One of the many things I appreciate about my incredible wife Heather is that she’s rarely afraid to speak the truth.

I asked her to think back to our wedding day, 08-08-2008, and reflect on what the most memorable part was. She did not say it was the magical photo we have of me dipping her skillfully over the edge of a rock that overlooked a small waterfall. It was not one of my friends taking a knee during the ceremony because he almost passed out. It was not even walking down the aisle at our childhood church that came to mind.  

Instead, my wife looked at me and offered up advice for others who are embarking on their big day: “I wish we had taken more time to really enjoy the food.”

As you flip through the pages of our Wedding Issue it is a combination of grand ideas and tiny details; it is a blend of eccentric, traditional, contemporary and retro.

Modern weddings are most certainly an industry, but at the heart they are an exceptional celebration of love, family and unity that point to the best parts of the human experience.

I spoke to a number of brides and grooms about their wedding days. They enjoyed Instagram worthy weddings at venues like estates, gorgeous Catholic churches, historic hotels, etc. They had unique touches that started with personalized gifts for wedding parties and ended, in one couple’s case, with 100+ people lined up on the street waving sparklers.

But when they look back at what was most memorable, it was something specific and unique to them as individuals and as a couple. For some, it was the “first touch” ceremony before the wedding, for others it was seeing family members who live across the country, and for one bride it was that surreal moment of walking down the aisle.

The truth is, when it comes to marriage, it’s about two people sharing an uncommon love that at its best has supernatural qualities. No two weddings need be compared to one another as long as it truly realizes the dreams of the couple hosting it and they are committed to what comes next. 

Whether you’re headed to your 100th wedding of friends or relatives, or you are anxiously anticipating your own wedding that is in the planning stage, enjoy yourself and soak in all of the moments, planned and unplanned.

And make sure you take the time to enjoy the food. You likely spent a lot of time choosing it and good money paying for it.