How are you recognizing veterans at your wedding? - The PASH Wedding Forums and Message Boards

Sharon Naylor · #1 04-23-2007, 02:21 PM

For all they do -- and have done -- for our country, you may wish to follow the big trend of recognizing any members or veterans of the military at your wedding. Some of the current tributes include:
* offering a small gift to veterans, as well as flowers to the veterans' wives (a tribute that I love!)
* offering a bottle of wine to each veteran
* having your emcee recognize the veterans in your crowd so that everyone can applaud them
* calling a servicemember who is currently overseas and letting them listen in as the guests applaud them (then pass the phone around to a few select relatives and friends to say hello....they'll love it that you included them in your big day!)

What are your additional ideas? How are you planning to recognize veterans at your wedding?

Heather · #2 04-23-2007, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sharon Naylor

* calling a servicemember who is currently overseas and letting them listen in as the guests applaud them (then pass the phone around to a few select relatives and friends to say hello....they'll love it that you included them in your big day!)

I wish I would have thought of doing something like this for my nephew who is stationed overseas.

I think honoring the vets in attendance is a great idea, especially if they are family members.

Julz518 · #3 04-23-2007, 03:54 PM

Actually, I had really planned to do this... until my uncle (former Navy) went ballistic at his 50th wedding anniversary b/c his kids showed pics of him in his uniform. He's ashamed of himself for it, which is really sad

My dad is a Vietnam vet - which I didn't even know until a few years ago. He NEVER talks about it, so it doesn't seem that he would want it publicized either.

I think it's partially that generation - the Vietnam vets were not greeted with as much pomp and respect as we give our current troops overseas when they come home.

I have a lot of friends and family who are current military members (one in Afghanistan and one going to Iraq), and I am VERY proud of them and thankful for what they do. But I do not feel it is appropriate to make a "big deal" out of their service and ignore the older Vets in my family (even though they would want it that way. I've realized that it's more appropriate for me to thank them privately in person then to do it openly at my wedding.

AshyBekka · #4 04-23-2007, 05:45 PM

Well-we had a military wedding, so that's somewhat different. Several of the guys in Cliff's unit, who had just come home from Iraq came/were in the wedding (both as groomsmen, ushers and honor guard for the arch of swords). My stepdad wore his ribbon strip with his tux, and there were several toasts to the guys at the rehearsal dinner. Also, on the back of the programs, along with the "thank you for coming" to all the guests, we also had a special thank you to the men and women of 3/8 USMC, welcoming them home and sending prayers to those still recovering in hospitals and those warriors who had gone before (which was a recognizable phrase for them b/c that's what their CO always closed with on his weekly updates from Iraq). We also made a donation to a wounded warriors foundation in lieu of favors; however, that wasn't something we necessarily publicized-after thinking about it, Cliff and I decided just to do it instead of spending the money on stuff we figured would get forgotten, lost or thrown away since most of our guests were from out of town.

feb-bride · #5 04-23-2007, 10:38 PM

We didn't do this at our wedding (been married over five years). Honestly, even if this had been popular when we got married, I'm not sure I would have done it. The topic of the military is polarizing for some people, and I wouldn't want a wedding - which should be a joyous occasion - turning into a political argument.

AshyBekka · #6 04-24-2007, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by feb-bride

We didn't do this at our wedding (been married over five years). Honestly, even if this had been popular when we got married, I'm not sure I would have done it. The topic of the military is polarizing for some people, and I wouldn't want a wedding - which should be a joyous occasion - turning into a political argument.

I don't know-it's one thing to decide to recognize veterans generally, however with close family/friends who are/were in the war or who had served, I think that crowd would find it more appropriate.

Heather · #7 04-24-2007, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AshyBekka

I don't know-it's one thing to decide to recognize veterans generally, however with close family/friends who are/were in the war or who had served, I think that crowd would find it more appropriate.

I think I can speak for Feb when I say that you don't know her FIL, lol. From some of her posts, he's very political, very pro-republican, pro-bush so it may have turned into more than a simple thank you. Am I wrong Feb?

feb-bride · #8 04-24-2007, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heather

I think I can speak for Feb when I say that you don't know her FIL, lol. From some of her posts, he's very political, very pro-republican, pro-bush so it may have turned into more than a simple thank you. Am I wrong Feb?

You are not wrong. Most of my family are Democrats, and I think it could have gotten a bit heated if we'd recognized vets at our wedding. In addition, other than my FIL, no one in my family is a veteran, so any recognition of vets would have been out of place.

Also - I am not a "jump on the bandwagon" type of person, so I would not include something in my wedding just because it's turned into a trend. If something doesn't have meaning TO ME, I generally don't do it.

AshyBekka · #9 04-24-2007, 04:05 PM

Precisely my point. I understood the original question to be related to recognizing close/immediate family or very close family friends in some manner (i.e. a potential groomsman who was unable to be there due to military obligations). Obviously in your case, that wouldn't have been appropriate. However, it would have been like ignoring the purple elephant in the room had we neglected to make mention of the six guys doing a sword tunnel for us and the fact that all of them had been in Iraq a month prior to the wedding. Some families have stronger ties to the military than others, that's all.