Memorial table ideas?

I am thinking of doing a chair with a candle and a sign then a small table with a few photos. For sure we will be dancing our first dance to my grandma and Grandpa's song and I or the DJ will say a short something about how we are dedicating it to my grandma. ETA I always wanted her to walk me down the aisle and i have lost a son so it is super important for me to have something to recognize them and keep their presence with me that day. FH has lost a sister and feels the same.

We're doing a full table at our reception. My FHs father passed away recently and I really wanted him to feel like he is there with us. So I'm doing a table with photos of his father and a sign that has a quote on it. We're also reserving a chair at the ceremony for him.

I am thinking of doing a vase with a flower for each loved one that has passed, with a candle that will burn the whole night. Just something super simple.

I had a custom vase made on etsy or ebay (can't remember) with a memorial saying. I had my parents names and years of birth and death etched on the front, and our names and the date on the back. I then had it filled with navy wax to match our wedding and used it as a candle with a table of pictures of my parents and all the grandparents.

I had planned on making a memorial table with a sign that said, "I walk down memory lane because I love running into you." I thought it would be understated and appropriate, as all the people who would be featured in it died several years ago so it wouldn't be super fresh. Then my grandfather died three weeks before my wedding, and I don't think I or anyone else in my family will be able to handle a visual reminder of someone who was so excited to come to my wedding but won't be there. I'm nixing the table, I thought about having the JP mention those would are here in spirit but literally reading the words on the internet made me tear up. So now I'm having two charms on my bouquet to represent my two grandfathers who have passed, and I think that is the best way to honor them without making everyone at the wedding cry sad tears.

Im putting charms on my bouquet. but were also planning on habing a table with pictures of our grandparents, parents, and siblings wedding photos- more celebrating the love present in our families than specifically a memorial.

Skipping it.

I'm having my FH's favorite pic of him and his mom sewn into his jacket. We are private people.

Be very. very careful with empty chairs, tilted chairs, cute signs, and tables of photos ONLY of the people who are deceased.

Brief mentions during the ceremony, charms on the bouquets, heirloom jewelry almost always work.

I have a charm with a picture of my mom on my bouquet. We are doing chairs with in memory of signs, their pictures (fh's dad and my mom), and a white rose in the ceremony. Then a memorial table in the reception area.

@Celia... why do you say be careful? My mom just passed last year so I'm trying to handle everything where I don't lose it. Advice wanted.

I considered this for a minute then I decided against it. We will have a moment privately before things get started. I know we are both going to be emotional anyway but seeing my BIL's, dad, and our grandparents pictures would send me over the edge. I would be a complete wreck all day.

Such a good question. I'm tired on whether or not it will be appropriate. My FH lost him his dad last month and I'm not sure about doing a memorial either.

It can get out of hand. FH's dad passed two years ago. I was going to put a picture of him up, but then I also wanted to add one of my grandmother.. then I felt obligated to add a pic of my other grandmother, who I wasnt very close with. I have one grandfather alive but in bad health and is 91. He likely won't be able to come but he also wont be honored on the memorial table (thats where things get too morbid for me). What finally got me is that FSIL will no doubt already be sad thinking about how their dad wont be at her upcoming wedding. Do I really need to shove a picture in her face? I think I will do like others and print a pic and put it in a pocket watch or something similar for FH and just leave my deceased grandparents out of the picture (no pun intended)

@Dr.sBoss, she is saying to be careful because while right now these seem like great ideas to honor your loved ones, they can cause a lot of emotional distress for you and the family/friends of the deceased on the wedding day. See my above comment... some people can handle and hide their emotions better than others. I'm not one of those people, but everyone is different. Which is why we say 'please be careful' and not 'don't do this'.

For a lot of reasons. Brides/grooms are not the only people who have lost the deceased people. They may have siblings, friends there too and you cannot predict how an empty chair or the more graphic remembrances will effect them OR you. A wedding is a highly emotional time to begin with, and that can just send people over the edge to the point where it's hard to get them back to the occasion at hand.

Everyone deals with grief in different ways, and sometimes publicly is not the best choice. Subtle touches, like favorite songs, favorite flowers, even favorite foods can be lovely remembrances without being painful remembrances.

My grandma gave me a picture of myself with my dad at the shower (which was almost too much to open in front of people) and I displayed that at the reception along with his cowboy hat he wore all the time. I thought it was a good way to handle it and didn't see anyone upset about it. Probably depends on your family and specific situation though

Yea @Celia and @Kreestan. I let Fh see these posts, and we never thought about everything the way you all presented it. Therefore, we are changing everything. We just never considered everything in that way, and I know I'm in a vulnerable place in reference to losing my mom last year. So, we will do my charm on my bouquet and a moment of silence during the ceremony. Thank you all. WW rocks. Fr.

I'm lighting a candle for my dad at the church before I walk down the aisle with my step dad. I made this to put next to the candle and will be dropping some flowers in a vase next to it.

Also made this for the rest of our family members who have passed. I plan on setting this at the table with the guest book and card box.

My fiancé and I are very fortunate that our only loved ones who passed are our grandparents so we made a sign to put near the bar that says in loving memory order a drink and then has each set of grandparents with their favorite drink ex. Gin and tonic, whiskey and seltzer, etc.. My grandparents took their cocktails seriously so for me it's a nice reminder of good memories without being too sad.