Up the Cool-Girl Ante

Pick a posse with a sense of humor. 
After a day of dress shopping, Amanda, her wedding party, and her soon-to-be mother- and sister-in-law all headed to a bar to watch Penn State play. When nearly everyone in their crew walked in with Nittany Lion shirts and leather jackets, they achieved gang status. On her wedding day, the women gifted Amanda a blush-hued leather jacket and broke out their own coats for a few snaps.

Give your girls a little guidance if they get to pick their gowns.
“I sent a few group pics as inspiration,” says Amanda, “and asked them to stay in the blush-champagne family and look at full-length styles. Also, I asked that beading be saved for my two maids of honor to give them something extra to stand out.”

Splurge within reason.
Moscow Mules—the couple’s favorite cocktail—were served in copper cups filled with regular, his style, or her style. Guests at the head table were gifted personalized cups that had been tucked into the table runner greenery.

Be true to you.
“I rarely wear heels, although I love them,” says Amanda, “and I wanted to dance the night away, so [I found an Etsy vendor] to paint my shoes. I shared the geometric pieces and monogram [we planned to use]; and that peonies were my favorite flower, blush was our color palette, and I wanted to include a reference to ‘Friends.’ That was a lot of little things that she made into one awesome pair of shoes.”