Trying to honor loved ones

So my FH lost his Dad before I met him. I am getting cuff links made with his Dad's picture and I'm putting a picture of my PopPop in a small charm on my bouquet (He was more like a Dad to me always there etc).

At the reception we are doing this:

FH didn't want to do a chair he said that would be too sad to see on our wedding day (that they are missing) and I agreed. We liked these because we can hang them up in our house after the wedding.

Following, because my dad passed away 10 years ago and I want to do something special in his rememberance, along with my grandmother.

I agree with Tammy's FH. The empty chair trend is too sad for so many family members. They don't need an empty chair to remind them that loved ones are missing. The bouquet charm, cufflinks and photos at the reception are all excellent suggestions.

View Quoted Comment Wow that's a awesome idea with the bouquet i think i will do that thank you so much

View Quoted Comment Thank you yes im going to do the bouquet charms

My dad passed away 2 years ago. It was soooo hard not having him there. I had a necklace made with his fingerprint (it was a local designer and it was gorgeous) I also had a drink of scotch at 7pm and made a very short toast to him as I knew he would have appreciated this gesture. It doesn’t have to be huge or momunmental - It just has to be the things you know remind you of them and to remind you they are there with you in whatever way you believe.

View Quoted Comment Thank you yes im leaning towards the charms in a bouquet somthjny

View Quoted Comment Sorry made a mistake press send lol but yes something small that will be with me is nice

Tammy, that a beautiful idea.

FH's grandma is giving us her wedding candle (her husband/FH grandpa has passed away) which we will use with a small memorial table to honor him. We don't want it to be too over-the-top but still want to honor FH grandpa

I wouldn't do the chairs, it's sad. I would do a picture frame with some flowers on a small table.

View Quoted Comment Ke the idea my sister did the candle also for our father nice touch thank you

Yes im in agreement the chairs being sad i think turning arp

View Quoted Comment Turning around seeing those empty chairs would be to much

So many different options you could do. For me I'm wearing jewelry given or worn by them and I'll have a handkerchief in my bouquet from my late Grandma. Also have pictures in my locket which will be in my bouquet

For my sisters wedding she had an empty chair with a white rose on it for my grandmother. She also carried a photo charm, with my grandmothers pic, in her bouquet.

I didn’t do the chairs or the pictures because it was too hard. I have a hard time going through pictures still. The chairs to me symbolizes and reminded me that they weren’t there, which would have been depressing for me. I also use the lace from my grandmas wedding dress around my bouquet. That’s another thing you can do to memorialize them. For me I wanted to include them via their possessions or favourite things. I didn’t want a monument - to me it’s a reminder they aren’t there. I get why people do it, it’s sweet - but it’s just too sad. It depends where you are at in your grief I suppose. The charms are a great idea btw!

View Quoted Comment I really like this idea. Are they photographs of just them or you together?
My dad passed away and I was wondering how to honour.
Plus my FH would like to honour his late grandparents.

View Quoted Comment

I think I will do some pictures of us with our loved ones, maybe their wedding pictures... we haven't looked at the pictures yet (it's a DW but having a reception next May lol)

Bonus is we found these windows that people were replacing in their house so we got the windows for free (keep your eye out lol!)

I'm so sorry for your loss. For us, none of our grandparents are still with us. So on my bouquet, I'm having lockets with pictures of both sets of grandparents. Then we will have a table with a candle and a sign that says "If Heaven wasn't so far away" with their wedding pictures. I really like the idea of a chair in their honor, I've seen some on Pinterest. One bride put her dad's baseball cap on the seat and a sign that said "reserved for a special father in Heaven". I think honoring them is important, even if it may be sad for some.