Handling of an absent parent during Wedding process
My dad passed away in an accident 2 years ago. I was always very close with my parents, so planning the wedding without him was incredibly hard at times, and I skipped a few wedding traditions (like parent dances) when I got married last month--because the first time I attended a friend's wedding after my dad passed, I spent the whole father/daughter dance in the bathroom crying. I tried to include a few small things on the day of, like a bouquet charm, his photo on a chair in the front row next to my mom, a poem next to a 3-cyllinder submerged flower/floating candle centerpiece on the card table (blue delphiniums because blue was his favorite color), and a moment of silence for him at the beginning of my ceremony. I also made sure our DJ played one of his favorite oldie songs during the reception. And I attached one of his old tie pins to my bouquet clutch. I was afraid I'd cry all day, but I really just took a moment in the bridal suite before the ceremony and then was ok for the rest of the night. My mom walked me down the aisle, but I felt like my dad was right there with us.
