Paris Jackson to Honor Dad Michael at Her Wedding to Justin Long: He's 'Always Front and Center on Her Mind'

Paris Jackson is ready to walk down the aisle — and she's got heartfelt plans brewing for her upcoming wedding to Justin Long later this year. But it's more than just a celebration — it's a bittersweet reminder that her late father, the legendary Michael Jackson, won't be there to share in the joy.

"Her dad is always front and center on her mind, she still feels incredibly connected to him so it's important to her that he be a big presence for her at the wedding," a source close to the 27-year-old told a news outlet.

Paris first linked up with Justin back in June 2023, transitioning from a successful professional bond — where he "did sound" for her 2022 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon — to a romantic relationship.

The couple announced their engagement in December 2024, but eagle-eyed fans spotted a stunning engagement ring on Paris at Paris Fashion Week months prior in September.

"It's terrifying," Paris confided to Entertainment Tonight at an Elton John fundraiser when asked if she was floating on "Cloud Nine" after getting engaged. "It's a leap. It's exciting and it's thrilling and it's a big step."

"I know that I made the right choice," she added.

As for the wedding details, the Habit actress is diving into planning mode, dishing out, "I just started working with a wedding planner… He's absolutely wonderful. We're working on venues and dresses."

A close insider hinted that as Paris fine-tunes her big day, there'll definitely be an element of her father's spirit woven throughout the ceremony.

They revealed, "A lot of ideas are being thrown around like having a chair reserved for him with a photo of him on it or having his music be a part of the night."

Despite being early in the planning process, don't expect Paris to hand over the reins completely. "Paris isn't the type to give wedding planners too much rope and will be adding her own touches throughout. Most importantly, she wants to keep Michael as close to her as possible."

"In fact, Paris will write her own vows so it's likely she will mention her dad at some point because she always talks about how much Michael would love Justin. Paris has a lot of her dad's jewelry so she may want to incorporate that into her wedding look to feel closer to him when she walks down the aisle."

But as the source poignantly noted, "No matter how much she honors him it's still going to be a bittersweet moment without her dad by her side, there's no way around that."

Previously, the model was linked to bandmate Gabriel Glenn but their romance ended in heartbreak after two years in August 2020.

In a reflective June 2021 episode of Red Table Talk with host Willow Smith, she emphasized, "I'm very careful with who I spend time with now and very guarded and trying to protect myself."