Bridesmaids and flower girls: Five golden rules for your all-girl crew

Traditionally, a flower girl or two will walk up the aisle before the bride and scatter fragrant petals in her path. Today, bridesmaids can walk before or after the bride, and they come in all different shapes and sizes, from tiny tots to older friends and sisters and everything in between. You might choose just to have your best friend or your sister as your Maid of Honour. You might have a mix of ages. Or you might surround yourself with your closest friends.

 "There are countless articles about how to structure your wedding party, including flower girls, junior bridesmaids, bridesmaids and your Maid or Matron of Honour. But if I'm completely honest I don't think rules apply – you just need to do whatever is right for you and your family and friends. Everyone is unique so there is no single best way to do it. Decide who you want to be with you as you go down the aisle, and go from there. Tear up the rule book if you want to, just be true to yourself", says ARC's founder, Anna Wills.

However you choose to structure it, here are five golden rules for your all-girl crew.

1.     Think about budget.

·       Every person you add to your wedding party, from the flower girl to the groomsman, is going to add to your budget. Consider flowers and buttonholes, clothing and accessories, hair and makeup and accommodation and transport. Set a budget and stick within it.

2.     Be clear, manage expectations.

·       Be clear with your bridesmaids' and flower girls' families from the start: explain what you plan to pay for and what you want their input to be.

·       If your best friend was planning to leave her children with grandparents or a nanny, consider the impact of asking her daughter to be your flower girl. What is more important to you both – being together without children to worry about, or having her daughter be a part of your big day?

3.     Shepherd the herd.

·       If you have too many flower girls, they can be tricky to coordinate; as anyone who's looked after small children knows, it's like herding cats. Two, three or four is usually manageable; more than that, less so.

·       Think about partnering younger, more shy types with older, more confident children to get them down the aisle.

·       Consider the order in which you process: having the bride go first gives the children someone to follow.

4.     Beware the growth spurt.

·       Did you know that children tend to grow faster in the spring? Bear in mind that children can grow extremely quickly and experience rapid spurts, so avoid ordering outfits more than six months in advance. Ask the children's parents for their opinion – and be prepared to compromise on looks for practicality and comfort!

·       Adults are also subject to weight changes; be sensitive to this. You can either order dresses with a degree of stretch in the fabric or offer a final fitting close to the day of the event.

5.     Practice makes perfect.

·       Can your bridesmaids and/or flower girls attend a ceremony rehearsal, if necessary? If not, can they meet you at the venue beforehand to run through it informally?

·       If you don't know your flower girls well, you'll have a great excuse to spend some time with them prior to the event. Being a bridesmaid or flower girl is an experience a little girl will never forget and something that can cement your friendship with her and her parents for life.