Need ideas for introducing deceased parents!

FH and I are doing including his father (who has passed) in our reception too. We've had several ideas, a candle lit with his picture, a song played in his honor, a empty chair and table with his picture. There are LOTS of ideas on this. I've also read people having a slide show and including them there and at the end have the wedding in their memory. I've seen people add pictures of all their family who had passed in glass vases with flowers inside it. I've seen pictures under a glass covering on tables.

The only thing I warn you against is his siblings (if he has any) how they might feel. You don't want people crying and morning at your wedding. You are supposed to be celebrating life. You also don't want grandparents upset or ex wives.. ect. You need to include the parents with out making other people uncomfortable and upset. We thought of some ideas and we found later people's opinions did not match up the way we thought. Just some food for though

So true about how it will impact others. We had their pictures etched on "dog tags" that will hang from my flowers. This way when the photographer takes a pic of my flowers, his parents will be in them. We also had memorial candles made that will be at our guest book table.

My fiance would like for us to "introduce" them as part of the wedding party introductions. It may be too much for everyone . . . I'm just not sure how to do it appropriately.

You could have the DJ say... "In memorial of _____ and _____ here is your Bride and groom Mr and Mrs.. ____________... That would be nice.

In my humble opinion introducing people who are not walking in the room could hurt people and confuse some who don't know. You are also risking someone saying something stupid at the wrong time there too.

We are just having our officiant state at the beginning of the ceremony that we are honoring my deceased mother and father, and my FH deceased father with the lighting of the candles for the unity candle by my oldest son and FH's oldest daughter.

I also think it is a little unusual and might make people confused or emotional.

Maybe don't introduce any parents?

Can the officiant just say a nice little something at the start of the ceremony?

Or...

Please welcome, the family and wedding party. (or some other intro???)

The late Mary and Don Smith, parents of the groom, are looking down from heaven today. - (blank) - will carry a (something) to (somewhere) in their honor.

(Their daughter Katie will carry a rose to the family table in their honor.)

Sue and Mike Jones, parents of the bride.

What we are doing is releasing a floating lantern. Before the ceremony, we will write the names of people who aren't there with us and a short message of what we would want to say. Then, after the ceremony, we are planning to release it. Haven't decided if it will be just us or everyone. We also may release more than one, but at least on the 1 we will write the names and messages.

This way, we can make it as private or as public as we want to.

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Are you doing programs? I had a small photo and wrote a short "En Memorium" for my dad in our program. My mom and grandma did tear up a bit when they saw it, but they saw it ahead of time so the focus of the wedding itself was on our joy, not my loss.