Do you remember the time you stayed up talking at a 24-hour coffee shop with the groom?  Or that pizza joint that you and the bride went to every Friday back in college?  These were the moments in which you formed those forever friendships that you are celebrating years after!

You receive the invitation in the mail with the great news of the upcoming marriage, the date, and the places the couple registered.  When you look at the registry I want to encourage you to look at it a bit differently!  Think back to the pizza joint or the state you grew up in and find an item on that list that represents your relationship over the years.  Be creative and write on the card why you choose the gift that you did.  The couple will love the gift more if they know you put extra thought into it!

For example, maybe you share a special salsa recipe with the bride that you created when you were younger.

Or…maybe you spent a late night (or a few late nights) drinking margaritas while telling stories of past experiences.

Or if you and the bride used to meet every Sunday for brunch and her favorite meal she ordered every week was a ham and cheese omelet…consider this pan for her gift!

You and the groom might have grown up in the South together where Sweet Tea is famous.  Consider buying this pitcher, with a quick note about how you want them to carry on the family sweet tea recipe with their new family.

What I am proposing for you to do when purchasing gifts is to take some time and make a connection with the item you are buying and let the couple know you cherish your memories together!  Happy Shopping!

Source: Bed Bath and Beyond

A good friend of mine sent me over this creative DIY idea for displaying your escort cards and I fell in love with it!  Whether you are hanging butterflies or another shape to go along with your theme, when you walk in and see this display you can not help but be impressed!

Having 4 different stations allows guests to not get clogged up in a long line when getting into the reception, they can spread around the tables.  Also, what I love most about this is I rarely see anything like this at weddings. You can tell there was a lot of quality time put into this, but the end product is obviously worth it!

Source:  Shelly Valentine Photography

Kevin Swan out did himself at the wedding last weekend of Brittany and Luke Pittman in Indianapolis!  600 people gathered to join in the celebration…and a celebration it was!  From the stunning church to the unbelievable backyard tent reception, every detail was planned and executed perfectly!  The pictures below are a small preview of the elaborate event that was put on to honor a wonderful marriage—keep a look out for more photos from Kevin on his website!

Classic picture of father with cigar helping flower girls tie their bow.  LOVE it!

Why have just one or two flower girls when you can five adorable gals walking down the aisle to “Four Seasons” by Vivaldi.

Truly the perfect backyard for a backyard wedding, so picturesque!

I was lucky enough to attend this wedding and I want to commend Kevin Swan on not only truly capturing the wedding moments, but I was amazed at the close-up shots that were taken during the ceremony while not distracting the wedding one bit!  I could probably spend an entire month highlighting the details at this breathtaking wedding, look for more to come soon.

Source: Kevin Swan: Photography for Luxury Weddings