Looking for unique ways to honor lost loved ones at the wedding..

We are incorporating a couple of lines about loved ones who couldn't be with us this day into our ceremony.

Is there somewhere you can light a candle for each person and leave it burning all night? Some people set a place setting for each person, which I suppose could be nice, but seems a bit morbid to me, but a burning candle is a nice tribute. You could put framed photos of the people out, too. Just a standard 8x10 on a little table just for them could be nice, too.

Maybe your groom's best man could have with him something that belonged to the friend that was lost or something that was of significance to the best friends.

My fiancee's mom passed away 2 years ago and his brother 6 years ago. He very emotional about it all so he didnt want anything like that in the ceremony since it's still too hard for him and he says "I dont want to be sad on our wedding day, i wanna be happy" SO...I have grandparents and an uncle on my side that cant be here so in our programs instead of listing everyones names. I am putting a little note saying those who cant be with us today are in our hearts. And also, my something old is his mothers wedding ring that he doesnt know i have and I'm pinning it in my dress. Maybe I'll tell him on our one year anniversary.

A decade after my Grandma passed away, my cousin was able to fit into her wedding dress. My cousin also used a piece of art that Nanny had made for the ceremony program cover. You could use a picture of you all together or a picture of something that your grandparents may have liked (hobby, etc). Or you you have any photos or albums (make copies) and display them at your reception. Than you can tie in their happy memories with yours. My friend's sister's fiancee invited the mother of his best man/best friend who had passed away before the wedding to speak during the ceremony. The groom gave a small introduction that she would speak on his behalf. There were tears of course, but it was tears in his friends honor, not in sadness. Perhaps a relative of the best man could be picked.

Good luck!

At my older sisters native ceremony, a flag was placed to represent the loved ones who could not be there. The flag was the flag of the country that they came from. I know this won't directly apply to your situation, but I hope it inspires you.

We released balloons for my husbands 2 best friends that died and my husband put personal notes to both of them in the balloons....I actually posted this yesterday but in one of the pictures of us with the balloons there is a littke light bubble thing(sign of a spirit) on my husbands shoulder in the picture

Thanks Ladies... these are all helpful!

Lindsay,

I love the idea of the balloon release with the note... I'm not sure what you mean by the little bubble thing... can't see the picture you posted close enough.. can you send to my email at *********@*****.***?

Thanks!

Lindsay that actually sounds like a really cool way to remember loved ones, I might steal that idea for my wedding and remembering my grandpa, and both of his grandparents on his moms side... other than that we were going to have a bouquet of forget-me-nots (most likely going to be fake) in a vase with a song FH's mom wrote that's in a frame next to them and three place cards with their names on them all on a table at the reception. I know my grandpa will be there in spirit even though I wish he could be there in real life, but that just isn't gonna be able to happen

Borrow a piece of their jewelry, or a watch of theirs

Get photo cufflinks. http://www.amazon.com/Cuff-Daddy-Photo-Cufflinks/dp/B000L4L9XW

Have a photo charm in your bouquet.

Leave a flower on their seat where they would have sat

A poem in the program.

Although we cannot see you,

We know that you are here.

We feel the warmth of your smile,

And can sense that you are near.

And we want for you to know,

Your love is still our guide,

Memories carried in our hearts,

You are always at our side.

It's so sad you will not be here,

On the day we say "I do",

And so we say our vows today,

In loving memory of you.

I personally don't care for the balloon release... causes too many dead animals.

I emailed it to you

Forget me not flowers on the tribute table would be great and the poem idea also for the ceremony programs will definitely be good... didn't quite need the visual on the balloon release though..

Thanks ladies!

Did this best friend have a favorite song? It's hard to think of something special when I do not know them but let me give you an example of some of the things I am doing.

My grandmother passed away when I was 12 so instead of doing a lot of traditional things we are incorporating my grandmothers heritage into our wedding. She was Scottish. So we are going to put her crest up on the tent/walls at the reception. We are also having Scottish bagpipers entertain before the ceremony and even leaving a seat just for her.

Great ideas all. Instead of table numbers, we are using our love ones names and the tents cards will be something like: John Doe will be seated at Jack Doe's table. Then the back of the tent card will say, "My fond memories." Then I will list some like, summers in Texas, kindness, etc. Once, I do one, I will take a pic and post.

Thanks Tara and Stacey! Great ideas!

Julie, I just did this at work. This frame is on my desk w/ the FH and I in it. Our colors are silver, black, and white, so our actual frames will be silver as well. Hope this helps.

I have two baskets of flowers that will be brought to the front of the ceremony just before the seating of the living grandparents and they will represent them. Also, one of my BM lost her 2 month old son 1 1/2 months ago and all the bouquets will have a star shaped charm in his honor. (it's a whole story that ends with his big sister saying now he is a star in heaven.)

I am a fan of little things that mean something to those involved but are not obvious and dampen the spirit of your happy day.