The sun shone brightly on the white sand beaches in Montego Bay, Jamaica. A warm breeze rustled the palm leaves as gulls cried overhead. Stephanie gently stepped down onto the sand with the help of her father's steady arm. Steve was waiting for her in front of the ocean, grinning from ear to ear.

For nine years, Bill and Brenton dreamt about their wedding day. Until recently, these two handsome grooms didn't know if that dream would ever become a reality. July twenty-fifth was a gloriously sunny day filled with promise and love. There was a sense of reverence in the air.  A soft breeze made the wildflowers dance and songs with sweet operatic vibrato filled the courtyard at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

On the south side of Kewaunee, Wisconsin, a quaint Victorian house is nested amongst the residential homes. The Hollyhock House blooms with possibility amongst the roses, hostas, and other plants that decorate the property. This place is special to us because next fall, my fiancé and I will be saying our eternal vows in the gardens of The Hollyhock House. We had a chance to sit down with one of the owners and managers of The Hollyhock House, Karen Howlett, and ask her some questions about the seasoned Northeast Wisconsin wedding venue to help inform inquiring brides:

It was a day for recalling old memories and making new ones. Family, friends, and loved ones gathered from near and far to celebrate the love that Dustin and Krystina share. The weathermen had threatened there would be rain on this wonderful day, but there wasn't a menacing cloud in sight.

The wind was relentless, and the sun played peek-a-boo behind the clouds, but Marissa was the epitome of calm and collected. An Door County wedding had been planned, and Marissa's energy was undeterred by the less-than-ideal weather. She was surrounded by her nearest and dearest in a family suite at the Pine Grove Resort as she slipped into her David's Bridal gown. In a suite nearby, her groom-to-be, Jeff, was suiting up for their "first look". The mood at the resort was joyous, festive, and relaxed.

Krystina knew Dustin was "the one" during her freshman year of college. Dustin was coming home from leave, and she remembers how excited she was to see him, a different excitement than she had felt before. Fast forward to this January when Dustin and Krystina went away for a weekend skiing in Houghton, Michigan. Krystina couldn't understand why Dustin was kneeling in a snowbank on the deck of the restaurant where they had just shared a romantic dinner together. Dustin asked Krystina to be his forever, and she happily said yes.

Their friendship sparked years ago, but who could have known the fire that had been ignited? Perhaps it was the way Josh made Sam laugh, or maybe it was the way Sam tossed her long, blonde hair over her shoulder when she turned to look at him. Their chemistry was undeniable, and their hearts soon began to call to each other.

Rain sprinkled lightly outside the large windows of the Oneida Country Club clubhouse. It hardly felt like December outside, but inside the clubhouse, Christmas trees adorned with warm white lights and a roaring fire. Brad and Jessica snuggled close to one another, gazing into each other's eyes, lost in their own little world.