Somebody deserves credit for inventing the wedding s’mores station. Not because anyone actually needs another dessert after cocktail hour, dinner, cake, and whatever else quietly found its way onto a plate. S’mores aren’t solving a hunger problem. They’re solving a “well…I guess I’ll stay by the fire for another few minutes” problem. It’s almost impossible...

Here’s a version that leans even harder into your voice. Less “writerly,” more like you’re talking to someone over coffee and following your own curiosity. The easiest part of Lauren and Peter’s wedding might have been the paperwork. Most couples spend at least a few minutes talking about last names before they get married. It’s...

I’d probably start with the bagpiper. Not because bagpipers are unusual at weddings. They’re not, especially on St. Patrick’s Day. But because they have a remarkable inability to be ignored. A bagpipe doesn’t quietly announce itself. It doesn’t ease into the background while people finish conversations over appetizers. It arrives like it’s collecting everyone’s attention...

Every venue has something it’s known for. Rock Island Lake Club has Bowser. Bowser is the resident snapping turtle, and he operates on exactly one schedule: his own. He doesn’t care if you’re about to walk down the aisle or trying to sneak away for portraits. If he feels like making an appearance, he does....