How to Honor a Deceased Loved One at Your Wedding

All of us hope to spend our wedding days surrounded by the people we
love. But unfortunately, life doesn’t always work out as we plan.
Sometimes our loved ones are no longer around to see our big day. Whether you’re missing a parent, grandparent, or best friend, you can always pay them a special tribute on your wedding day. Here are a few ideas for honoring passed loved ones.

The Reserved Seat

One subtle (yet very touching) way to honor a deceased friend or relative is simply to save them a seat for the wedding ceremony. Place a placard on the chair explaining its significance. Or, if you want an even subtler display, simply mark the seat “reserved”. This little gesture will ensure that you acknowledge your late loved one. It will also remind you that they’re with you in spirit.

The Signature Dish

Did your grandmother have a special recipe she was known for? Do your aunt’s fresh-baked cookies remind you of home? If your deceased loved one had great skills in the kitchen, it can be a lot of fun to include their signature dish in your wedding feast. Talk to your caterer about working with this special recipe. Or, you could even make the dish yourself and add it to the catered fare. This will honor your relative AND give your guests something tasty to eat.

The Decorated Bouquet

Finally, one of the most common ways I’ve seen to honor passed loved ones is by carrying a little memento with you down the aisle. This can be pretty much anything. One way is to include a small framed photo of your relatives in your bouquet. Another is to have your florist use a piece of their wedding gown wrapped around the flower stems. Similarly, provide your florist with a favorite brooch to fasten the ribbon in place. This is a beautiful and classy way to honor your relative and make them part of your big day in an intimate and low-key way.