Grandad

Hi Holly

My Grandad has passed away, so I know it isn't the same, but i am having a mini picture frame attached to my bouquet with his picture in it. This way he is there with me whilst I walk down the aisle, and it won't upset anyone else...as who will really notice it!

We are in exactly the same situation with the OH's grandma, so I know how upset you will be about this.

Hope you get something sorted!

My Granddad died before our wedding and my Nan was too ill to make it (she has Parkinsons). I had a photo of Granddad attached to my bouquet and my Nan's oridginal wedding ring tied to my bouquet too.

My Nan couldn't make it for a similar reason. I had a quiet moment to myself on the morning of the wedding, thinking of her and the grandparents I'd lost. My dad then briefly mentioned her in his speech. It seemed to be enough. My mum then took my bouquet to her the next day. Photos seem a bit macabre.

Again different situation as my grandad wasn't with us anymore, but I had the buttonhole he had worn at his wedding in my bouquet.

I think a simple mention during one of the speeches would be nice. As has already been said, photos of elderly relatives at events like this are generally assumed to be dead.

We had similar as my FIL is in a nursing home with dementia, whilst my own father has passsed away.

We mentioned them both in the prayers (as in "those that can't be with us today" an specified them by name, and I proposed a toast to "absent friends" (unnamed) in my speech. This made sense to us as a frinds weho should have been at our wedding had died the week before and my H's Uncle died the month before the wedding too. It encompassed everyone without saying the word "died" so FIL (and another friend to ill to attend) were included as simply being absent.

We also lit candles in the chapel when we signed the register, but that was a private moment between H and myself - the congregation were unaware that this happened.