Ways to honour the deceased at a wedding

Weddings can be bittersweet when loved ones can’t be there, particularly if they have passed away.

 It’s normal to feel their absence, and whether you choose to honour them at your wedding is entirely up to you and your partner.

 When you’re ready, explore these ideas on how to include loved ones at your celebration.

• Have a memorial table that includes photos of those absent.  If they are parents, consider displaying their own wedding photos.
• Wear or sew something to your outfit to represent them eg. Material from a favourite shirt or tie, loved jewellery etc.
• Add an ornamental photo to your bouquet or boutonniere.  There are a lot of choose from on Etsy, Temu etc
• Name something after them for the event eg. Charlie’s bar, Nonna’s table etc
• Reserved seats.  There is a lot of choices for style of reserved seat signs from Temu and Etsy.  Tip:  make sure you iron it beforehand.
• Include a poem in the program.
• Include a moment of reflection or lighting of a candle in the service
• Play a special song at the reception.
• Serve a signature drink in their honour.
• Ask guests to donate to a charity in their memory.

Some words you may want to use include:

Example 1:

Today we remember those who are gone, but whose spirit and love continue to shape our lives. Though their absence is felt, we find comfort in their lasting influence.

Example 2:

We remember [insert name and/or your relationship to the person], who cannot be with us today. We honor their life and love by lighting this candle.

Example 3:

Please join us for a moment of silence to honor [insert name and/or your relationship] and other loved ones who are no longer with us. We remember them as we celebrate today.