Ceremony Remembrance for Those who have Passed Away

I am doing a remembrance vases for those that have passed. Plus I have seen different weddings were the couple leaves a space open for the missing family member and places a flower or picture there.

We are having the officiant say my mother and father and FH's father is remembered as my son and FG's daughter light the candles that we will light our unity candle with. I am also placing a sunflower on a chair for my father and a poinsettia for my mother. Their favorite flowers. I am also carrying a small picture of my mother and father and sister in my bouquet.

That is a beautiful idea to have open chairs with a flower. I think I want to incorporate that into our ceremony.

I'm sorry for your losses.

We lost FMIL just before getting engaged and we wanted to include her without making it a focal point, b/c we knew that people wouldn't be able to handle that. So we did little things - like the band played one of her favorite Elvis songs at the reception, we served some of her favorite foods and plastered family photos everywhere, and I had the florist add little polka dotted ribbons to all of our ceremony flowers, bouquets and bouts. She loved polka dots. It was something little that nobody would notice if they didn't know it was there, but it was meaningful to us.

We are leaving an ivite for our son and FMIL at there grave site. There will be a table or seat not fully decided for her honor. My blue will be a ribbon for our son. We plan on playing his mom and dads wedding song as a memory song and that's probably about it like others said we didn't want to make it sad we just wanted to honor them since they are no longer with us.

I think Kris makes a very good point. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it is not something that will totally unravel you. Usually, when I mention a parent during the ceremony, it's very brief, and I almost never include a moment of silence, just a remembrance.

Many of my couples have incorporated candles, special music, lockets, readings that their parents loved, worn their jewelry, and most add them to the program notes.

Have a wonderful wedding and know t hey are there with you in spirit.