Another common way is to leave a photo, flower or reserved sign at the ceremony to save a spot for them.

Rather than a flower or photo, use something meaningful to them such as a special baseball cap, a musical instrument that they played, or even a ball of yarn and crocheting needles – anything that will make you remember them.

A balloon release at the end of the ceremony is a special touch, release one for each loved one lost.

If balloons aren’t your thing, you could also have a butterfly release to honor them. Reserve a moment of silence as they flutter away.

If you loved one was a member of the military or law enforcement (we salute them for their service), you can display their flag at your reception table.

Did grandma have a secret recipe? Why not share it with those at your wedding by whipping up a batch of her famous treats.

Give guests Forget Me Not seeds to plant in honor of your loved one. Great idea for favors for your wedding.

A simple way to remind your guests without making a fuss: memorial tags to tie onto your wedding programs
Photo charms are a charming way to have loved ones walk you down the aisle. And if you like that idea, your groom can also incorporate photo charms in his wedding ensemble.

Up-cycle old wooden palettes to make a unique entrance to your outdoor wedding ceremony and line them with old photos.

For a beach wedding, use leis to honor loved ones – give one to each guest as they enter the wedding ceremony.

If you’ve lost a parent or grandparent, dance with their spouse to a special song during your reception.

Honor those you miss by wearing a piece of their jewelry for your wedding.

Have a Japanese lantern lighting ceremony if your venue is by a body of water.
Or if you’re landlocked, you could honor them with a Chinese lantern lighting ceremony

You can raise your glasses in a toast before the reception really starts, or have a toasting station. (Just keep the speech short and sweet).

Or share a favorite pastime with your guests such as having a cigar bar (or wine bar)

You could sew a piece of fabric from your loved one into your wedding dress.

This bride had Mehndi (Henna) put on her hands to honor her deceased Indian grandfather

This bride had a garter made out of lacefrom her grandmother’s wedding dress

Or with a bit of Modpodge, old photos and crystals you could make these DIY crystal family photo ornaments to hang from bouquets or centerpieces. Find the tutorial here

Source
Finally, have a moment of silence to remember them before your ceremony begins. You don’t need to have a church wedding to observe a moment of reflection.
Finally, When you settle on a way to celebrate your loved ones, check with those closest to them to be sure they will be ok with what you chose. This can be a sensitive subject and you wouldn’t want to catch anyone off-guard during your big day.
If you are planning on honoring a deceased love one, tell me how you will be honoring them – I’d love to hear from you!