Blog Posts by Lover.ly

By Rachel Wilkerson, Lover.ly

If you're looking for an engagement photo theme that you'll still love 20 years into your marriage, look no further than a nautical engagement shoot. This clean, preppy look never goes out of style. So take a look over these inspiration photos and then grab your fiance and head to the nearest marina for a nautical photo shoot of your own.

More from Lover.ly:

Our favorite nautical weddings

Striped wedding details you'll love

Navy blue bridesmaids dresses your friends will love

By Rachel Wilkerson, Lover.ly

Flag Day is June 14 and we're celebrating this week with the best star and stripes wedding details. While putting these two patterns together is super patriotic, each stands alone quite nicely. From striped table decor to sparkly star wedding jewelry, you can create a clean, preppy vibe, or a glam, black-tie worthy look. Here is a round-up of our favorite star and stripe wedding details to inspire you.

More from Lover.ly:

Nautical wedding inspiration

All-American wedding ideas

Chic chevron wedding details

By Rachel Wilkerson, Lover.ly
For many of us, it's impossible to be excited about weddings without feeling sad that not everyone is allowed to partake in the fun of wedding planning, the joy of making a public commitment, and the legal, social, and emotional benefits of being married. That's why we love the idea of acknowledging gay and lesbian loved ones and their ongoing fight for the right to marry during the wedding. In celebration of Pride month, here are our favorite ways to show support for gay marriage at your straight wedding.
1. Include a reading in your ceremony that not-so-subtly supports marriage equality.
Photo by: Michele M. Wait on Inspired By This via Lover.ly
We love this passage written by Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall in 2003's ruling to legalize same-sex marriage in Massachusetts:
"Marriage is a vital social institution. The exclusive commitment of two individuals to each other nurtures love and mutual support. Civil marriage is at once a deeply personal

By Rachel Wilkerson, Lover.ly
When it comes to weddings, few things are more controversial than the gift registry. You can't mention the wedding invitation you just received without someone launching into a rant against the "greedy" couples who use registries to scam innocent distant relatives out of all their hard-earned money for stuff the couple will never actually use. Forget religion and politics; wedding registries are the topic to avoid in mixed company.
From BHLDN via Lover.ly
The latest person to hate on wedding gift registries is Matthew Yglesias at Slate. In Stop the Scourge of Wedding Presents, he calls wedding gifts "outdated, inefficient, unfair, and unnecessary." He writes:
"Traditional wedding presents no longer make sense in a contemporary context. Our gifting is based on the outdated (and, needless to say, sexist) assumptions of near-universal marriage, a very young age at first marriage, and extremely low expectations of male housekeeping skills. If you

By Rachel Wilkerson, Lover.ly

There's nothing quite as glamorous as classic Hollywood, and the glowing white gowns, luxe metallic accessories, and sharp black and white details make it a perfect fit for weddings. You'll look like a starlet as you walk down the aisle in a slinky white gown and glam gold decor will make guests will feel like Hollywood royalty. Here our our favorite wedding details and fashions inspired by old Hollywood to inspire you.

More from Lover.ly:

Your wedding will shine with these metallic details

Show off your figure in a trumpet gown

Fabulous feathered wedding ideas

By Rachel Wilkerson, Lover.ly

June 10 is National Iced Tea Day, and iced tea is just one of many ways to help guests stay cool and hydrated at your wedding. If you're having an outdoor summer wedding or a dry wedding, providing lots of yummy non-alcoholic drink options is crucial. We love when couples stock the bar with fruit-infused teas and lemonades, cucumber water, pitchers of punch, and even the occasional root beer float. Here are our favorite ways to serve up refreshing drinks at your summer wedding.

More from Lover.ly:

Find the perfect signature cocktail

Ice cream wedding ideas that will make you melt

Mini foods your guests will love

By Kellee Khalil, Lover.ly

As much as we love sweetheart necklines and strapless styles (and we do…a lot!), one of our favorite summertime wedding trends is gowns complete with keyhole backs. We adore this style because designers create the perfect medium between sleeved dresses better suited for cooler months and sleeveless dresses needing just a bit more detail. Seeking a sultry gown with a dash of bohemian style? Opt for one with a keyhole dipping lower on your back. Perhaps you're more modest? Try on dresses with lace cap sleeves or illusion necklines complete with smaller keyholes.

We've narrowed down our favorite keyhole back dresses to our top 10. See which ones we're dying to see brides wear down the aisle in the gallery from Lover.ly!

More from Lover.ly:
Is a strapless sweetheart neckline gown more your style?
What will your groom wear?
Let's talk wedding styles!

By Kellee Khalil, Lover.ly

Whether you dream of a delicate, antique setting or a look-at-me rock for your future engagement ring, I think we can all agree on one thing: the possibilities are endless when it comes to styles and settings for the most important piece of jewelry of your life. We all love to brag about how we would say "yes" with just a plain gold band, but on the inside, we know better than that! And what's more fun than a little bit of innocent online ring browsing? You're just trying to find your style, right (and emerge 4 hours later with your entire wedding-of-the-century planned)? Nothing wrong with that! Here are our top 10 favorite engagement ring styles that you'll definitely want to steal and make your own!

More from Lover.ly

Go nautical with navy & white

A little something sexy to wear on your honeymoon

Food, glorious food...mouth watering ideas for your cocktail hour