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Magical Harry Potter-Inspired Wedding Photos

The Harry Potter series has provided an endless supply of wedding inspiration, from proposals to engagement photos to themed weddings. And when Harry Potter fanatic Marissa married Kyle Pick in September, the groom and their photographers, Patrick Meyers and Joe Mowczko of Heroic Photography, secretly planned some Harry Potter-inspired photos for the big day! They gathered a Gryffindor scarf, a magic wand, and the entire book series for the portraits, culminating the photo session with an epic battle against Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Check out the amazing photos:

harry potter theme wedding

harry potter wedding

harry potter wedding

harry potter wedding

Subtle Ways to Include the Holidays in Your Wedding

christmas wedding
Photo Credit: Hoffer Photography

When the words “holiday” and “wedding” come together in the same sentence, what comes to mind? A goth Halloween ball? An ugly Christmas sweater party? If you’re European, perhaps you think simply of a honeymoon. While New Year’s Eve weddings are nothing new, there is a consistent trend of couples striving for an event to remember, aiming to differentiate their nuptials from the rest.

One advantage to planning a holiday wedding is an instant theme. The season lends itself to a distinct color palette and design direction — but how do you create an elegantly themed atmosphere without going too kitsch or campy? The answer lies in delicate balance and unexpected details. Consulting with a professional planner can help keep you on track and ensure your event comes across as you.

Here are four different holiday wedding themes and tips on how to incorporate subtle yet impactful décor details into your big day.

Christmas

15 Fun Alternatives for Your Guest Book

After the cake is cut and your gorgeous flowers have wilted, there are just a few things that will last long after your reception and well into your marriage. That's why so many of us brides splurge on a professional photographer, and maybe even a videographer, since film is the best way to preserve our memories from that special day.

However, your guest book can also serve as a fun memento of your wedding day. Skip the standard notebook and let your creativity shine with these fabulous finds!

1. Have your guests sign wine bottles, each of which represents a marriage milestone (your 1st, 5th, 10th and 25th wedding anniversaries). Read their heartfelt messages and toast to how far you've come together.

wine bottle guest book unique
Photo by: EVC Creations

2. If you or your future spouse loves music, then consider asking guests to sign your favorite musical instrument. This alternative guest book idea will hit just the right note! 

Bonus: You could also name various tables at your reception after meaningful love songs.

Wedding Weight-Loss: Preparing for the Holidays

During my Sunday weigh-in, I was down another two pounds! That leaves me with just two more pounds to lose in order to reach my 10 pound goal for November. I think with one week left, it’s absolutely possible and I will do it.

Last Sunday’s workout with Bonne Marcus was excellent! She said she knows that during the week when we do the routine ourselves we are not doing it two times through (she’s right…), so she had us do a three-segment workout two times through. The workout consisted of a leg exercise, arm exercises, and then an ab exercise. The first segment was lunges on the Frisbee, where you squat down and put your hands on the floor, kick your leg back, pull your leg back in the original squat position, stand up, and do it again, 20 times total. This was so hard! Arm exercises were a mix of bicep curls, rowing with the band, tricep extensions, and pushups. And for the abs, we did pull-over crunches with a 10-pound dumbbell and mountain climbs in a plank position. If you want a quick and easy workout, I highly suggest trying the lunges I mention. You can use a small towel or anything to help slide your leg, but it really burns and will give you an excellent quick workout!

lunges

How to Make the Most of a Rainy Wedding Day

Loverly is the heart of weddings: a visual inspiration search engine designed to help brides discover ideas, people to hire, and things to buy. Loverly makes finding beautiful wedding inspiration easier than ever! Their images are powered by the best wedding publishers and wedding shopping partners on the web. Find Bridal Guide on Loverly >>

“But rain is good luck on your wedding day!” Try telling that to the bride who spent a year planning the perfect outdoor ceremony and reception, with a backup plan that’s just not quite as good as the original. If rain is in your wedding-day forecast, no need to add to the downpour with tears of your own. Rainy-day weddings definitely aren’t full of bad luck when you have adorable rain boots, whimsical umbrellas, and a set of enchanting, romantic photos.

1. You know what they say about kissing in the rain...

Girl with Cancer Gifted Dream Wedding

yahoo shine

This article originally appeared on Yahoo Shine

High school sweethearts Leslie Rivera and Daniel Mendez tied the knot last week in California, but the ceremony was bittersweet. The 18-year-old high school seniors began dating last October after meeting at an anti-racism event at school, but six months later, Leslie was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia.

While Leslie was able to attend her graduation with the rest of her class, she spent much of the final months of her senior year in the hospital — with Daniel by her side. Last week, with the help of the Make A Wish Foundation, Leslie's wish to marry her best friend, Daniel, came true. Here, our favorite pics from their special day.

Upon hearing that Leslie was a fan of David Tutera, celebrity wedding planner and the star of WE tv's "David Tutera: Unveiled," Make A Wish contacted him directly. Tutera immediately signed on to help plan the bride's big day and even surprised her at the dress fitting.

5 Overlooked Wedding Gown Silhouettes

When picking a wedding dress, most brides feel limited to choose from the three basic silhouettes — A-line, ballgown or fit-and-flare — yet there are so many amazing options that often go overlooked. Michelle Della Giovanna, New York-based designer behind the Della Giovanna line of fashion-forward edgy bridal gowns, shares five alternative silhouettes worth considering (especially if you’re looking to stand out from other brides!).

Empire

empire waist gown by della giovanna
Dress by Della Giovanna

The empire gown's high waist elongates the body, making it the perfect option for petite brides or anyone who wants to add a little height for the big day. It's also extremely flattering on most figures, since it hides a large amount of problem areas.

Tiered

tiered gown by austin scarlett
Dress by Austin Scarlett

10 Most Romantic Movie Proposals

"Engagement season" is almost here — the most popular time to pop the question is between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day. To get in the spirit, we decided to take a look back at the big-screen proposals that tugged at our heartstrings.

When Harry Met Sally

Who could forget when Harry (Billy Crystal) finally admits he's in love with Sally (Meg Ryan)? In the movie that made everyone question whether men and women can ever really just be friends, Harry realized he was in love with Sally while spending New Year's Eve alone and raced to meet her before midnight because "when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible." Swoon!

The Wedding Singer

Robbie (Adam Sandler) confesses his love for Julia (Drew Barrymore) by serenading her with a personalized song... as she's aboard a flight to Las Vegas to marry her current (awful) fiancé. Sandler's sweet "Grow Old With You" song has become a popular wedding song ever since the movie hit, and it's no surprise why.

Sweet Home Alabama

It's every girl's dream come true: Melanie (Reese Witherspoon) is whisked away to Tiffany's after hours (by Patrick Dempsey, no less) and told to "pick one." Just one complication... she's still secretly married to her childhood sweetheart.

Marvelous Macarons

The delectable macaron (French, of course, for macaroon) has taken the wedding world by storm. These small, round baked confections not only satisfy your sweet tooth but also come in a variety of fabulous flavors and colors. I love their delicate, crispy crust and the soft, meringue-like center and have probably eaten far too many to count! Now, from confectioners ‘Lette Macarons, comes the macaron wedding cake. Choose a rainbow-hued tower graced with colorful flowers:

multicolored macaron wedding cake

Or go boho-chic with this flower-child daisy cake:

macaron wedding cake

Each tower contains 60 macarons of your choice, and the prices range from $119 to $135. You can personalize each tower with macarons in your wedding colors, along with an elegant floral bottom that matches your bridal blooms. I think they’re perfect for any pre-wedding party, a bridal shower and rehearsal dinner or for displaying on your dessert table.

You can also give your guests macarons as wedding favors ($4.00 per box):

macaron wedding favor

And make it even more fun and personal by selecting “his ‘n her” favorites:

Our Favorite Wedding Dresses from Movies

In need of some wedding dress inspiration? Just think silver (screen that is). Many gown trends have been inspired by blockbuster hits!

After catching an early screening of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (in theaters now), we're still reeling over one particular image: Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in an ultra-modern wedding dress

While Katniss’ love story is nothing short of our nightmare, her would-be wedding gown is something out of a fairytale. The strapless ball gown, complete with raw edge ruffles and some serious silver bling, is both modern and romantic. It's sure to turn future brides into Mockingjays.hunger games katniss wedding dress
Photo Credit: Entertainment Weekly 

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