How to Acknowledge Lost Loved Ones on The Day

So, after a particularly testing week emotionally, this blog post seemed fairly fitting, and so this week I'm going to talk about how to include lost family members in your big day, don't worry it's not going to be a morbid post so feel free to read on!

Weddings are incredibly emotional events at the best of times, I'm generally in life, a secret, behind closed doors crier, but I actually can't control the tears at a wedding and they are of course happy tears but tears non-the-less! and so given this emotional event it can be all the more difficult if a significant loved one is missing and more often than not most brides and grooms want to acknowledge that person in some way on their wedding day.

I read an article recently about a bride who had lost her father and had made the decision to walk down the aisle alone, as she didn't want her mum to feel like she had to step in to the role and couldn't comprehend anyone else giving her away. She thought this was going to be the longest walk of her life and an incredibly sad one, but it wasn't! She said as she walked down the aisle she felt like her dad was there with her and she felt she'd made the right decision not to replace him.

A lot of brides request that we sew a momento in to their dress, that isn't visible to anyone but they have a piece of their loved one with them, we've added sewn hearts, pieces of fabric from a loved ones clothing and even jewellery to a brides dress before.

Other ideas we've known of, have been, a charm can be added to the brides bouquet with a picture of a lost loved one, the same can be done with the grooms cuff links, some reserve seats in the congregation for those that can't attend in person and others have a dedicated remembrance table a the reception.

I think the key thing to remember if you wish to honour a lost loved one is that your wedding, is exactly that....... your wedding, and should be a happy and joyous time remembered by all as two people who fell in love and chose to spend the rest of their lives together, honour them of course but remember your wedding for the right reasons.

How would you acknowledge a lost loved one at your wedding? I'm sure there are hundreds of ways couples do, and I've only hinted at a handful of suggestions...... any ideas?

Until next time...... Happy Wedding Planning!