Special Ways to Celebrate Family at Your Wedding

Some people are blessed with great family relationships – special people who have shaped and influenced your life and who mean the world to you. If you are so blessed - then your wedding is a wonderful time to honor those special people in your life.

Here are some ideas on how you can pay tribute to those closest to you on your wedding day – both those in the here & now, as well as those who have already passed on.

Ask special family members to be involved in parts of the ceremony.
• to hand out bulletins or “man” the guest book
• to be ushers and seat guests
• to be readers
• to provide special music during ceremony
• to light candles - This is especially sentimental if you are having a unity candle – have each of your mothers (or fathers) light one candle, representing your family & then as part of the ceremony, you each pick up your family candle & light one center candle, symbolizing the joining of two families to become one
• during processional, Bride can pause to hand a single floral bloom to groom’s mother and her own mother
• A special floral arrangement can be placed in a seat of honour with a deceased relative’s name on it

At the reception, you can ask special family members to play a role with some of the details.
• to “man” the guest book
• to assist guests in finding place-cards/seating arrangements
• to be the M.C.
• to give special toasts or speeches
• to provide special music during the reception
• have a special family dance after your first dance

Set up a display to honour your families – display in a large frame as a collage, or on a decorated backboard/bulletin board, or set up in nice frames on a table
• photos of your parents’/grandparents’ weddings (especially if they are still together!)
• Photos of special memories of you with family members
• Photos of family members who have passed on

Prepare a slide-show of your growing-up years with special family photo memories featured – put it to a great song about family/relationships.