She needed a flower girl and ring bearer, but she couldn’t leave out any of her students

Every bride runs the risk of being upstaged by the cute little flower girl or ring bearer.

Adorable tykes in party clothes — they often steal the scene.

Clearly, Indianapolis school teacher Marielle Slagel Keller was just fine with that when she chose her wedding party and included not one flower girl, not just one ring bearer – but 20.

Keller invited all her students, kindergarteners and first-graders, to walk down the aisle with her on her big day.

Her employer, the Indianapolis Public Schools, posted photos from the wedding, and a story about it, on its Facebook page and website over the weekend. Kids went back to school on Monday.

Keller, who teaches at the district’s Butler Lab School, got married over the summer break.

According to the district, when Keller had to choose her flower girl and ring bearer, she thought only of her students.

“They mean the world to me,” she told school officials. “The kids and their families were part of the whole wedding planning process with me and gave me so much support along the way.

“They are a huge part of who I am, and it would not have felt right to not have them there.”

The boys and girls all wore white and carried garlands down the aisle. It was the first time some of them had been in a wedding.

This story was originally published July 31, 2017 at 11:32 AM with the headline "She needed a flower girl and ring bearer, but she couldn’t leave out any of her students."