what a GREAT solution. kudos!

*sniff*

n
I didn’t know what to do or how to get them into my wedding…..you just morbidly, but happily, made my day!

That is a GREAT idea! My fiancé’s sister died a year ago. But my mom died 15 years ago. And I wanted to acknowledge both, but didn’t know how. Thank you.

I love this idea!

I love this idea. I have 3 people to honor - My grandmother on my mom’s side, and my grandparents on my dad’s side. They all did charity work, so in honor of that I’ll be displaying pictures and a description of them, and inviting people to donate gloves and canned goods (our wedding is right before Thanksgiving.)

We had a small table set up in our garden with pictures and little mementos of 3 grandparents and my husband’s dad (all have passed away). We could both see the table when we walked down the aisle- it felt like a sweet way to include them on that day.

At least two of my cousins did the small memorial table display at their weddings, too. They used wedding pictures of the deceased grandparents and laid a single rose in front of a sign that said “in loving memory of *insert names here*”. It was really quite sweet and touching. I want as many wedding photos of family members (living or dead) I can get my hands on as part of a display at my own wedding. I think it’s a wonderful idea to remember special people who have passed on.

My mother just passed away in Feb (on my dads birthday nonetheless) and then just recently my FH’s grandfather passed away. We were going to leave an open chair in the front row and as I passed I was going to place one of their favorite flower on the chair.

While I like my idea, this seems like alot more simple, I love it!

Bearing in mind the number of people you are supposed to be remembering the bouquet might sound like maracas.

And if you do go for this option, I guess it means you don’t toss the flowers (unless you want to get rid of granny’s photo)

The photos are adorable, but could get unwieldy with the number of people MIL wants her to honor.

How about, during the ceremony, just saying a classy and short, “And let’s remember those who are no longer with us and who we wish were here?” Or something along those lines. That way, everyone’s covered.

I find the whole group wedding memorial thing a little strange, myself. But I did want a way to acknowledge my mom, though, without forcing everyone else to do the same. I’m planning on wearing a locket on a bracelet with a picture of us in it.

I am doing the photo thing, but we are also taking a moment in the ceremony to acknowledge absent friends.

We’ve tried to word it so it isn’t gruesome, and we hope it will just make people smile. If anyone wants to steal, please feel free.

You may be wondering why we are gathered here
On this beach in Massachusetts.
It isn’t just to inconvenience everyone.

Dawn and her family used to vacation on the Cape frequently.
This beach was one of her mother’s favourite places in the world.
In 1996, when she died, Dawn and XXX
Brought her ashes here and scattered them on the beach.

Dawn and Paul hoped that in marrying here
Her spirit could celebrate with us.

There are of course others who cannot be with us today.
Either because they could not travel the distance to join us
like Dawn’s grandmother’s, X and Y
or because they have passed on.

These include Paul’s grandparents,
Simone and Kenneth Williams,
And X and Yo,
and Dawn’s grandfather’s,
X andY.
We know that they would have been delighted to be here,
And wherever their spirits are today
Whatever they have become
Some small spark of creation glows a bit brighter
because we are gathered together to celebrate
continuation, family and friendship.

That is such a good idea. I’m already having charms coming off the bottom of my bouquet, but I wanted something non-depressing to honour my FH mother who passed some time ago but is still a rather raw nerve (obviously). This is so sweet.

Sara,

Reading what you asked, what you wrote, Are you asking for “permision” to not have to have any mention or memorial of relatives that have passed on? Of course that is okay. Everyone has posted lovely and creative ways of remebering and honoring people but if you choose you can just hold whoever you like in your heart and not have an external symbol. This is a new tradition, a generation ago we didn’t even think about this - even the offbeat brides of back then. Don’t worry about what MIL thinks on this one.
Cate

I am a wedding photographer, and one couple (who was off-beat! Love it!) had photographs in frames, in the seats the person would occupy. So a picture of Grandpa was next to Grandma. Cousin, next to Aunt, and so forth. Very tasteful, all could see it, and it wasn’t sorrowful.

My dad passed away in February, and I’m getting married in 3 weeks. Honestly, while this idea (or a moment of silence or an empty chair or a table of photos) might work for some, it would make me cry like a baby.

Instead, I am going to play some fun 50’s song during the reception and ask everyone to dance their silliest dances in honor of my dad (who loved to dance, but was kind of wacky about it). I still think it will make me cry a bit, but it seems uplifting instead of somber.

I saw that in a magazine awhile ago. They had them dangling from ribbon off the bouquet, so they hung lower then the stems, and it looked awesome. So awesome in fact, that that is what I’m doing to comemorate my mother and grand-father who died, and can’t be there. But I’m not making a big sad to do about it, because I’ve mourned for them, and I don’t want to mourn on my wedding day.

when my cousin got married a couple of years ago, she had a rose laid on the altar for her twin sister who had passed away a few weeks after they were born. In the program they had a short note that explained what the rose was for. I thought it was a sweet and subtle tribute.

I love this idea! I

What we did (just a few days ago!) was set up a special little table that served as an altar to our dead relatives. We had a few photos and a few objects that were special to our grandparents. Our guests could look through what was set up any time they wanted; we got some questions about it but I think everyone appreciated it.

We’re planning to have my uncle (my mother’s brother) come up and give my fiance a flower.

The officiant will say, “On this day, we honor the memory of Amy’s beloved mother by adding a specially chosen flower to Amy’s bouquet.”

Then my fiance will slide the flower into my bouquet.

We combined a memorial time, flowers and young people at the wedding. (I did not want a flower girl - a year of planning and the ceremony is left to the whims of a three year old?? - but we did want to include the 20+ kids at the ceremony.)
We listed those who could not attend in the program - both the recently deceased and unable to travel. The musicians played ‘I’ll Remember You’, my (deceased) grandparents’ favorite song.
Everyone under 18 years was invited to take a rose from a basket at the back of the room, walk down the aisle and place the rose on the front edge of the ceremony stage. We were surrounded by the beautiful flowers for the rest of the ceremony. Everyone was touched, but the kids and flowers were uplifting.

I am getting married in November and want to light a memorial candle while a song played. I don’t want it to be a real sad song but have no ideas yet. I would love to hear what you think. Any suggestions are welcomed.

One of my friends who got married this summer had lost her mother about 5 years ago to cancer. Because her mom and her were so close, she had her sister light a candle to represent her presence in the beginning of the ceremony. They didn’t say anything, but it was printed in the program what the candle symbolized. More traditional than many of us offbeat brides, but it is nice if you’re only recognizing one person.

My mom passed on when I was seven, and I have always wanted a way to honor her at my wedding. A friend of mine had a slideshow play in her wedding, of her and her fiance. Instead of the fiance and her…try pictures of the mother, and a song playing like “Wind Beneath My Wings” or etc. I love the pictures on the bouquet.