Singaporebrides | Weddings 101

June 2025

Ways to Commemorate the Father-Daughter Bond at a Wedding

By Elizabeth Chee

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The father-daughter bond deserves some limelight at the ceremony too. Should dancing not be your cup of tea, here are some uncomplicated, inclusive ways brides can commemorate their dads at the wedding.

It’s a common phenomenon for young children with healthy parental relationships—before gaining a proper understanding of how marriage actually works in reality—to claim that they’d want to get married to their parents. After all, to the tender-aged, the innocent, fundamental grasp of the concept of love is all there is to the word ‘married’, and parents are the only people they want around forever—that is, until they grow out of their early formative years.

That’s not to say that all the love one has for their parents wanes over time. Life moves on, priorities shift and so do childlike ideas of marriage. But the ties that children share with their parents endure in other ways—for example, positive traits that daughters respect in their fathers might eventually be the green flags they require from potential partners. And on the wedding day itself, some brides might want to honour the cherished bond they shared with their dads, because one fact remains about fathers who walk their daughters down the aisle: they’ll always be the first man who ever loved her.

In Western culture, the celebration of the father-daughter bond is typically demonstrated by a special dance during the reception, to heartfelt song choices like Frank Sinatra’s classic “The Way You Look Tonight” or more upbeat tunes such as “My Girl” by The Temptations. But to tell the truth, not everyone’s feet are made for dancing, and in an Asian context and culture—where formalism is more pronounced and affection tends to be expressed more indirectly—a father-daughter dance might be out of reach.

Fortunately, wedding traditions can always be modified, and new trends are constantly on the rise. Brides who wish to honour the bonds they have with their fathers before finally being let go need not be limited—take reference from all the alternative ways one can express love and gratitude to dad at their wedding, below.

1. FIRST LOOK

An emotional moment usually dedicated to the groom, the first look is a private, intimate ritual where the bride is first revealed in her full wedding day look before the event begins. While it might be unconventional to do so, including one’s father, or having a separate first look with him, is an easy alternative. Another benefit to this? There’s plenty of time to capture the special interaction on video or camera before the day’s busy activities, where opportunities for meaningful photographs with loved ones might be scarce otherwise.

2. SOMETHING BORROWED

As the phrase from the age-old wedding rhyme suggests, wearing or incorporating a borrowed item from a happily married family member or friend is essential to bringing the bride good luck in her marriage. Attaching tie pins, charms, photo lockets or other accessories and trinkets belonging to their fathers in either the outfit or bouquet are how some brides choose to share that special father-daughter moment, instead of hitting the dance floor.

3. FATHER-DAUGHTER PHOTOSHOOT

Consider scheduling time slots specifically for family and wedding party portraits—including some solo shots with dad—during the wedding. Whether one prefers formal portraits taken during the calm before the actual ceremony, or candid and relaxed snaps at cocktail hour, capturing these in-the-moment emotions and memories to look back on in future will be an unregrettable choice.

4. VISUAL OR VERBAL TRIBUTE

Take a trip down memory lane—photo or video montages that tell a chronological story of a bride growing up alongside her father never fail to be well-appreciated. Even a simple photo display at the reception speaks a thousand words, adding a personal touch to the wedding decor while honouring the father-daughter bond. Another effortless and uncomplicated option to execute is having the father of the bride present a ceremony reading or blessing.

5. GET CREATIVE WITH IT

Ultimately, the wedding is a celebration of the bride and groom, and there are no restrictions on one’s creativity when it comes to such traditions. Brides with a flair for performance could sing a song or play a musical instrument at the wedding, dedicating the showcase to their dad. Have a father who’s a cocktail connoisseur? Have a mixologist customise a unique beverage named after him that could be served at the reception, open bar or banquet. All in all, the only reasonable requirement would be that the gesture comes deep from the heart, a sincere representation of the father-daughter bond that continues even beyond the wedding day.

Feature image from Jalyn and Jerome’s Beautiful Green Wedding at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa by Juanmoley Fotologue

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