By Kate Cohen
Weddings are a time of immense joy. Surrounded by friends, family, and tradition, they are opportunities to celebrate happiness, love, and connection.
For couples who have lost loved ones, however, the day can feel a little extra emotional.
Celebrating a special, momentous occasion without a loved one is inarguably hard. Finding a way to honor them throughout the celebration can help you feel their presence is near.
At Rosen Weddings, we understand the importance of including friends and family who have passed in your wedding day. We’ve put together a list of thoughtful ways to honor lost loved ones at your wedding to help you feel at peace on your special day.
Remember, tributes to lost loved ones don’t have to be big public displays.
Dealing with grief is highly personal and individual. If you’d rather not publicly acknowledge a loss at your wedding, then don’t. You’ll find your loved one in quiet moments throughout the day that you don’t need to share with anyone.
As with all wedding decisions, it’s your special day. Only do things that feel right for you and your partner.
Thoughtful Ways to Honor Lost Loved Ones at your Wedding
Write a Note in your Program
If you’re planning on passing out programs prior to your wedding ceremony, you can include a sweet note acknowledging your loved one.
A printed passage allows guests a more private moment to consider the memory of someone who has passed, which may be appreciated by those in attendance who are also feeling the weight of loss on your special day.
If you aren’t comfortable writing a short tribute, a meaningful quote is more than enough to honor their memory.
Incorporate a Photo into your Attire
To help you feel like your loved one is close on your wedding day, incorporate a photo of them into your attire.
For brides, this could be as easy as wearing a locket necklace or tucking one into your bouquet so you can carry your loved one’s image down the aisle with you.
Grooms can use a photo in a boutonniere, or have a photo stitched into the back of their tie to keep a loved one’s familiar smile close.
Reserve a Seat in the Front Row
Leaving a seat for a loved one who has passed is a powerful visual representation of both their presence and their absence.
Hang a favorite jacket or sweater over the chair or leave a framed photo on the seat so you can see their face throughout your ceremony.
You can also ask your florist to design a piece to place on the chair that brings color, vibrancy, and beauty to your thoughtful tribute. Utilize your loved one’s favorite flower or colors for an arrangement that makes you think of them fondly.
Light a Candle to Represent Their Presence
A burning candle is a beautiful way to honor a loved one throughout a day of celebration.
Whether you take a private moment to light it with your partner at the beginning of the day or incorporate lighting it into your ceremony, a candle is a simple and elegant tribute to a loved one.
Additionally, if your wedding ceremony and reception are held at the same venue, you can always have the candle brought to your celebration as a continued reminder of their presence.
Display Photos on a Memory Table
If a picture is worth a thousand words, light up the room with stories.
Designate a table as a memory table and proudly display photos of your loved ones. They can either be more formal portraits, or photos from your favorite memories with them throughout the years.
Some digital picture frames also support videos, making it easy to share even more special memories in an entirely new way that you and your guests will love admiring.
Name a Signature Drink for Them
Did your loved one have a favorite cocktail or spirit that reminds you of them?
Serve it as a specialty bar menu on your wedding day.
Write up a little explanation about why you chose that special drink in their honor. Place it on the bar so guests can appreciate it even more as they toast to both your happiness and your loved one’s memory.
Donate to a Charity
Many couples are choosing to donate to charity on behalf of their guests in lieu of wedding favors.
If you are in a position to make a charitable donation, choose an organization that was significant to your loved one. Consider causes they were passionate about, personal interests, and issues that affected them directly throughout their life.
Wear an Item that Belonged to Them
Including a family heirloom in your wedding day is a time-honored tradition. You can wear an item that belonged to your lost loved one and treat it with the same reverence and honor as a multi-generation keepsake.
It may be jewelry, a tie, pocket square, hair pin, or literally anything else of significance – as long as it means something to you.
This can be a nice, subtle way to honor a loved one without calling too much attention to your tribute.
Custom Embroidery Patch
Keep your loved one’s words close to you throughout your wedding day with a custom embroidery patch of their handwriting.
Crafters on sites like Etsy can transform almost any handwriting into a special embroidered piece that can easily be stitched into the train of a wedding dress or the inside of a suit jacket.
This unique tribute is personal, meaningful, and private, making it a great option for brides and grooms in search of a more intimate way to honor a lost loved one.
Honor Your Loved Ones with Rosen Weddings
You deserve your wedding to be filled with joy and happiness.
Let us help you find the perfect way to honor your loved ones who can’t physically be a part of your special day.
Contact one of our wedding specialists to talk about how Rosen Weddings can bring your perfect wedding day to life.
