wedding tour, part two.

The second stop on Wedding Tour 2012 happened just one week after my trip to Santa Rosa for Emily's pre-wedding festivities. Maribeth and Scott's celebration at the Solarium in Decatur was a great time - it has also provided me another opportunity to bestow upon you more unsolicited advice about how to hit the wedding circuit in style.

So here we are, Wedding DO's and DON'Ts from a self-proclaimed professional, Volume II.

DO get married at the beach with just your immediate family and then have a party one month later to celebrate the nuptials, a la Maribeth and Scott.



Two parties means two opportunities to wear your beautiful dress. DO it.

DO take advantage of what professional photographer's call the "Golden Hour" -- the last hour of sunlight that provides optimum lighting conditions for pictures.





DON'T expect anyone else to care about the "Golden Hour."



DON'T underestimate the power of a spray tan.



DO admire the band's singer's sequined cityscape vest. DO NOT touch it without his permission.



DO make sure the bride has her own tambourine.



DO make a dance circle with your girlfriends when the band plays Journey. It's super cliche and dorky, but I'm pretty sure it's un-American not to.



DO Roll on the River. Trish can show you how.



DO make new friends.



But definitely DO keep the old.






When you fear the wedding might be winding down, DO make plans to go somewhere afterwards. Once you arrive there, DON'T let anyone but your friends use the jukebox.



DO cheer loudly when a new person arrives to the after-party. And if the spirit moves you, welcome him with hugs.




And whatever you do, DON'T stop taking pictures until the very end.









I am so happy for you, Maribeth and Scott! Congratulations!