Honoring Parents during the ceremony

Hi Amanda! Welcome to WeddingWire and congrats on your engagement!

Perhaps you can modify the original script for honoring parents to be more suitable for both of you? Will you be hiring an officiant to conduct your marriage? You could talk to whomever is conducting your ceremony and see about making a special moment for both your deceased dads and your living parents, as I am sure they might have some helpful recommendations for wording and flow in your ceremony script.

That's great that this close friend is marrying you both! I see what you mean though . I have a few ideas for you from weddings I have seen:

You could include some framed pictures of those who've passed, to be placed somewhere in your ceremony & reception venue, perhaps on a table. You could reference these photos of those who have passed who are being honored and how you wish they could be here today but you are so thankful for their impact on your lives today, and then proceed to thank your living parents, too, introducing & thanking them.

Another idea, I have seen is a rose ceremony. As you are introducing, thanking, and honoring your parents, you could have a vase of roses to honor them all (potentially even alongside the photographs mentioned above), handing a rose from the vase to your living parents who are present.

Both of these ideas are just ideas and might give a setting, small ceremony, and specific time for you to honor all of your parents. The wording of it is completely up to you, as you can reference photos, introduce your living parents, and express your gratitude however you feel is best! I hope this helps.

Discussions in our Community:

Honoring parents passed? - Others ideas in the comments for how to honor their parents

(some situational differences but just a few more ideas)