The littlest member of the groomsmen party – and arguably the most adorable – is the page boy. Page boys are certainly not compulsory at any wedding, but if the couple has any children, younger siblings, cousins, young nephews, or even sons of close family friends, it’s often a charming gesture to include them in the celebrations.

What does a page boy do exactly? Let’s take a closer look at the duties of this role:

1. Carrying the bride’s train

This particular role is the most traditional duty of the page boy, although, depending on the style of the bride’s dress, she may not have a train long enough to justify the page boy holding it up. Trains are not always easy to handle, so although some page boys can be as young as three years old, it’s advisable to let an older page boy of around seven to ten years old perform this important role.

2. Ring bearing

Page boys make excellent ringbearers if you’re not separating the ringbearer role completely. This particular duty is sometimes given to the youngest page boy, as it’s a relatively easy task to complete and will make the littlest one feel as though he has played an important part in the ceremony. Placing the rings atop a silk cushion and giving it to the page boy to carry down the aisle is one option, or, alternatively, placing them in an easy-to-hold basket might be simpler. Fake rings can be used instead of the real deal if there are concerns about them getting lost as they’re being carried.

3. Escorting the flower girls

What could be more adorable than a flower girl and page boy walking hand in hand down the aisle together? The cute factor aside, it can be reassuring for young children to accompany each other side by side, rather than facing the long walk alone. Pairing a page boy up with a slightly older flower girl, or vice versa, will mean that the older child will feel a sense of importance in their role as guardian, and the younger child will be less likely to wander off course or forget what they’re supposed to be doing.

4. Scattering flower petals

Traditionally, this role is reserved for the flower girls, however not all couples have family members or close friends with little girls of the right age. Sometimes, it can be good to mix things up a little, and there’s nothing stopping a page boy from taking on this duty. The page boy can be given a basket of petals to scatter in front of the bride as she makes her way down the aisle. In the event that any attendees suffer from hay fever, fake petals or soap bubbles can serve as an alternative to real petals.

5. Coin bearing

Less common than bearing the rings is the job of bearing coins, a role more commonly seen in Spanish-speaking weddings. Coins are carried down the aisle to be blessed by the celebrant, and so this is another possible duty for a little page boy, providing the tradition fits with the theme of the wedding.

With a whole host of potential duties, there’s something for every page boy in the wedding party to get involved with.