I have been to many incredible weddings in my time. But the celebrations that I remember the most are the ones that include the character and interests of the groom, not just the bride. After all, we are invited to take part in these special days to celebrate the union of two people. Why wouldn't it be a good idea to include things that show the groom's interests and passions, just as much as the brides?

You may ask how you can include rugged pastimes, guitars, or sports into your wedding day and still retain class. There are many ways to do this and have a lot of fun in the process. I am going to share stories of two weddings that I have attended and absolutely loved. With both of these weddings, could clearly see and feel that you were there for the couple, not just a day for the bride to feel like a princess.

The first was September 28th, 2002. I remember the date well because it was for a friend of mine that I've known since kindergarten. It was an incredible Fall afternoon in the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania. The trees were bursting with deep shades of red, gold, purple and orange. The directions were specific until they stated "Once you reach the foothills of Horse Valley, make a right onto the wooden bridge and continue for three miles down the dirt road." We ended up at the Groom's Grandfather's cabin in the woods, the wedding was held in a pavilion that was next to the house. It sat on the edge of a huge lake that had mountains rising on the opposite side that looked as though they were painted in Autumn hues. It was breathtaking!

At 6:10pm, the groom's mother came and made an announcement to the 70 guests, that they were about to start. We all took our seats on wooden benches that were lined up along two very wide and deep steps that lead you from the pavilion to a large landing overlooking the lake.

To our surprise, the Bride was the first to appear with her Maid of Honor. They walked down from the cabin and onto the landing and waited in front of the incredible backdrop of the mountains. For a few minutes I was a little confused. Where was the groom? Then all of a sudden, way on the other side of the lake, you could see two people in a canoe. It took them a few minutes before they were close enough to see who they were, but sure enough, it was the Groom and his Best Man!! They docked the boat in the sand next to us and walked up, he kissed her on the cheek, and the ceremony began. It was the most romantic thing I had ever witnessed.

The second was for two very dear friends of mine, he is a drummer and she is an artist. They had a very small, simple and relaxed wedding in St. Lucia, a beautiful little island in the West Indies. Sixteen of us joined them in their celebration on an incredibly beautiful, breezy day on a cozy resort called Villa Beach Cottages. All of the guests stayed together in a small cluster of cottages on the beach, on the afternoon of the wedding, we met by the pool near a pretty white gazebo. Steel drums rang out lots of fun tunes as we waited for the Bride and Groom to arrive. About fifteen minutes before the ceremony, the Groom came out, he dawned a very casual, white linen shirt and khaki slacks, no shoes! He joined us for a fruity cocktail, Sea Breezes to be exact, and a few laughs before tying the knot.

When the ceremony started, we all gathered around a pretty ribbon that laid on the ground in a circle in front of the gazebo. The Bride came out with her father in a very simple and airy, strapless white dress that was accented with Swarovski Crystals, and of course, no shoes! She was carrying the most incredible Swarovski Crystal Bouquet. She looked absolutely stunning because in the sun, the crystals made hundreds of rainbows that shined off of her and everything around her. She also wore a Swarovski Crystal Tiara that seemed to twinkle on top of her head. As she reached her place next to the Groom, we were instructed by the officiant to pick up the ribbon so that we made a ring that started with the Maid of Honor and ended with the Best Man. As the ceremony was proceeding, we passed their rings along the ribbon and blessed them with good tidings for the soon-to-be newlyweds. It was so nice because we all felt that we really got to be a part of their special day.

After the ceremony, there were more steel drums with a couple of hours of cocktails and a beach barbeque. We chatted, danced, hung out in the sand, and ate incredible food as the sun set over the ocean. It was great because there were no annoying photographers trying to capture cheesy "moments to cherish", he left after the ceremony and we were the photographers for the reception. We were free to have fun in whatever way we pleased! After the sun went down, they had lit candles in white paper bags that were scattered all over the beach. And since they had rented the whole resort, we weren't on any time constraints, some guests were on the beach until dawn. It was truly a blast!!

For the next two days we all stayed on the island and the owner of the resort, a friendly Jamaican man, gave us suggestions of what to do on the island, "It's all about the experience" he continually told us. Some of us explored caves, some went sea turtle watching or shopping at the small markets, while others decided to relax by the pool or on the beach at the resort. At the end of the long weekend, the Newlyweds saw us off and headed to the south of the island for their honeymoon. It was an incredible trip and one that I'm sure that I will never forget.

The point of my article is to show how incredible a wedding can be if you consider the tastes and interests of the couple, not just the bride. In so many weddings, the Groom is left in the shadows while the Bride takes most of the glory. And let's face it, there wouldn't be a wedding without him.

Best Wishes, and Happy Planning, and most important, Have Fun!