Honoring Living but non attending parent

Pictures! Place a picture of her, maybe before the dementia was bad? On a seat in the front row, as well as placing pictures of her on the table where the cake is or maybe where the guest book is? Play some of her favorite songs? My fh grandmother just passed away from dementia, and we are planning on doing some of these things to honor her. Fh mother also just informed us that before the dementia was to bad she gave her money to pay for the wedding rings. It was so sweet and made our wedding rings that much more special as I feel like I have a little part of fh grandmother with me. Dementia is terrible and I'm so sorry you and fh are going through that with his mother.

My cousin had a table at her wedding with pictures of all parents, grandparents, etc. regardless of living or passed away. Just a nice family table, it was a sweet gesture to our grandfather who was alive but couldn't travel that far!

Hey Jenn! I’m so sorry that you and your FH are going through this. It’s not easy watching someone you love living with dementia.

I agree with the pp’s that photographs are a wonderful way to honor someone who is unable to attend your wedding, whether they are alive or have passed.

You could also reserve a seat in her honor at the ceremony, perhaps with some of her favorite flowers in the chair instead of a photograph.

My mom also has severe dementia and won't be at the wedding. I purchased a swag/garland that I'm going to put on an empty chair with her picture at the ceremony. I'm also including daisies in my bouquet, since that's what she carried when she married my dad.

My fiance has agreed that at some point after the wedding, we'll take our wedding duds and go to the nursing home where she lives and take pictures with her and eat cake together to celebrate. At least at this point, she'll be alert enough to know that there's something going on and to want to have fun and eat cake and get dressed up, but honestly she has no idea about our wedding or even who my fiance is, despite me telling her all about it. Making the trip to the wedding and someone keeping an eye on her during the day would be impossible--she's a wanderer... So I'm happy I'll still get pictures with her in our wedding clothes and we can celebrate and have a happy time with her, and we will recognize her presence there at the actual wedding as well.

I love the idea of the Garland wrap! I hesitate to use a framed photo because I dont want it to be mistaken as a memorial seat. Maybe this will help because it will be a little different then my father's on the other side of the aisle. I was afraid almost side by side it would give the impression she had already passed.

I hope your time with your mom in all your wedding attire is amazing and you get to make the moment incredible for her! How sweet.