I was extremely close to my grandfather and was devastated when he passed away in 1993. To honor him and make sure that he was present at my wedding I chose to get married in the small Baptist church where he is buried, even though my husband and I are Catholic.

After the wedding ceremony was complete, my new husband and I asked our guests for a few minutes alone. The aisle I walked down on my day as a bride was adorned with a long piece of green silk covered in rose petals. We gathered this all up and made our way to the cemetery while our guests waited inside.

When we approached my grandfather's grave we stood for a moment in silence. Then we laid the silk over his grave and covered it in rose petals. My grandmother and my brother joined us and we said a prayer. I then tearfully thanked my grandfather for coming to my wedding and told him I loved him very much.

Even though my grandfather has been gone for over ten years, I was glad that I could make him a part of my special day. I think about him often and I wonder what he would say about how I have grown up. I know he would be extremely proud of me. And just knowing that makes it easier to have him gone and still know he is there.

Learn more about this author, Stephanie Rogers.
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