dress
Wedding Dress Bustle Types
American, French, ballroom, and a detachable train. What each does after the aisle, and when someone has to learn the lift.
The archive
Further from the journal
ceremony
First Look vs No First Look
A first look buys a calmer photo block and a shorter cocktail buffer. Skipping it keeps the aisle as the first sight. Neither is required.
reception
How Long Should Cocktail Hour Be?
Sixty minutes is the default. Stretch to 75 or 90 when portraits or travel need the buffer. Two hours is rarely worth it.
ceremony
Wedding Processional Order: Who Walks When
A traditional processional, who escorts the mother of the bride, who walks the groom in, and how smaller or same-sex weddings change the line.
dress
Wedding Veil Lengths, from Birdcage to Cathedral
Fingertip, chapel, cathedral, and royal lengths change the aisle and the photos. A veil is optional. Match it to the gown and the walk.
stationery
When to Send Save-the-Dates
Mail save-the-dates 6 to 8 months ahead, or 8 to 12 for a destination. Invitations follow about 6 to 8 weeks before the day.