Honoring a Loved One at your Wedding

Image via Google by Photographer Sakura Photography

When planning your wedding, it can be difficult to think of ways to honor the memory of those who've passed.

If you and your fiance are looking to memorialize a family member or friend at your wedding, here are a few ways to acknowledge and celebrate the life of that person or persons.

Light a candle in their honor.
This can be done before the ceremony starts and can remain lit throughout the wedding or it can be lit during the ceremony, with a brief explanation in your program of its purpose. Or, the officiant can say a few words in honor of your loved one as the candle is lit at a specific point during the ceremony

Save a seat in the front row.
You can place a flower or a memento in a seat in the front row or have a family member of friend walk into the ceremony and place the flower or memento on the seat of the loved one.

Keep them close to you.
Wear or hold onto something of your loved one or in honor of them, such as walk down the aisle with the same bouquet that your mother carried at her wedding or a bouquet made up of her favorite flower, wear a locket with your grandfather's picture inside or wear your father's favorite cuff links.

Photo display.
Set-up an area at the ceremony or reception with framed photographs of your family member of friend.

Dedication through a poem.
Include in your ceremony program a poem, short story or letter dedicated to your loved one. This provides a subtle remembrance that all of your guests can read and even those who may have not known them will be able to commemorate the memory of your loved one.