Welcome to Your Wedding

After you’ve thumbed through the section, you’ll be inspired by the dresses, the wedding décor, and the plethora of beautiful backdrops we are lucky enough to have in our collective backyard. And then you’ll go out and plan the wedding that only you were meant to have.

That’s the one timeless trend we wanted to disclose first, to remind you that no matter what color schemes and cake flavors are on fleek right now, the perfect choice for you is whatever you’ve been dreaming of all along. It’s easy for brides and grooms to get overwhelmed by the barrage of messages in magazines and websites and even in their real lives, people telling them what’s hot and what’s not, what’s overdone or never done or can’t be done.

Are you envisioning a modern, striped theme even though it doesn’t exactly scream “Lowcountry”? Go for it, it’ll be gorgeous. Do you still love the burlap and lace look, but are worried too many weddings have done it? Don’t worry, yours will be different — because it’s yours.

When it comes right down to it, trends don’t matter. They can serve as inspiration, but your wedding isn’t a trend, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event that kicks off the start of something truly beautiful — your marriage.

With that in mind, here are the top tips every bride can use to pull off the perfect party:

Remember that there are two of you.

Admittedly, a lot of wedding magazines and websites are geared toward the bride, the one traditionally in charge of picking colors and creating favors, the one who historically has cared more about which size chalkboard will tell people where to sit and which flowers will go in the bridesmaids’ bouquets. But the big day will be just as much of a milestone for that dashing gentleman by your side, so give him a chance to weigh in on the big and little stuff. He’s already proven he has great taste by the bride he chose.

Be a good host.

Just as your marriage will not be lived in a bubble, your wedding day is a celebration with other people. Granted, these are (hopefully) the people who know and love you best, but they are no doubt spending a good deal of their money and time to be part of your big day. So make their needs a priority when planning the party. Adequate childcare, transportation services and small touches to ensure their comfort and safety are important.

Manners matter.

When etiquette issues crop up, ask your wedding planner for advice. These are people who have been around the wedding block at least 100 times and have seen it all. They are a great resource for navigating the sometimes-tricky waters of balancing two families, multiple dreams and one very sensitive budget. (And don’t delay with your thank you notes!)

The vows are the “wow.”

It’s easy to get swept up in the small details — selecting the perfect flavor layering for the cake and just the right font for your invitations. But the most important moment of the day is the one in which you two say “I do,” so spend as much time on that as you need to make the ceremony a perfect expression of your love and devotion for each other. There won’t be a dry eye in the house (or on the beach).

Make the memories for you.

When all is said and done, people will remember little bits from your wedding — a favorite late-night snack that was offered, or the way the bride looked walking down the aisle, or a funny toast at the reception — while you two will remember all of it — all your hard work unfolding right there before your eyes. But those hours go by so fast you could very well nearly miss it. Don’t get so wrapped up in planning and pulling off the party that you aren’t able to make the memories. It is the first day of the rest of your life together, and it should be savored.

You will be the ones rehashing the moments and thumbing through the photos together, year after year. So let these pages inspire, rather than dictate, the ways to make your wedding dreams come true.