Creating A Magical Wedding: Twelve Unique Love Stories

'How to Make a Wedding: Twelve Love Stories' is a collection of twelve novellas about couples' journeys to the altar. The stories are written by several authors, including Rachel Hauck, Cindy Kirk, and Cheryl Wyatt, and were published in 2016 as the second instalment of the 'A Year of Weddings' series. Each story explores a different aspect of wedding planning, from finding the perfect dress to choosing a wedding cake, and each couple must navigate their own challenges and obstacles on the road to their happily ever after.

'Love at Mistletoe Inn' by Cindy Kirk: youthful mistakes and the road to happiness

Love at Mistletoe Inn by Cindy Kirk is a novella in the second Year of Weddings collection. It follows Hope Prentiss, who, instead of going to her high school prom, eloped with her boyfriend, John Burke. However, Hope soon has second thoughts and the pair decide not to send in the paperwork for their marriage to be official. Ten years later, Hope discovers that her prom-night wedding counted and is still legal. As fate would have it, John has just returned to town and is staying with Hope's Aunt Verna, with whom he has a close relationship. Hope thinks she wants an annulment, but after spending time with John, she begins to have second thoughts.

Hope and John's emotions reach a boiling point when they are alone, and annulment is no longer an option. Hope is now faced with a divorce. However, after helping to plan a Christmas wedding for a mystery couple, she starts to wonder if she wants a divorce or a real wedding of her own.

The story is set in Harmony, Idaho, and centres around the Mistletoe Inn, a Victorian inn owned by Hope, where she creates the perfect setting for other couples' weddings. Hope has given up on red-blooded men and is now dating conservative banker and aspiring politician Chet Tuttle. However, when her marriage to John is revealed to be valid, she must confront her past.

'A Brush with Love' by Rachel Hauck: a hairstylist with invisible scars finds new love

Ginger Winters is a hairstylist with a gift for bringing out the beauty in others. However, she has her own scars from a childhood tragedy—burn scars that she hides under long sleeves and scarves. Despite her success, Ginger has never felt like one of the beautiful people and her insecurities have kept her from finding love.

All this changes when she is hired as the stylist for the Alabama society wedding of the decade and her high-school crush, Tom Wells Jr., returns to town. Tom is in town to start a church and must overcome the town's bias against his family. Despite Ginger's past hurt and thinly veiled insecurities, Tom sees her inner and outer beauty and challenges her to see it too.

Ginger must decide whether to remain chained to the past or move into a new, exciting future with Tom.

'Serving Up a Sweetheart' by Cheryl Wyatt: a wedding caterer is served love on a platter

Meadow Larson is a wedding caterer who knows how to serve delicious food to match any wedding theme. But when it comes to her own love life, will she be able to accept love when it's served to her on a silver platter?

During one of the biggest weeks of her catering career, Meadow's kitchen roof caves in after a relentless blizzard. She has no choice but to accept help from Colin McGrath, her former high school bully and new neighbour. Colin is now a contractor and the only person available to take on a project of this size.

Colin is aware that he has been given a second chance to make things right with Meadow. After years of regret and guilt, he is determined to earn her respect and forgiveness, no matter what it takes.

It'll take an extreme kitchen renovation, several cooking lessons, a little lace, and a lot of grace, but God is using this renovation project not only to restore Meadow’s heart, but also to restore Colin’s integrity in her eyes. Will Meadow learn to trust the new Colin even as their relationship grows from a business exchange to something more meaningful?

'All Dressed Up in Love' by Ruth Logan Herne: a woman finds her dream job and a dream man

Tara Simonetti, a third-year law student, is in need of a job to pay her bills and fund her law school tuition. After her father's death, she is determined to become a lawyer in her small hometown. One day, she walks into Elena's Bridal and finds her dream job, surrounded by organza, gowns, and pearls. However, she also finds a handsome man—hotshot lawyer Greg Elizondo, who is working at the shop to keep it afloat after his mother's passing.

Tara and Greg's feelings for each other begin to grow as they work together to save the shop from closing. But with Tara bound for the valleys of northern Pennsylvania and Greg set on a career in New York City, their circumstances seem to be pulling them apart. Despite their growing attraction and deepening connection, their goals and dreams appear to be leading them in opposite directions.

'Picture Perfect Love' by Melissa McClone: when image becomes everything, love refocuses the heart

Jenna Harrison is a photographer who wants every bride and groom to look picture-perfect on their special day. However, her own heart is broken, with an unworn wedding dress hanging in her closet as a reminder that relationships aren't always as perfect as they seem. Jenna had been engaged to attorney Ashton Vance, who blamed her for ruining his political career with an embarrassing Photoshopped picture.

Two years later, Ashton's heart still hasn't recovered, and he is presented with an opportunity to ask for Jenna's forgiveness. Can he risk his heart a second time? And even if Jenna can forgive him, will she give him a second chance at her love?

Jenna has faith that she will find true love and is determined to be patient and trust in God's plan and timing.

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