Wedding Tradition :: Missing Man Flyover

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A wedding is a tradition in and of itself, but within a wedding there are many opportunities for a couple to connect to their history, heritage, family, and values. We're excited about our new series, Wedding Traditions, where real brides and grooms share the traditions they included in their big day, and what the tradition means to them.

Photography by Clark Brewer. Event Planning & Design: Marieé Ami

Though today's tradition may not be a typical wedding tradition, it still carries powerful significance for the couple. We featured this wedding three years ago, and it continues to hold a special place in our hearts. Ashley's parents passed away in a plane crash two years before her wedding, and to honor her parents, her father's best friend Buddy performed a Missing Man Flyover to acknowledge the deep absence of her parents that day. Says Bride Ashley:

"I always had a lot of ideas about what my wedding day would be like, from the setting, food, dress, and especially what it would be like for my dad to walk me down the aisle. Yet all those ideas flew out the window when my parents died two years ago in a plane crash. Their lives deeply inspired me during the planning as I wanted to share this special day with them. I think one of the main reasons I have experienced so much joy in knowing and loving Christopher is because I have experienced the depth of pain in losing the two people I love the most on this earth. As Kahlil Gibran wrote, "The deeper sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain." We wanted to acknowledge both joy and sorrow on this day because the two are inseparable."