Memorial Candles:
Ideas on how to have a poignant ceremony

See our memorial candles

While your wedding day is supposed to be a joyous occasion, there are times where the loss of a loved one may weigh heavy on your heart. We expect everyone we love and care about to be a part of our wedding, and with the loss of a parent or grandparent, their absence during your wedding ceremony may be felt. It has become a very common practice during wedding ceremonies to light a memorial candle to honor those who have passed on and are unable to be with you during your wedding day.

The how and when of this part of the ceremony is essentially going to come to the preference of the bride and groom. Usually, the lighting of the memorial candle takes place before the lighting of the unity candle. A prayer or a song is usually said for those who are being represented by the memorial candle and then the ceremony continues. This brief moment of acknowledgement of those who are no longer with us is a very important part to the wedding ceremony, especially when the death was recent or in the midst of wedding plans.

If you are looking to incorporate a memorial candle into your ceremony, you can do a variety of different things. You might want to try some of these different ideas:

1. As mentioned above, you can light a memorial candle during your wedding ceremony. This can take place before the lighting of the unity candle. A short prayer or poem can be said in remembrance of those who are no longer with us, thus incorporating them into the wedding ceremony.

2. When people are coming in the front doors of where the ceremony is being held, you can have a table setup where people coming in can light a small candle in memory of those who have passed on and are unable to attend the wedding ceremony. You can include a short poem in a picture frame dedicated to the family and loved ones who are not able to attend the ceremony.

3. Take a clear glass vase and have it personalized with information about the loved ones that are missed or a short little poem dedicated on those who have passed on. You can fill these with flowers that match the rest of the wedding ceremony and place them in a certain spot so that everyone can see them. After the wedding ceremony is over, they can be brought to the wedding reception and also used as a decoration as well.

4. If the death of a loved one occurred during wedding planning or right before the wedding ceremony, you might want to get a picture frame and place that person’s picture in the frame. Add either a candle or a vase with flowers and have it as a part of your ceremony and your reception. While the death of this person may still be felt strongly, having them with you and honoring them on your special day can be quite refreshing and make things less stressful.

Losing someone close, especially a parent or a grandparent who was very near and dear to you can be very traumatic and heartbreaking when it comes to planning a wedding. However, Sensible Weddings has everything that you will need to remember that person on your important day with respect and dignity.

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