What should we do to honor his mom?

These ideas are so sweet. Thanks for sharing ladies.

I lost my Dad on Easter also

We are doing a poem on the program. A memorial candle for him during the ceremony. He was listed on the invites & program. And we are doing a tribute dance for him at the reception. A funny one though so as not to upset everyone too much. We just lost him this year.

PS. As far as the empty chair, it is a beautiful sentiment but for those using it make sure your loved ones are prepared to see it. I can't imagine my mom having to sit next to an empty chair.

FH lost his mom a few years ago on New Years. I was thinking we might do a table with family wedding photos: my parents, his parents, our grandparents. We each only have one of our grandparents with us, so it would honor them too. One of the florists I talked to suggested we do a bud vase with FH's mom's favorite flower. That way it's a subtle reminder of her, but it isn't overwhelmingly sad.

Whatever you so I would run it by him first. I lost my mom 5 years ago. I am doing some simple things to remember her and actually have her old make up bag and will incorporate some of her eye shadow into my wedding look (she was obsessed with makeup) but I won't have pictures of her. The closer the wedding gets the harder it is to accept she won't be there. For me having a picture will put me over the edge emotionally that day. Make sure it is something he can be comfortable with.

Renee, thanks for the advice. I have talked to him about it. He wants to do something. He just isnt sure what yet.

Also, i dont think we want an empty chair. I wouldnt want his dad to be sitting alone and neither does FH

My father passed away about a year ago. He was cremated, and after I graduate and have a farm I plan to bury his ashes there. For now, his ashes are in an urn in my home. I plan to put his urn with a picture at the ceremony. I am walking down the aisle by myself, no one escorting me. For the father/daughter dance I will do a slideshow with pictures to the song I always thought we would dance to together.

I do agree you should ask your FH what he wants though. All of those things will be very emotional for me, and I will probably cry. That's okay with me, because I feel that the only thing worse than him not being there is for me to "replace" him with someone or act like I've completely forgotten about the roles he would have been filling if he were still alive. I know others wouldn't want to be emotional in front of so many people at their wedding. Everyone deals with grief differently and will want to honor their lost loved ones differently as well.

^^That is beautiful, Katie. =) I agree...different strokes, for different folks. Our lost loved ones, are not recent...his Dad, my grandparents & an uncle. It will not be shocking to anyone...and will only make them smile in memory. =)

I agree to get his input, which it sounds like you're doing. It's so sweet of you. I love how considerate you are of him. A note in your program? A special something in his pocket or sewn into your dress or with your bouquet? A reading or prayer or poem she liked (or he thinks she would like). Things known between the two of you will be special even if you don't make it known to everyone else if he doesn't want to do so.

My mom passed in 2010. The first way I honor is her that my engagement ring was her ring. That is so incredibly special to me. I'm definitely going to honor her by doing 3 things she regretted not having done for her wedding: Using calla lilies for my bouquets and boutonnières, getting hair and make up done professionally for me and sister MOH, and making sure I LOVE how I feel in my dress. They were on a tight, tight budget, and it was the end of the 70s. My dad was hippie dippie and she didn't speak up for these things she really wanted. The calla lilies will be a tribute to her and my dad. He still tells me frequently that he wished they'd spent more and had calla lilies. He'll be really touched with a calla lily boutonnière.

I'll also have a charm on my bouquet or sewn into my dress or strategically on me somehow-- I'll probably make it from a piece her handwriting, and/or a piece of her jewelry. I've thought about maybe one of my favorite pictures of us together, but I don't know. Wedding planning without her makes me sad. A picture day of might be too much for me.

Other than a note in our ceremony program, I don't think we'll do anything else like a candle lighting. Our wedding will be the day before her birthday and I just know that anything like that will send my grandma over the edge. Same sign an empty seat. I think she might not even sit herself if I did that. She'd take offense.