Yep, that’s me in a wedding dress eating cake with Winnie, The Sutter Street Pig! Why, you ask? Well, why not?! And, what does it have to do you with you planning your wedding? It’s to prove a point. You and your beloved are unique individuals and unique as a couple, and your wedding should be that way too. We’ve embraced this mantra since we launched Real Weddings 12 years ago—don’t do a cookie cutter wedding: Do your own thing. If that means having pig races at your wedding, do it (we squealed with delight when we saw this at a recent wedding); if you want to do the Chicken Dance at your wedding, own it; if you don’t want to do some of the “traditional” things like a garter toss, then don’t. We think the most important thing is to put together a celebration of your love that fits with your personality as a couple focusing on the priorities you want. And, yeah, if you want to do a post-wedding shoot with Winnie, The Sutter Street Pig, DO IT! Trust me, it’s crazy fun!
Now, let’s get started on your wedding planning! Let’s talk photo shoot inspiration: each issue we assemble teams of talented wedding professionals to inspire your wedding style, from décor and details to attire, accessories and beyond, and this issue is no exception! Here, we have four distinctly different styled shoot vignettes: “In the Clouds,” “Cultural Fusion,” “Endless Love” and “Something Old Something New.” We had a lot of fun putting them together for you, and we hope you enjoy them. Then, check out our cover model contest finalist features: “Secret Garden” and “Gold Country Glam.” Like all of our cover model finalist feature photo shoots, we had a great time playing dress up—with gorgeous hair, makeup, accessories, bouquets and dresses, along with fabulous décor sets. Oh, and if you want to see more photos from any of our shoots, be sure to tune in to our website for each photo shoot’s blog series—we’ll overwhelm you with more gorgeousness!
We wouldn’t be Real Weddings Magazine without, well, real weddings. For this issue, we picked 30 fabulous real weddings—starting on page 139. And, head to our website for more deliciousness from these weddings!
Next up: columnist Kelley Saia compiled expert tips from our local wedding pros (check out her blog posts for even more helpful nuggets!). Heading out to some bridal shows? Go to pages 34 and 36 for a comprehensive list of the shows you should attend (but before you go, take the tips on page 36 to heart!). Then, as always, our “For Your Review” columnist Sharon Penny presents you with a plethora of planning tools starting on page 38 (with even more on our website); our “Gift Guide” will help you check everyone off of your gift list (including a few gifts for you!); go to page 204 to start putting together your wedding dream team of vendors…and so much more packed into the pages of this issue.
And a bazillion-times-infinity thanks to all of this issue’s contributing partners—you’re so giving with your knowledge and your talents, and we cannot thank you enough for sharing it with us and our readers.
As always, dear readers, happy planning!
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