200+ Emotional Wedding Moments
You've put a lot of thought into all of the major ceremony and reception decisions — who will be your officiant, which song you'll dance to first, what you'll serve for dinner and display as décor — but oftentimes, the most unforgettable moments are unscripted.
The build-up to the ceremony can be especially emotional. We've compiled some amazing photos that convey everything a bride and groom may be feeling before they walk down the aisle, from extreme giddiness to bittersweet nostalgia to paralyzing nerves.
By: Stefania Sainato
Aisle Bound
This is it — the moment you've all been waiting for! Once the ceremony processional song starts to play, take a deep breath, hold on to the arm of whoever's escorting you and flash everyone your best smile. Congratulations, you've made it.
Photo Credit: Donna Von Bruening
Realizing What's Most Important: Family & Loved Ones
Mom, Dad, Grandma, and maybe even your siblings have all looked forward to your fairytale ending, and they've supported you every step of the way. Even if your parents are divorced or there's a family member or in-law who's been less-than-stellar to deal with throughout the planning process, odds are that your wedding will still have a significant impact on the entire family as a whole. Everyone's gaining a new relative, and the dynamic may change now that you're a married woman with her own family that comes first. (Check out more sweet mother-daughter moments and father-daughter moments.)
This shift is bittersweet and can lead to growing pains ("What if I'm not me anymore after I become a wife?") throughout your engagement. Recognize the enormity of making the transition to marriage and avoid taking on any additional major life changes during this time, if you can help it. Be extra sensitive to loved ones' feelings and plan quality time with them, which can help reassure them that you'll still be just as present in their life as you are now.
Photo Credit: Donna Von Bruening
Realizing What's Most Important: Family & Loved Ones
Photo Credit: Lorraine Daley Wedding Photography
Spelling Out How Much You Love Them
Make your spouse-to-be feel loved and appreciated by telling (or showing) them just how lucky you feel to spend the rest of your life with them.
Here are a few suggestions to spark your creativity: Write a series of love letters to be opened on meaningful occasions in the future, like your first fight and your first wedding anniversary; jot down a sweet note each day in the month leading up to the wedding, similar to advent calendars around Easter; plaster the inside of his car with a hundred Post-It notes, each with a different reason why you love him; record a video message before you get into your gown and text it to him; give him a meaningful gift that he'll never guess is coming...the opportunities are endless. Check out more ways to make your wedding romantic.
Don't forget to thank family members and friends for all of their support, too, even if someone couldn't make it to the wedding.
Photo Credit: Nancy Cohn
Trying on the Gown (for Real, This Time!)
Have your Mom, maid of honor, or another person in your wedding VIP circle come with you to your final gown fitting to learn how to help you into your dress and bustle your train (if you have one). If you have small buttons on the back of your dress, consider getting a crochet hook at your local craft store to make buttoning them easier.
On the morning of the wedding, take the garment bag off the dress so that the fabric can "settle" and any tiny wrinkles can work themselves out. Don't forget a pretty hanger — you don't want a plastic one to cheapen the look of your magnificent dress in photos.
Still haven't found your dream dress? Check out 10 shopping tips no one tells you and avoid these common wedding gown mistakes. Plus, check out what to do with your dress after the wedding.
Photo Credit: Guy Heart Studio
Getting Giddy with Excitement
All of your hard work selecting the perfect venue, dress, vendors, invitations, centerpieces, favors, et cetera has paid off! Finally, it's your wedding day and you get to marry your fiancé, pledging to love and cherish one another for the rest of your lives. "Happy" doesn't even begin to describe this feeling — you're so over-the-moon ecstatic that it's contagious to everyone around you.
In order to not only arrive at this point in time, but prolong this sense of joy, it's important not to lose sight of the big picture. Having perspective is simple in theory, but it's easy to get so caught up in the Biggest Day of Our Lives that you forget why you were brought together in the first place. Plan for your marriage, not just the wedding.
Photo Credit: Natan Fotografia
Goofing Off!
Go ahead, get it all out of your system. Laugh until your sides hurt, indulge in some good-natured ribbing and act silly with your bridal party. Yes, even in a fancy white dress. Just pretend there isn't an entire camera crew watching, OK? In fact, goofing off can lead to some unique bridal party photos.
Kidding around is a great stress reliever, and in some cultures, pre-wedding antics are actually a tradition. For example, one Chinese wedding custom is that the groom must come to the bride's house and bring her to the ceremony. But before he and his groomsmen are allowed to enter, the bridesmaids must present them with a series of crazy, funny, or humiliating challenges to prove his worthiness; this is referred to as "crashing the gate." Check out more fascinating wedding traditions from around the world.
Photo Credit: Evermore Photography
A Moment of Quiet Introspection
The morning of the wedding can get a little chaotic, especially when you're surrounded by family members, bridesmaids, photographers, and a beauty prep team, and everyone's peppering you with questions or hugging you every chance they get. Even if you're calm and collected, it's still a nice idea to take a few minutes to gather your thoughts and let the delicious realization sink in that yes, you're getting married today!
Stop to admire your veil, smell the flowers in your bouquet, or pray with your nearest and dearest, like these couples did. You can also start your morning off right with the perfect wedding-day breakfast and upbeat pre-wedding music.
Photo Credit: Joy Marie Photography
Child's Play
Having a ring bearer and flower girl? Give them a special gift to thank them for being in the bridal party and spend a few moments with them to make them feel comfortable before the ceremony. Allowing your flower girl to touch your dress or your veil or having your groom play air guitar with the ring bearer may leave a lasting impression on them!
You can also acknowledge children who aren't in the bridal party by asking them to help distribute programs or read a special poem during the ceremony service. If you and/or your fiancé have kids together or from a previous relationship, make them feel included by allowing them to take part in some of the more kid-friendly wedding tasks, like contributing music to a playlist or attending the cake tasting.
Plus, learn how to plan a blended family wedding and check out more cute photos of ring bearers and flower girls.
Photo Credit: JAG Studios
"Is This Really Happening?" Nerves
Make yourself a promise as you approach your wedding day that you will have zero regrets. Even if the weather wasn't what you hoped for or some of the details didn't go exactly as planned, the only thing that matters is the final outcome: starting your new life together. That being said, it's understandable to feel anxious when you know all eyes will be on you. Just try to be fully present in every moment and have fun!
Photo Credit: Joy Marie Photography
Including the Family Pet
Here at BG, we've seen more animal appearances at nuptials than we can count; everything from dogs to owls to dolphins to zebras and more! But unless you're getting married at a zoo or aquarium or you have an incredibly well-trained pet, it's not always feasible to include an animal at the ceremony or reception (especially if they're on the skittish side). Also, there's different precautions you'll need to take to include your pet in the wedding, like notifying guests with allergies and getting permission from your venue.
One easy compromise: Include your pet in the pre-ceremony photos or at your engagement shoot so that you'll have an amazing keepsake photo of your beloved pal! You could also donate favors to an animal charity in honor of them.
Photo Credit: Gronde Photography
The Big Reveal
These brides blew loved ones away with how beautiful they looked on their wedding day! Check out more "first looks" with dads, here.
Of course, you can't plan for misty-eyed reactions, but one thing you can do is resist the urge to show every single person snapshots from your fittings, which ruins the element of surprise. This applies to social media posts about the wedding too; guests will be more excited to see what's in store if they don't know every detail in advance.
Photo Credit: Belle Momenti Photography
Suiting Up
Take a cue from these stylish grooms, who all look like they belong at the Oscars! It may take much less time for grooms to get ready on the big day, but there's still some pointers that your guy should keep in mind. If he wants to wear a tuxedo, he'll need to decide whether to buy or rent; ideally, he should choose his tux about three to four months before the wedding day. Check out answers to the most commonly-asked tuxedo questions, here.
The most important factor is the fit of the tux or suit — it should define his figure without pulling and being tight. Pay special attention to the shoulders, arm length and the coat length. Also, help him stand out from the rest of the groomsmen with special accessories like a tie, vest or cuff links.
Photo Credit: Gideon Photography
