Thanking Special People at Weddings: How to Honor Those Most Important to You

Your wedding provides an opportunity to recognize and thank some of the very special people in your life. Doing so will make your special day, more meaningful to you, and more memorable to them.

Dear Wedding Guru: “I’d like to recognize a number of people at my wedding in some special way. (Some of them are my bridesmaids, matron of honor, and flower girl.) It’s really important to me to be as inclusive as possible and involve as many people as possible. How should i do this?”

(See answer on next page)

» Find more ways to honor special people in “In Memoriam”
» Find more ways to honor special people in “In Memoriam (Part Two)”
» Read more from The Wedding Guru blog
» Submit a question to the Wedding Guru
» Hudson Valley Weddings 2011
» View our Wedding Guide

Dear Valley bride-to-be: There are lots of ways to honor the special people in your life! Here are just a few:

• Have an honoree light a candle at the ceremony in memory of a departed relative
• Present a reading or special toast
• Invite the honored guest(s) to sit with you at the dais
• At a Jewish wedding, have the honoree hold one of the four poles of the wedding canopy
• Have a guest performer at the reception
• Acknowledging younger guests? Ask them to be junior bridesmaids/groomsmen (they’ll precede the bridesmaids and groomsmen down the aisle)

If you can’t find anything that you feel is appropriate for a particular person, consider asking the honoree what he or she might want to do or say. Sometimes just asking (even if it doesn’t come to fruition) is an honor.

» Find more ways to honor special people in “In Memoriam”
» Find more ways to honor special people in “In Memoriam (Part Two)”
» Read more from The Wedding Guru blog
» Submit a question to the Wedding Guru
» Hudson Valley Weddings 2011
» View our Wedding Guide