Great Expectations The mother of the bride has always dreamed of a lavish fairy-tale wedding. The father of the groom, a lay minister, naturally expected solemn religious rites. Great-aunt Agnes, a stickler for the rules, shudders at every deviation from the norm. And Grandma is shocked that the wedding dress is mauve and insists its [...]
The Grand Entrance There are few arrivals better designed to send a chill up your spine and a tear down your cheek than a radiant bride crossing the threshold. In the traditional Christian procession, the groom, best man, and officiant stand at the altar. Up the aisle come the ushers, followed by the bridesmaids, the [...]
Sitting Pretty on Wedding Day As if there wasnt enough to worry about on the day of your wedding, theres family. You know, that fractious bunch whom you love dearly and yet who can make life a challenge. Seating will be a breeze if everything is all happy families, but if you anticipate trouble, its [...]
With This Pen, I Thee Wed Many couples find the idea of writing their own vows utterly romantic–and utterly terrifying. How can you possibly express your love in words that will wow the assembled guests? Not to worry. Youre not writing to publish, but simply to express your feelings for your beloved, and your hopes [...]
The Traditional Take Your wedding vows herald that final moment when you exchange rings and I dos. They are the affirmation of all your love and commitment before you plunge into wedded bliss. You want the words to express everything you feel about love and marriage… but you dont want to write them yourself. Those [...]
The Unbroken Circle As long as there has been matrimony, there have been wedding bands. Brides of ancient Egypt, Greece, India, and Rome all wore such symbols of eternal love, and the hands of countless grooms have borne rings since the 16th century. With that kind of legacy, choosing your own bands may seem daunting. [...]
Sweet Harmony Remember your first exposure to classical music? For many, it had to be Mendelssohn or Wagner and their ubiquitous wedding marches. For more than a century, these have been the serenades for the walks up and down the aisle. Today, however, theres a huge discography of songs to choose from, in a range [...]
Licensed to Thrill In the flurry of activity leading up to the big day, its more common than you might think to overlook that one essential item more important than the cake, dress, and wedding favors put together. This, of course, is the marriage license. Every state in the union calls for that singular piece [...]
Lovely and Amazing The standard wedding ceremony is a seven-step process: the processional, the welcome and introduction, the marriage sermon, the vows, the exchange of rings, the blessing, kiss, and pronouncement, and the recessional. This means you have seven opportunities to create a ceremony thats personal and special. There are myriad ways to customize these [...]
Tried and True or Totally You? He’s a relaxed kind of guy who’d be happy with a casual wedding, one surrounded by his family and best buddies, nothing too religious, a rocking reception band, no tux. You’ve dreamed of a storybook wedding ever since you dressed Barbie and Ken in wedding attire. But true love [...]
