Remembering loved ones at your wedding is something that is very close to my heart, having lost my Father a few months before my wedding day I felt it was important that he was honoured and remembered, I wanted it to feel like he was with us on the day.   I knew it would be a very emotional day but I was also aware that I didn’t want to cause too much sadness and emotion for our guests also.

Some people feel that it’s better to have a private tribute just with family on the day, it all depends on what you feel comfortable with.  For me, it was choosing a song that I knew my Father loved to walk down the aisle to and also having his wedding ring tied to my bouquet, both I found a big comfort when I was walking down the aisle.

If you are not sure how you would like to honour those who sadly cannot be there, below are some ideas of how you could include them in your special day.

Photo’s

A photo corner is a great way to remember loved ones and to give you and your guests a place to pay tribute.  Place some candles and flowers there and make it a beautiful, peaceful area where your guests can reminisce.

Charms

These can be a more discreet and personal way to remember your loved ones.  There are lots of different options, like a pin that is be worn on the inside of your partners blazer pocket that has pictures of those you want to remember and want to hold close to your heart.   Or maybe it’s a pair of cufflinks that have been personalised with photos, or it could be photo charms that are pinned to your bouquet.

Charity & donations

This can be a really lovely way of remembering your loved ones, especially if they battled an illness.  Instead of giving favours, make a donation to a charity you are passionate about.

Ceremony ideas

Depending on how traditional your ceremony is, a reading could be dedicated to your loved one, or a candle could be lit in their honour.  If you are having a more modern outdoor wedding, you could give each guest a balloon at the end of the ceremony, that are released to remember those who left too soon.

Include a favourite recipe

Include your loved ones favourite dish in your menu or maybe it was a snack they loved, you could include this as one of your late night snacks!

Toasts & speeches

This is definitely a more public way of honouring someone, make a toast to them and remember them during the reception.  I decided that I wanted to say a few words about my Dad, but I have to admit it was very difficult and emotional, even though I had practised a thousand times before, saying it amongst those who were most special to me, made all those emotions more real.