During a wedding , guests ’ attention is directed at the happy couple tying the knot . But couples don ’ t make it to their big day alone , and many give ample credit to their parents with helping them along the way . With that in mind , a wedding day also can be the right time to honor parents in meaningful ways .

Engage in a joining ceremony Couples can incorporate a variation of a joining ceremony in the wedding . Some use flowers , others colored sand or candles . Each set of parents can be highlighted and symbolically join together the families by mixing sand into one

vessel , putting flowers together to form a bouquet , or using individual candles to light one larger candle .

Participate in the processional During a wedding prelude , guests arrive at the ceremony and find their seats while they wait for the formal processional to take place . Highlight parents during the processional by allowing them to lead the wedding party in walking down the aisle .

Wear a small token Couples can wear charms , accessories like a father ’ s wristwatch or a mother ’ s wedding dress so parents

are part of the wedding ensemble . These tokens can be visible , or hidden in bouquets or tucked into pockets so that only the couple and their parents will know they are there .

Participate in special dances Even couples who are not going the traditional route with their wedding reception may want to pause and give thought to how meaningful it may be for parents to participate in traditional dances that customarily take place early in the reception . After a first dance as a married couple , it ’ s customary for the bride to dance with her father and the groom to dance with his

mother . However , any variation of these traditional dances can work .

Speak to the photographer A couple can dedicate a special time for photo sessions with parents , whether separately or together . Arrange to have a framed photo made up for each set of parents , or a folio with a photo collage of the parents alone and together as the newly combined family .

Honoring parents at a wedding is a great way for couples to express their love and gratitude to the people who raised them . There are several meaningful ways to give parents the recognition they deserve .