More than a decade ago, my first cousin was married in her hometown of Nashville. The wedding was beautiful and traditional and lovely. She had attended LSU and was a strong Tiger fan, while her husband had played football at Auburn University. The SEC rivalry was fierce between this duo. The bride’s cake was towering and delicious, and the groom’s cake was a scrumptious chocolate molded to resemble the Auburn football field. Creative but not unusual.

However, when it came time to cut the cake, the groom discovered that the inside layers were dyed alternating colors of purple and gold. He’d been duped, and the crowd at the wedding burst into festive laughter. I remember thinking, “Wow, that was crazy and creative and out of the box.”

Fast forward to today. We’ve thrown out the cake box and replaced it with a doughnut wall.

Almost anything goes when it comes to modern weddings. Gone are the strong stipulations that a bride should walk down the aisle to a certain song, or she should offer a certain fare at the following festivities. Instead, the sky’s the limit and the betrothed dream and plan big. Think flower crowns instead of veils, tambourines and flip-flops for the party, and sparklers to end the night. The more personal the festivities the better—and the bride and groom are intimately involved. Weddings today are more likely to differ one from the other because the couple’s personalities always seem to shine through.

This doesn’t mean that tradition and Southern culture no longer have a place in today’s nuptials. Oh, no. Brides are embracing their heritage and choosing to marry under the oaks or outdoors in a barn or at their family property. Family is paramount, and all family is included—including the family dog. Young children even find special treats to keep them tickled at the reception.

No detail is overlooked.

The weddings featured in this issue represent a variety of styles and venues from brides and grooms in our area. While not all traditional, they continue to be beautiful and lovely. And crazy fun. From the fantastic food to the cascading flowers to the light-up bar to the glow sticks, receptions are often the biggest party in town. Families are joined, friends are a focal point, and the couple gets the greatest celebration to begin their forever journey.

I hope you can find inspiration in the following pages and have as much fun perusing the fantastic photographs of festivities as we did at inRegister. And even if flower crowns or temporary tattoos aren’t your idea of a good time, remember that making it personal is paramount. And the nuptials themselves are the main thing. And it’s too late to turn back when you’ve found out you’ve been duped at the reception.