How to Remember Loved Ones at a Wedding

Anyone who has been a long-time reader of the site or follows me on social media knows that my dad passed away in 2012. So, when I got married in 2016, I had to plan the wedding without him. I’ve been wanting to write this post ever since, but I’ve never gotten the nerve up to do it. I guess there’s some guilt for having a celebration without him there. However, there are lots of ways to remember loved ones at a wedding, which helped me on my big day.

How to Remember Loved Ones at a Wedding

Weddings are supposed to be happy days. However, when a loved one is no longer around to celebrate, it can make for a bittersweet event. I found it helpful to remember my dad while forgoing some of the more traditional aspects of the big day. Here are some ways that I discovered to memorialize loved ones at a wedding.

• Attach a picture to the bouquet. I bought a small photo frame on Amazon and put a picture of my dad on his wedding day in it. Then, I attached the photo frame to my flower bouquet. That way, it was almost like he was walking me down the aisle. I have also seen other brides simply display a photo of a loved one at the wedding.
• Play a special song. I was initially supposed to dance the traditional father-daughter dance with my dad’s dad. However, my grandfather passed away two weeks before our wedding. So, I danced to a special song with my cousin instead. It was a song that both my dad and grandfather would have appreciated.
• Serve a favorite food. I didn’t intentionally pick it with my dad in mind, however we served a peanut butter pork at our wedding. My dad loved peanut butter, as do I. So, I think he would have enjoyed that meal.
• Acknowledge them in the ceremony. It doesn’t have to be something long and complicated. It can be a simple moment of silence to remember those who couldn’t be there. However, not acknowledging their absence can be awkward.

Do What Feels Right

No one can tell you the 100% right way to remember loved ones at a wedding. Do what feels right to you and your family. However, I hope these ideas are good enough to get you going in the right direction.