Memorial tribute to loved ones

Jac? I really don't care as much about your ceremony as you think, but I'm sorry for the loss of someone so close to you.

I'm just not a fan of using animals as props unless they are my couples including their happy puppies in the processional. And I think, as Bailey, it is important to note that in most cases, when that box is opened, dead butterflies fall to the ground after having been incarcerated for our pleasure and/or to make a statement.

Jacquelyn: First, let me say that I so sorry your brother has passed on. It is obvious just from what you have written here that is very difficult, as is natural. I am don't think anyone means to be disrespectful to your feelings about him, his passing, or his memory.

When you post on a public forum, people are allowed to critique your posts. You are definitely allowed to object to that, but it is absolutely one of the rules governing this place. If you find that this is a topic that is just too sensitive for you to feel ok about any criticism relating to it, as many people would, then a public forum probably isn't a place to bring it up. You obviously have every right to, but you can't expect to be treated any differently than anyone else.

The comment about butterflies was accurate. I am glad that you are releasing them in a habitat that is native for them, but that is not the only issue. They are not balloons, they are living beings. I will leave this here for you to read. I hope you do, and I hope you reconsider. If you are a very sensitive person, certainly you can appreciate that doing this to animals is not a fitting way to honor your brother.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/288800-reasons-to-think-twice-about-releasing-butterflies-at-your-wedding/

Please accept my condolences on the passing of your brother, and my congratulations on your upcoming marriage.

We placed a burning lantern with our mothers pictures on a piano in the venue. And also the official mentioned them by name at the ceremony.

Jacquelyn, I'm glad you did your research. However, its not the releasing part that is the issue. When they ship, it is quite upsetting for them and they go into shock and die. We've heard lots of horror stories about it here.

Instead, incorporate them in another way. Put some faux butterflies in your centerpieces and bouquet. Plant a butterfly bush to attract them naturally. We got married in a garden and there were tons of them.

@AlwaysMs. and @StarFromIHJ--Thank you both for your tact and kindness. I see now that I am too sensitive on this topic to be welcoming to criticism. As such, I will remove myself and let this conversation steer back to answering Taylor's query.

We're having pictures set up and I'm carrying a single yellow rose in my bouquet. It was my Nonnie's favorite flower and it was really important to me to have something that represented her symbolically.

Here's what we did on ours

We will be doing charms. I'm going to make them, one with my grandma's photo and one with FH's grandma's photo. His will be on a pin to go inside his coat, mine will be on my bouquet. We are also toying with the idea of framed photos on a small table with a candle. But we may nix that because of the charms. Whatever we do, it will be either/or not both.

I love this one

Question to add to this post (because I don't want to make a new thread)...

I am honoring my father by having his picture in a locket wrapped around my bouquet (as seen above). My FH's mother is also passed. Anyone have suggestions on how to honor her as well? We will probably not be doing a table with pictures (too many people). Would it be weird to have a locket with her picture also on my bouquet?

ETA: FH is no help. He does not like to talk about such subjects. I know he would like to do something as I know how he feels about her not being there but he won't put in the effort to do something because he doesn't want to "trouble anyone".

My mom passed away 11 years ago, so I can sympathize, lady. My father is very sensitive about it so he didn't want any....memorial aspects but my MIL is a sweetheart and made a locket with my mom's pic inside to hang on my bouquet, it was very subtle and intimate, but whatever you feel comfortable with will be lovely.

My mother passed when I was just a kid, Dad was fighting cancer when I got engaged. I asked him about the chair thing, and his answer was " No, please don't do that. I don't think I could handle that even after all these years" 28 to be exact. I ended up wearing my mothers ring set (both weddings) and found her wedding day necklace cleaning Dads house after he passed. I thought I had lost it years ago, but it was at his house. I wore that to the happy day, sure wish I would have had that for the emergency wedding. On our planed day we had a table with pictures of all the grandparents and my parents wedding picture. I also had a custom vase made with my parents names, and years of birth and death. Had it filled with navy wax to match the wedding.

I had a photo montage of pics of my mom she passed away a year ago. I had the Dj play Coldplay Sky Full of Stars

We're getting a digital photo frame and putting pictures in it that will be placed on a table with a vase of flowers. I'm probably going to get a caligrapher to write something (not sure what yet) on something and frame it.

Then I'm going to have the picture thing in my bouquet. I agree with others I HATE the chair thing it's too much but it's your day. We'll also have the names read in the prayers of the faithful at our wedding mass and in our program.

The invitation lady we are using suggested putting our dads names in the invitations, "Mrs. bride mom and the late mr. bride dad" but I didn't like how that looked and it was just too much. I didn't want people to get the invite and be like wow that sucks that he passed away. Plus it's been 20+ years..if it had been like less than 5 then maybe.

@Dani my dh's brother and cousin passed away, I surprised him with a photo charm that hung from his boutt, maybe something like that? The photo charm I used is from Walmart's photo department online if you're interested!

We're doing a dessert table instead of a large cake. We're having our grandparents' favorite desserts and have little signs that say "enjoy a piece of ____ in memory of ____"

My mother passed away shortly after my wedding, but to honor her then I wore her bracelet (my brother gave it to her when she was diagnosed with breast cancer). I would wear a piece of her jewelry or if her veil was preserved, that's a beautiful way to honor her as well. I've seen little locket photos on bouquets and that is really nice. Please no empty chair. That to me is too morbid and I would get upset as a guest.