Creative Ways to Honor Loved Ones that Can’t Make It to Your Wedding
Whether you have lost a close friend, grandparent or parent that you know would have been thrilled by your wedding day or have a family member in the military stationed far from home, there are so many ways to involve them on your big day. The best part is the visual for you to know that they are part of the wedding, but it also lets your guests have a chance to know the people who shaped you into the person you are today, making these vows to your spouse. Here’s five of our favorite ideas:
#1 A Photo Table
This idea works best when you have several people to honor, or lots of photos of one very special person in your life! We’ve seen whole photo walls of a parent who passed away young that was incredible and again, gave the guests who hadn’t gotten the chance to know them well during their life to get a glimpse of how much they meant to the bride and groom. It’s an extremely special way to honor them and is a good reminder of why they were so crucial to know!
The style you display the photos can be modern, colorful, polaroid style or in antique frames depending on the themes of your wedding decor. I’ve also seen wall hangings with photos attached to keep the furniture at the venue clear for foods, drinks, gifts and favors. Could be a great option if you’re tight on space!
#2 Burning a Candle
A fantastic way to honor your lost and not present loved one is burning a candle for them. I love these from Etsy because you can customize the text to make it personal for your family!
#3 Decorating a Chair
I think this is the most commonly seen tradition, but there are so many creative ways to go about it that you can truly personalize this and make it your own. I love these acrylic frames on Etsy because it allows guests to see a face with the name of your loved one and you can look out and see them smiling at you during the ceremony! Win, win. Florals, fabric and other decor can be added to their chair to make it more of a memorial along with a photo or a sign to make it more noticeable and special.
#4 Their Memorabilia as Decor
Something really special in certain situations, is using your loved ones’ items as decor. Some things to consider are embroidered tablecloths, china, crystal candlesticks, lace, or picture frames. But you could also use some outside of the box items like old wooden tools from grandpa’s barn made into mantle decor with florals arranged in them. Grandma’s scraps of fabric from sewing could become part of your head table arrangement or cut up and made into the flowers in your bouquet! Your Father’s cowboy hat collection could be hunt on a wall as a photo backdrop with some greenery incorporated. There are so many ways to repurpose items, especially if they mean a lot to you and your future spouse.
#5 A Small, Personal Photo
If you’re not looking to create a memorial or something large, this might be the idea for you. Etsy makes small locket-like photo charms that you can clip onto your bouquet or boutonniere. This is a great way for you to have your loved one close in a personal way that’s not for everyone else to see. And for the men, they make photos into patches of fabric that can be attached on the inside of his tie.
The small photos in a locket, a photo charm or a tie patch are such sweet items that you can have as a keepsake after the wedding day! It’s both a way to honor them, while also having something you can remember them by for many years to come.
I love this idea if the bride and groom have siblings in their wedding party, they can get the tie patches or bouquet charms for themselves and their siblings if they lost a parent or grandparent. It’s a sweet wedding party gift.
As always, we hope that these ideas inspire you planning for your wedding day. And if you’re planning a wedding at our venue, know that our decor team will work with you in any way to honor those people most important to you on your wedding day! Those who are able to attend and those who aren’t.
Happy planning,
The Timber Rivers Team
