What’s a non depressing way to remember those who have passed away?

I think this is a nice idea!

I’m not a big fan of physical memorial displays at weddings. I would have your officiant say something in the opening remarks about the loved ones who are there in spirit. You can also do bouquet charms or boutonnière charms.

We are lighting candles before we walk down the aisle to pay respect to our loved ones.

We are putting photos of my mom and his dad on the table with the guest book. One nice 8x10 portrait of each, but I also want to include smaller fun ones-like my mom falling out of a hammock in the Bahamas, her favorite place to visit. And his dads family always wears silly hats for family gatherings so we have plenty of photos that are funny. I have seen different signs on Pinterest but most are cheesy sounding to me so I think we may not have anything. Although his Dad went to his first grandchild’s wedding, and the bride had lost her mom three months prior. He told her “I had a pretty good view of the ceremony, but your mom had the best seat in the house.” So we may have something along those lines.

My Mom loved purple roses but they are not the flowers nor the color I want. So on the back of our wedding cake I am having them put one purple rose. That’s her slice-we know it and don’t have to make a production out of it. Another idea we aren’t doing but you may like is to use their favorite drink as a signature drink or name one after them.

My husband unfortunately lost both of his parents before he was 25.. at our wedding we had a photo framed of his parents on their wedding day .. and then I ordered a vase with a saying and had their names on it and in the vase I put a dozen of his mother’s favorite flower

I’m not a big fan of the big memorial displays either. We did a few small things: we did leave an empty chair in the front row with a photo of my deceased BIL, most people didn’t see the photo or know it was there but it meant a lot to my husband. I also got all of the men pocket squares embroidered with his jersey number. You couldn’t see it, it was just for them to know. Then we had a table with our parents and grandparents wedding photos, and it said something like “because you loved, we love” or something like that. Many of our grandparents are deceased so it honored them but focused more on their relationships and love.

I don’t like memorial tables. I had some of their things out that day.
My greatgrandmother brooch on my bouquet.
MY greatgrandpas Pinocchio sat on the bar.
My grandfathers race program was on the gift/card table.

I was thinking of having something sewn on the inside of my dress, initials or something that reminds me of them. I personally think it can be depressing to see empty chairs or pictures of loved ones who have passed.

Daughter only wanted subtle things that we'd know about but wouldn't necessarily be public. She had a penny from the year both sets of grandparents were married tied to her bouquet (FOB drilled a small hole in it), and we used fabric from my mother's wedding dress, that both my sister and I also wore, wrapped around her bouquet stems. She said she felt like "we were all holding her hand all day." I also gave SIL and FOB each one of my dad's white cotton handkerchiefs (he carried one daily, and I kept several of them when he passed), so when daughter cried during her first look with each of them, they pulled out one of her papa's handkerchiefs so he was there to dry her tears....

We had a lantern and pictures set up, and I had a dog tag with his dad on it on my bouquet. His dad was supposed to walk me down the aisle.

I have a wooden sign for my wedding that says "l know you'd be here today if heaven wasn't so far away" with white roses and pictures of my loved ones

We want to play a song white doing a lantern release and have a seat saved for FHs step mom and a memory table with a candle lit

Our wedding is rustic, so we are setting a lantern next to a 8×10 sign that says "This lantern is lit in loving memory of those who couldnt be here today." We also have a Thanks & Dedication on our program that says: "We would like to say thanks to our family, friends, and those who joined in spirit for their love and support. Thank you for sharing our special day and blessing us with your presence."

I'm adding charms to my bouquet with pictures of my aunt and grandma.

We had a memorial table with a sign that said "you should be here" with pictures of our family members & family pets that have passed. Our officiant acknowledged our grandparents in heaven watching over us, and we had a little "here in spirit" part in our ceremony program with their names.

What I'm doing is putting the pictures up on a decorated table with a sign saying "We know you'd be here today if Heaven wasn't so far away"

This is what I'm doing at our wedding for our grandparents, aunts, uncle's, and our daughter

I have a grandma who won't be there & may have passed on by then. What I'm going to have done is after the speeches, my Dad will stand up & mention her & a few other family members who are long gone.... It'll be a moment of reflection on those who, for whatever reason, can't be there. You could also put a photo of your dearly departed & a candle by it.

I reserved a seat for my grandma and it will have a picture of her and a sign that says “i know you’d be here today if heaven wasn’t so far away” and my florist is putting a single rose on her seat.

Thanks everyone for your input. I honestly liked the first idea best. I think pictures and seats saved would be very hard for me.