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Real Couples' Favorite Wedding-Day Memories

You spend months — if not years — planning your big day. But which of those special moments will you truly remember long after the last song ends? Here, real couples reveal their favorite big-day memories. 

By: Kristen Klein

Enter Slideshow
  • Dance Floor Hijinks

    Dance Floor Hijinks

    Danielle and Erik did the Hora and Hava Nagila, traditional Jewish dances, to honor the groom's religious upbringing. “It was a rockin’ party on the dance floor — exactly what we wanted!” Danielle said.

    See more from this wedding ►

    Photo Credit: Andres Valenzuela

  • Fireworks Finale

    Fireworks Finale

    After hours of dancing, band members finally asked everyone to join Alexia and Blaine for a toast on the terrace; from there they watched a dazzling fireworks display. "The fireworks lit up the lake and the sky. Standing on the hill, watching them with Blaine, I thought, 'We did it!'" the bride says.

    See more from this wedding ►

    Photo Credit: Emily Angle

  • The First Dance

    The First Dance

    Dana and Whitaker took dance lessons for almost three months to prepare for their first dance — and they loved it so much that they still take lessons! They impressed guests with a fun dance to "Almost Like Being in Love" by Nat King Cole. Before the reception, Dana changed to a shorter dress to prepare ("We did a swing dance, so I needed something where I could spin and kick!"). 

    See more from this wedding ►

    Photo Credit: Abby Rose Photo

  • Roses In Remembrance

    Roses In Remembrance

    Loree and Gabriel honored their mothers with fresh red roses. “As I walked down the grassy ‘aisle,’ someone took a cell phone photo of me that caught me in a ray of light. I felt that my mother, who died a few years ago, was with me after all," says the bride.

    See more from this wedding ►

  • The Toast

    The Toast

    Brad and Kristen toasted each other with beer instead of champagne. Brad brewed five custom ales just for the wedding. "I was touched by my father’s toast. He spoke about us very personally, and his special words really moved both of us," Kristen says.

    See more from this wedding ►

    Photo Credit: Photography by Leah

  • Coming Together

    Coming Together

    Candice's favorite memory: "Seeing my divorced parents walking down the aisle arm in arm was a special moment for me. It was so nice to see that the love in my family endures."

    See more from this wedding ►

    Photo Credit: Shawna Yarbrough & Damion Hamilton

  • Riding Off Into the Sunset

    Riding Off Into the Sunset

    A charming "Just Married" sign graced the front of Catherine and Benjamin's vintage tandem bike. The couple recalls, “One of our favorite moments was riding off in our old vintage tandem bike — an instance of pure bliss!”

    See more from this wedding ►

  • "Just Married" Selfies

    "Just Married" Selfies

    "Robert and I took our first official 'selfie' as husband and wife just after we walked down the aisle arm in arm, vows complete, and then the bridal party spied us and joined in for a group selfie!" says Vicarin.

    See more from this wedding ►

  • With These Two Hands

    With These Two Hands

    A minister officiated as Nicole and Evan exchanged traditional vows and lit a unity candle to represent the merging of their families. "The minister asked Evan and me to hold hands during the ceremony. He said that throughout our marriage, these would be the hands of our best friend, the hands that would hold our children and that would work to build our future. And that one day, even when our hands were old and worn, they would offer us the same tenderness that they did on our wedding day," Nicole says.

  • A Special Moment With Dad

    A Special Moment With Dad

    Taylor did a "first look" with her father for emotional support. "I was standing in the foyer with my bridesmaids taking bridal photos, and someone said, 'Go see who that is walking in to make sure it's not the groom.' Then they said, 'It's not the groom, it's Pete's dad.' So, I didn't think anything of it, and when I turned around, my dad was standing there. I started to tear up as I looked at him, and I said, 'Do I look pretty?' He exhaled and said 'Yes!' I walked over and burst into tears while we hugged," Taylor says.

    See more from this wedding ►

  • Cheeky Marriage Advice

    Cheeky Marriage Advice

    Advice from Elise’s middle school students was incorporated into the ceremony. Such wisdom included: “Give your husband chores” and “Don’t go to Las Vegas."

    See more from this wedding ►

  • Family Huddle

    Family Huddle

    “I’ll always remember riding to the church with my father. We were smiling ear-to-ear the whole time," recalls Jennie. “After the ceremony, we came together with our families in a ‘family huddle.’ It was wonderful to hold our newly molded family together while the feeling of ‘we did it’ was in the air!”

    Photo Credit: Le Secret d'Audrey / Planning and coordination: Anne Mulvihill at Fête in France

  • Highlight Reel

    Highlight Reel

    A highlight of Annie and George's reception was when the newlyweds played a sentimental video that the bride's brother had crafted for them (he was deployed three weeks before the wedding).

    See more from this wedding ►

    Photo Credit: Miki & Sonja Photography / Wedding Planner: Magnolia Event Design 

  • Hitched

    Hitched

    After the ceremony, "The horse and carriage drove off with only the two of us in the carriage — our flower girl and ring bearer had to run after us — a funny and endearing moment," says the couple.

    See more from this wedding ►

  • Song Dedication

    Song Dedication

    “During the reception, Jason got on stage with his guitar and played a song he’d written for me. It was so spectacular that I don’t have words to describe it. It was an emotional moment," Jessica says.

    See more from this wedding ►

    Photo Credit: Gertrude & Mabel Photography

  • Seeing One Another in Church

    Seeing One Another in Church

    Charlotte and Dan's most cherished wedding memory: Seeing one another at the church for the first time that day.

    See more from this wedding ►

    Photo Credit: Tracy Timmester Photography / Event Design and Coordination: Terri Eaves from Bash

  • Rainbow Sighting

    Rainbow Sighting

    Kaitlin and Steve tied the knot in Doonbeg, Ireland. “The rain held off for our ceremony, but it started pouring moments after we arrived in the tent for our reception. A giant rainbow appeared afterward — it felt totally magical," Kaitlin says.

    See more from this wedding ►

    Photo Credit: Elisha Clarke

Real Couples' Favorite Wedding-Day Memories

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January 16th

Photo Credit: Natalie Damask on Etsy

Tip of the Day: Ready to mail out your wedding invitations or save-the-dates? Make the process easier by purchasing a decorative stamp embossed with your return address. It creates a similar look as calligraphy for much less than it would cost to have envelopes hand-addressed. You can purchase this type of stamp at stationery stores like Paper Source or online on Etsy.com. After the wedding, you can reuse it on all correspondence.

Get 10 creative photo save-the-date ideas here.

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75+ Wedding Hairstyles for Every Length

Still searching for the perfect 'do for your big day? Get inspired by these gorgeous styles that will leave any bride tressed to impress!

By: Mary Gillen

Enter Slideshow

75+ Wedding Hairstyles for Every Length

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Bridal Trends Inspired by the 2013 Golden Globes

From blush hues to lace mermaids to gold accents, the hottest gowns from the 70th annual Golden Globes can easily be worn down the aisle as well. Here are some of our favorite looks that will take you from the red carpet to the white.

Hayden Panettiere in Roberto Cavalli & Amy Adams in Marchesa

The "Best Supporting Actress" nominees both chose ultra-feminine blush mermaid gowns. This romantic hue, dubbed "ballet pink" by Adams, complemented the stars' fair complexions. This Allure gown (pictured below) captures the essence of this up-and-coming bridal trend.

Photo via mile_in_my_style on Instagram

Photo via Modavesosyete on Instagram

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75 Reasons to Have a First Look

Debating whether to see each other before the ceremony? These incredibly sweet photos might convince you!

By: Kristen Klein

Enter Slideshow

75 Reasons to Have a First Look

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New York City Weddings

Tonight, we’ll get a look at how Carrie Bradshaw’s love affair with New York City began in The Carrie Diaries, premiering at 8 p.m. EST on The CW. But Carrie isn’t the only one seeking love and in the city. Here, take a look at some of our favorite New York City weddings by Casey Fatchett Photography.

Planning a New York wedding? Check out some of our favorite vendors and venues, and chat with other brides in your area in our Facebook community.

January 14th

Photo Credit: iStock

Tip of the Day: Are you dwelling on a difficult bridesmaid, your meddling mother-in-law, or unresponsive wedding vendors? Create de-stressing rituals to get that troublemaker out of your mind, whether it's venting to a supportive girlfriend or taking a yoga class. You have better things to think about!

Follow this great advice from wedding planner David Tutera: Don’t go crazy asking everyone you know and their mother what they think about this location or that bridesmaid dress or this font — it’ll only lead to a frustrating amount of conflicting responses, and you won’t know what to make of it.

Check out 20 fun ideas for de-stressing here.

How We Met: Bride vs. Groom

[Editor's note: While interviewing Megan and Matt for their real wedding feature, we fell in love with the story of how they met. Here, they share in their own words how they recall that special night.]

engagement picture
Photo Credit: Kait Dowling Photography

Matt's version:

It was a dark and stormy night... actually, it really wasn’t. It was a pretty nice, slightly warm day in the early summer. I got a call from James, asking me to hang out. I was tired and wanted to play video games or take a nap, just to get some down time alone after the semester recently ended.

“I think I’m just gonna hang out here, man,” I said.

“My brother’s here,” said James.

“Tell him I said ‘Hi’.”

James paused. Sighed. “And so’s my sister.”

“I’ll be right over.”

* * *

Maybe I should start further back. A while before this, James tells me that his brother and sister are coming up for his graduation.

“I can’t believe you’re leaving, man! We’ve had such a great time [NOT] skipping class to watch movies and order pizza this year. I can’t believe you’re leaving me behind like this. How old?”

“What?” James looked puzzled. He obviously wasn’t used to how fast and powerful my brain was.

“How old is your sister?”

10 Ways to Cut Wedding Costs—Not Corners

Guest blogger: Sharon Naylor, bestselling author of over 35 wedding books for brides, bridesmaids and the mothers of the bride and groom. Her titles have spent time in the #1 book, e-book and wishlist spots on Amazon and BN.com for their categories. Here is an exclusive sneak peek from her new book, The Bride's Guide to Freebies: Enhancing Your Wedding Without Selling Out.

1. Keep in mind that vendors like to show off to guests.
"If I know that the bride and groom have really planned on a low budget, their flowers are small, their menu is on the smaller side, they had to choose just cake instead of cake and a dessert bar, I'll add in some impressive elements so that the couple's guests can see what we do here at our banquet hall. Who knows? Maybe someone on their guest list will be planning a bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah, wedding, or corporate gala. It's great for them to see a more impressive array of my chef's work, rather than not seeing my place in a great light becuse the slim pickings were so distracting." —Henry, wedding hall manager

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