Hayley Kerr & Aaron Bush
December 14, 2019

Hayley Kerr’s blended family is a happy one.  Knowing she wanted to include both her dad and step-dad in her wedding, she asked both men to walk her down the aisle, with dad, Zack (right), being the last to give her away. At the reception, she surprised step-dad, John, with a father-daughter dance to Brad Paisley’s “He Didn’t Have to Be.” “He still can’t talk about it without tearing up,” she says. The Takeaway: Rachael Kissel—owner of RK Weddings and Events, the company that planned Hayley’s wedding—says open dialogue is key to navigating potentially sensitive family situations. “We ask brides, ‘How do you want to honor each of these people?’ then communicate the plan so we’re all on the same page,” she says. “We keep the focus on the couple while taking care of the entire family.”—Jessica OtteGrace Miller & Bradley Glausier
May 16, 2020

Grace Miller didn’t expect husband Bradley Glausier to sing at their wedding. A musician at heart, Bradley learned “Love Like This” by Ben Rector to serenade his bride. “Ben is one of our favorite artists and basically the soundtrack to our entire relationship, so this song choice was very meaningful,” Grace says. “I get teary-eyed whenever I hear it now!” The Takeaway: Ultimately the most memorable moments are those that are unique and personal—and Grace says the COVID-19-influenced switch from a venue to an intimate home setting made this one possible: “Experiencing that intimate moment with just the people closest to us was so special.”
—Haley Arnold

Cynthia Nguyen & Eliot Griggs
January 11, 2020

Bride Cynthia Nguyen’s three-year-old second cousin, Ava, adorably makes her way down the aisle as flower girl—plus one prized bear. “We gave it to her at the rehearsal dinner and she just latched onto it,” Cynthia remembers. When the time came for Ava’s procession, she wasn’t willing to part with her new pal, making for some precious pictures. The Takeaway: “There are things you can do to set young children up for success, like getting pictures taken quickly,” says Cynthia’s day-of coordinator, Jenn Bankhead of Jenn-Lynn Designs. “But often it’s best just to go with the flow.” If little ones are feeling especially nervous, letting them carry a security object may make them more comfortable. —Rachel Behrndt

Brooke Gelling & Travis Barton
June 12, 2020

Bride Brooke Gelling and her flower girls, ages 6 and 3, take a break from getting ready to cut loose. “Our photographer was trying to get them excited, so I brought them onto the bed to jump around,” Brooke says. “All day, they were in awe of seeing a real bride in her wedding gown and getting to throw the flowers.” The Takeaway: Amid all the obligations of your wedding day, don’t forget to make time for fun. Especially for a bride whose plans were affected by COVID-19, as Brooke’s were, opportunities for stress relief are all the more important to seize. “They brought a lot of youth and levity to the day,” Brooke says of her smallest attendants. —Riley Lindsey; photo by The Tarnos

Katie Sicula & Drew Knox
February 8, 2020

Bride Katie Sicula channels her inner rock star by spontaneously jumping into her reception crowd. “I had no notion of crowd surfing—I just wanted to have fun,” she says. After a bit of heckling from guests, her groom, Drew, followed suit. “It was truly incredible,” Katie remembers. “Easily a top-three moment in my life.” The Takeaway: Your wedding is supposed to be the best night of your life, so let loose! Unplanned moments like Katie’s can create memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime. They also make for great pictures: “Nothing beats natural, candid, and fun photos that remind you of how you felt that day,” says Cesar Perez of Perez Photography, who captured this shot.—Peyton Webb; photo by Perez Photography

Lance Trachier & Mason Riza
October 10, 2020

Following their wedding ceremony, Lance Trachier and Mason Riza (pictured at bottom) were floating on air—literally!—in their DIY bounce house photo booth. Says Lance: “We were the first to arrive at the reception site, so we got to be the first ones to try it out. It was definitely a good signifier to everyone that we were here to party and have some good lighthearted fun.” The Takeaway: Photo booths are a great way to get candid keepsakes of your guests. “Photo booths are a little bit anonymous,” says Scot Redman of MotusBooth. “It allows people to relax and take a couple, or 20, uninhibited images.” But for truly one-of-a-kind photos, Redman and his team get creative, a la Lance and Mason. “We can create anything!” Redman says. “No two events are ever the same.” —J.O.