Children are wonderful in weddings and often are the scene stealers. Generally serving as ring bearers and flower girls, they will do exactly what they want to and they will be -- yes, absolutely -- they will be children. Some make it down the aisle and some do not. Some walk, some run, some dance. Some make faces at the guests, some cry, some refuse to go down the aisle and some need to hold moms hand for courage. Regardless of what they do, they are wonderful and will almost always lend a little comic relief to the otherwise solemn ceremony.

I watched one beautiful little 3 year old flower girl place one flower petal at a time geometrically all the way down a very long aisle while people on both sides were telling her to hurry. Paying no heed, she did it her way. When she got to the front row where her mother was seated, she was obviously pleased with herself and she stood in front dancing throughout the ceremony. It was priceless and a wedding that this officiant will not forget. In another wedding the two ring bearers, each two years old, one dressed in black formal western wear and the other in a kilt, never made it down the isle but they had a wonderful time and so did everyone else who watched them. One little ring bearer announced loudly, Mama, mama, I have to go make boats and was quickly whisked away to the bathroom as the guests tried hard to suppress their laughter.

A WORD OF CAUTION HERE: IF you are an up-tight bride or groom or mother-of-the-bride who must have everything letter perfect or you will consider the whole thing a national disaster, DO NOT HAVE CHILDREN IN YOUR WEDDING. The stress of worrying about what a child will or will not do is just not worth it. But if you want a wedding that is warm and real and beautiful then let little Susie and Mary throw flowers all the way down the aisle, on the guests, or on themselves and have little Timmie be the ring bearer using the ring pillow as a ball or balancing it on his head. This is certainly not the way you practiced it at the rehearsal, but it will be special and something you will never forget.