By Antoinette DeNise

With endless dress options for brides and bridesmaids nowadays, it’s no surprise that dress makers would soon direct their attention to flower girls. Introducing more colors, rich fabrics, and more modern cuts, flower girls everywhere will soon be strutting their stuff down the aisle with style.

“More and more brides want their flower girls to wear something more than just a communion dress to their wedding,” says Veruka Vockner, spokesperson for Smitherman & Barnwell, (212-201-1309; www.smithermanandbarnwell.com), a children’s clothing designer based in Manhattan. “We’re finding that they want more colorful, unique dresses that are fun, not too grown up, but definitely elegant.”

Available at five retail locations throughout New Jersey, Smitherman & Barnwell offers a large variety of flower girl dresses, all made from imported European fabric.  Two of their most popular collections are the Summer in Paris Collection, which features tea-length dresses in charming countryside prints, and the Gottuso Collection, with formal and elegant full-length silk gowns.

Kristin Erickson, owner of Nonchalance wedding boutique in Morristown (973-292-0902; www.nonchalancenj.com), is finding similar trends in her store. “The majority of brides are still going for the more traditional white dresses with sashes matching the bridesmaids’ dresses, but we are seeing a significant increase in brides requesting full color dresses,” Erickson says. “And several bridesmaid dress designers and flower girl dress designers are meeting the demand.”

Included in the group is Jim Hjelm, who just launched his flower-girl collection with two satin taffeta gowns, made to match any of the designer’s bridesmaid dress colors. Us Angels, a popular flower-girl dressmaker, is also introducing more color to its lines, as well incorporating lace and embroidered organza.

Another popular trend is the use of accessories. Smitherman & Barnwell launched the Twinkle and Tiara collections with dainty bracelets and colorful tiaras made with various stones. They also sell a petite Pomodoro handbag, which is ideal for stashing flower pedals to be scattered down the aisle. Another accessory, according to both Vockner and Erickson, is wearing cover-ups. Popular styles include fur caplets, organza jackets, fuzzy shawls, and full-length matching jackets.