We know you would be here, if heaven wasn't so far away. *trigger warning*

Billie; run it by them. Don't let them be blindsided.

@billie S. I'm glad to see someone else is doing something similar. I was starting to feel pretty crappy about all of it. Thank you

My parents died before my wedding, so I understand feeling emptiness.

That said, here's my blunt opinions.

1) The sign is over-used. Think of a more original saying/rhyme.

2) The empty chair was a HUGE no from me. There is NO FREAKIN' way I would've been able to hold it together. I don't think people need to cry at a wedding (in terms of mourning someone). If I saw this at a wedding, I would honestly walk away. It bothers me that much.

I did small, personal touches that weren't overwhelming. I tied my bouquet with a blue handkerchief that belonged to my dad, and I wore my parents' wedding rings on my right hand.

We are planning same thing as you for my aunt that passed away 4 yrs ago and my uncle that passed a yr ago. Picture of them with a sign like that and a candle. A remembering prayer for them in our ceremony. This is taking a toll of me cause i know my umcle would of walk me down the aisle and my aunt qould of went with me wedding dress shopping.

@T-Rex well he was 3.5. So I don't know how many original sayings or rhymes I would be able to come up with. He didn't have a lot of life experience.

I am so sorry for your loss. I honestly think what you have incorporated already will be enough. Emotionally it will already be tremendously difficult to get through. Again I am so sorry.

I have nothing to add to this thread except that I'm sending you so much love.

People deal with grief a lot different than others! I always hate it when a person tries to tell others how to deal with something they never dealt with. With that being said I think it's a lovely sentiment and if it makes others uncomfortable, then so be it. It is uncomfortable. There is nothing natural and pleasant about a parent outliving a child. I know this firsthand. With that being said I too am honoring loved ones in a different way at my wedding based on my personality...I advise you to do the same for yours. Best wishes for you, and your family on your big day!

We are using the same wording for a sign. My Pepere (grandfather) passed in November. Even though he was sick, he wasn't supposed to go so soon and we thought he would be at my wedding. Because of that, I feel like I need to do something. So we are putting the sign with a picture of him and leaving it at that.

Eta I am definitely going to make sure my Memere is completely okay with this before I do it. I don't want her balling while looking at it.

First, I am so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine how it feels to lose a child.

I love the picture for your bouquet!

Memory tables with all deceased family and friends make me super uncomfortable. I wouldn't be able to do one. But to each their own.

Ashley, I'm so sorry about your son. Your way of memorializing him and the photos you have of him are really sweet, and you should absolutely do what you want. But, in my opinion, I agree with Celia that less is more, because a wedding is to be a happy celebration of your marriage that shouldn't focus too much on mourning. I'm also not really a fan of the heaven poem, because it's just a sad reminder that that person is gone.

I lost my dad 15 years ago when I was 15. We are only memorializing him at the wedding to symbolize his presence, so we are just having a table with a picture of him and a single rose in a vase. Something else I'm doing that's very important to me to symbolize him with me is that we still have a little bit of his ashes, so I will be discreetly carrying them with me down the aisle where my mom will be walking me.

I think this is a personal choice to each individual. Me personally, I don't want to upset anyone so I will be putting photographs out but no signs or rhymes, no empty chairs, I want people to see the photos and remember the happy times, or the sad times, or the silly times, but I don't feel the need to remind everyone that these people are no longer with us, everyone is already aware of that, but I want them to take away whatever they will from it, without trying to force a memorial or reminder of their death, we have had the services and funerals already, and I want to emphasize not that they're gone, but rather how they lived. I will also have photos of reunions, my parents, me as child, my siblings, my fiance in the Marine Corp, and us as a couple. A happy family that while has lost some cherished souls was lucky in love and happiness and will be celebrating a union of two people.

Ashley, I'm sorry you experienced such a loss. It will be nice to honor him on your wedding day and have everyone do the same. For my dad I plan to do the bouquet charm and for my mother daughter dance we are dancing to one of his favorite songs. I want to do more but don't want to be sad and cry too much.

I'm so sorry for your loss.

My mom died almost 5 years ago and I struggled with finding a way to honor her memory at my wedding without the 'pinteresty' ideas. I came up with incorporating flowers that she liked into my flowers (still need to talk with the florist). But I thought that this will be a beautiful yet subtle way for her to be present and remembered. I like it because I know about it (and who ever you want to tell) and then whenever I look at pictures I'll see the flowers and think of my mom. I don't know if this is something you could or would want to do in remembrance of your son - you could do the flower that represents remembrance. ETA:clarity.

We had a photo shelf with photos of our grandparents- the sign says "those who love us never really leave us" which is a quote from Harry Potter.

The shelf was in the gift area/off to the side, so noticeable but not the center of attention, if that makes sense.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your child. There is nothing comparable to that.

I'm really sorry for your loss. So beautiful how you're honoring him.