marble scattered with petals. A skirt that touches the ground can tangle around the child's feet on these surfaces. So a good starting point is for the skirt to end at or just above the ankle with her shoes on, and to be kept a little shorter for the youngest girls.

A train and a back skirt trailing on the floor look beautiful on a bride, but on a child they're a tripping hazard. If a long silhouette is wanted, a high-low cut keeps the ceremonial feel while leaving the feet free. In layered tulle skirts, having the inner layer slightly shorter than the outer one reduces the chance of a shoe buckle catching on the tulle. Rose petals can be slippery on marble; shoes should have non-slip soles and be worn in beforehand.

• The skirt should end at or just above the ankle, with shoes on
• Consider a high-low cut instead of a train that trails on the floor
• In a layered skirt, the inner tulle should be shorter than the outer layer
• Have her wear the shoes at home a few times before the wedding

Comfortable Sleeves for the Basket and Bouquet

Scattering petals takes more arm movement than you'd think: the child holds the basket in one hand, takes petals from it with the other and swings her arm forward. A dress with narrow armholes and a tight shoulder seam restricts this movement, and the child starts tugging at her dress halfway down the aisle. Designs with straps, cape sleeves or a roomy shoulder cut are more practical in this respect.

You also need to think about where the basket or bouquet touches. When dense stones or sequins are worked onto the waist and the inner arm, the stones can catch on the basket handle, and the inside of the arm rubs throughout the walk; it's wiser to gather the embellishment on the neckline, back and skirt. As junior bridesmaids carry their bouquet at waist height throughout the ceremony, being able to move their arms freely keeps them comfortable too.

The season also affects the choice of sleeves and fabric. At winter weddings, more substantial fabrics such as velvet or satin and long-sleeved designs may be preferred; at summer and garden weddings, light fabrics such as chiffon and organza tire the child less in the heat.

Try-On, Measurements and Timing

As children can grow noticeably in a few months, the measurements should be taken just before sewing begins, not months before the wedding. Height, chest, waist and arm length are the basic measurements; the skirt length should be measured with the shoes to be worn at the wedding. We explain how to take measurements step by step in our measuring guide.

At Nisi Kids, every dress is sewn to the child's measurements. Once the design and measurements are confirmed, preparation usually takes 7–14 days; if you mention the wedding date at the very start, the plan is made around it. Measurements are confirmed together over WhatsApp, and if you're in Istanbul they can also be taken at the atelier in Pendik. If there's any problem caused by the sewing, it's put right free of charge. If an item is faulty, your legal rights, including a replacement, a price reduction or a refund, are not affected. When the dress reaches you, do a little try-on before the wedding:

• Put the dress on her with her wedding shoes and have her walk up and down the hallway a few times
• Give her the basket and practise the petal-scattering movement
• Ask her to raise her arms, and to sit down and stand up
• Check whether the hem touches the floor and whether it catches on steps
• Ask whether the tulle or lining itches the backs of her legs

The Same Design for More Than One Flower Girl

If there's more than one flower girl at the wedding, such as sisters or cousins, having the same design made for different ages gives the photos a cohesive look. The same fabric, tone and details are used, while measurements are taken separately for each child. If a 4-year-old and a 10-year-old are wearing the same design, the younger one's skirt can be kept a little shorter and her details simpler.

Another approach is to stay within the same colour family and vary the cut by age: a full princess skirt for the little flower girl, for example, and a simpler, straight-falling chiffon design for the junior bridesmaid. If the families live in different cities, each family can take the measurements at home; measurements are confirmed together over WhatsApp, and the dresses are shipped to all 81 provinces of Türkiye. We explain how group orders work on our group orders page.

• Send all the children's ages and measurements in one go
• Fix the fabric and tone as a single decision for everyone
• Simplify the skirt length and details for the youngest child