Photo: Calypso Rae Photography

Get Mama Involved. As Mothers Day approaches it's safe to say we've become very Mom-focused. So finding nine ways to honor her on your wedding day felt like striking gold. —The Huffington Post Weddings

Do not kick the can. Why not scavenge for vintage cans at your local flea and use them as vases? Looks pretty (and saves a few $). —The Wedding Chicks

Obama officially announces his strong support for same-sex marriage, and the wedding community rejoices! We love love love Michael (a wedding blog contributor) and his lucky groom Dave's wedding. —So You're EnGAYged

Custom invitations' cool older sister? The illustrated invite. We love how crafty and personal they are. Check out some beautiful examples via Always a Blogsmaid.

—Gray MacDonald

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Photo: Terrie from Janelle Brooke Photography

May 9, 2012 was never going to be just another Wednesday. As the country reacted to Tuesday's passage of a constitutional amendment in North Carolina making same-sex marriages, civil unions, and domestic partnerships illegal in that state, President Obama harnessed his midday interview with ABC's Robin Roberts to turn the conversation on all 50 states, announcing officially and for the first time his support for gay marriage.

No previous date in American history has so succinctly offered a snapshot of the country's polarizing struggle with gay civil rights—on the one hand, North Carolina's vote by a 20-percent margin to outlaw same-sex marriage is disappointing if not surprising (it's the 31st state to do so); but on the other hand, a sitting President addressing his constituents in an election year with a message of LGBT equality creates an unprecedented opportunity for the issue to evolve.

Photo: Courtesy of ABC

Indeed, Obama has long described his personal feelings toward gay marriage as "evolving," a process that received a hefty nudge when Vice President Joe Biden declared his own support in a television interview on Sunday. And, indeed, Republican hopeful Mitt Romney was quick to re-assert Wednesday his sole belief in marriage between a man and a woman, although how vigorously he will push Obama on their differences in the lead-up to election night depends on how singularly gay marriage comes to define 2012.

Already this year has proven to be a watershed moment for same-sex couples, with Maryland and Washington State both signing gay marriage protections into law and a California judge ruling Proposition 8 unconstitutional. The ultimate fate of Prop 8 continues to unfold as the decision moves up the appeals court chain, only underscoring the diversity of ways in which this nation chooses to grapple with same-sex marriage. From the Supreme Court to the church aisle, one could say the entire landscape for American weddings has been uprooting of late as couples—gay and straight alike—redefine traditions (a shift toward unorthodox colorful wedding gowns among them) and widen the conversation about how two people choose to join their lives.

Wednesday's announcement from President Obama has no direct effect on policy or even on how many more states will mangle their constitutions to exclude gay residents. But if nothing else, Obama's affirmation of every person's right to love emboldens the growing number of voices now calling for change. "Regardless of how old you are, it's the first time you have ever seen a president of the United States look into a camera and say that a gay person should be treated equally under the law," Chad Griffin, the incoming president of the Human Rights Campaign, told The New York Times. "The message that that sends, to a young gay or transgender person struggling to come out, is life changing."

—Phillip B. Crook

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Photos (clockwise from left): Courtesy of Jonas Peterson, Clayton Austin, The Pretty Blog, Cappy Hotchkiss

Flower that's having a moment: Well, it's not quite a flower per se, but we're loving succulents in wedding bouquets. Green Wedding Shoes breaks down the must-have plant. —Green Wedding Shoes

Thinking of going pink? We are so inspired by this gorgeous Jenny Packham gown in the slightest of pinks that we stumbled upon on Chic Vintage Brides' Pinterest board via Oncewed.com. The embellished piece is nipped at the waist and fits this Australian bride like a glove (we also love the high bun and scarlet lips). —Chic Vintage Brides on Pinterest

Ok, most people aren't going to make their own wedding cake, but if we did we would use one of these delicious recipes from The Pretty Blog. Warning: Even a peek will induce mouth-watering (we're not kidding). —The Pretty Blog

Planning a preppy lakeside wedding day? Check out this real wedding. It's absolutely gorgeous. —Snippet & Ink

Swooning over the editors picks at Shopbop's Wedding Boutique. More specifically under the 'Ladylike Bride' style. Think: A delicate halter gown by Thread, antique drop earrings by Kenneth Jay Lane, lace d'orsay pumps by Badgley Mischka and more!
—Shopbop Wedding Boutique

—Gray MacDonald

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Tamara Barney may soon be the next Real Housewife to parlay her engagement into a reality wedding special—that is, if Bravo decides to capitalize on the Orange County cast member's relationship with Eddie Judge. Like New York housewife Bethenny Frankel before her, Barney started dating her fiancé while a camera crew was following her every move, even into the tub for an intimate bubble bath the two shared in a rather memorable RHOOC scene.

The potential Bravo wedding would certainly mean a happy ending for Barney's story on the show, which started with her tumultuous marriage to Simon Barney. Two months after splitting with her then-husband in January 2010, Barney met Judge, who she said "kissed me back to life."

See more wedding news from the Real Housewives franchise, including details from the opulent backyard Real Housewives of Beverly Hills wedding earlier this year.

—Phillip B. Crook

In response to Proposition 8's supporters fighting to keep court proceedings sealed from the public, Dustin Lance Black created "8," a documentary play based on transcripts and interviews from 2010's Perry v. Schwarzenegger, which overturned the voter-approved measure as unconstitutional. Raising $2 million for the American Foundation for Equal Rights on Saturday, Hollywood A-listers banded together for a fundraiser reading of the play at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Kevin Bacon, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Martin Sheen all played their parts as a show of support for marriage equality in California and across the nation—a nation that could watch Black's play for the first time streaming live on YouTube (video above).

A last-minute addition to the cast, Pitt lent the production much of its press attention for his portrayal of Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker, who presided over the case argued by David Boies (Clooney) and Theodore B. Olson (Sheen)—attorneys for the two gay couples who sued California—and Charles Cooper (Bacon), the lead lawyer for Proposition 8 supporters.

Filling out the lead roles as the plaintiffs, Curtis and Christine Lahti played lesbian couple Sandra Steir and Kristin Perry, while Matt Bomer and Glee's Matthew Morrison depicted gay couple Paul Katami and Jeffrey Zarrillo. Also joining the cast from Glee were Chris Colfer as witness Ryan Kendall and Jane Lynch as Maggie Gallagher, the outspoken columnist against same-sex marriage. (Yes, there was a twang of Sue Sylvester in her performance.)

Black, who earned an Oscar in 2009 for penning Milk, debuted his play in New York last September but changed some of the material from its time on Broadway to include more of the personal stories behind the case. Because it's the stories, as Black's play reminds us, that humanize the oft-polarizing issue of same-sex marriage. "If Prop 8 were undone and kids like me growing up in Bakersfield right now could never have to know what this felt like, their entire lives would be on a higher arc," Lahti said in delivering her character's final remarks. "They would live with a higher sense of themselves. It would improve the quality of their entire lives."

"And that's what I hope is the outcome of this case," Curtis finished for her. "I hope for something for Kris and I, but other people over time would benefit in an even more profound, life-changing way. That's what I hope for."

—Phillip B. Crook

Illustration: Maurice Vellekoop

Legend has it that the Irish nun St. Brigid asked St. Patrick to allow women the right to propose marriage on leap year. Another story involves Queen Margaret of Scotland fining men who refuse a proposal on said day. Regardless of how it all got started, you've got a chance to cement it.

"One hundred years ago, men would rather have given women the right to vote than the right to pick husbands," says Katherine Parkin, associate professor of history at Monmouth University. Although old habits may be hard to break, perhaps we could learn from the folks across the pond, who treat the day with carnival-like flair. Some companies even offer contests to send lucky couples on an Antigua honeymoon.

Women have already broken a lot of archaic stereotypes, and certainly exercise enough power in their lives. "I don't understand why they continue to allow themselves to be left waiting," adds Parkin. So if you're feeling cheeky, today may be a good day to act.

Even if you're already engaged, take it as an opportunity to ask your fiance for a hand in...dinner, movies, or any other quixotic endeavor. Show some initiative in the romance department. We even give you the OK to splurge on a lovely silk dress for the occasion.

—Yelena Moroz

If a bride says she's feeling short of breath before heading into the ceremony, nerves are usually to blame. But for 21-year-old bride Kirstie Mills Tancock, there was a deeper cause at play. Tancock was born with cystic fibrosis, an inherited chronic disease that clogs the lungs and affects the digestive system, confining her to a wheelchair with IV support during the four months last year she spent planning her wedding and waiting for a lung transplant. TLC captured Tancock's race toward the altar for a new documentary called "Breathless Bride: Dying to Live," premiering Feb. 29 at 10 p.m. EST.

Days after her June 16 wedding to Stuart Tancock, 27, the bride underwent a double lung transplant at a hospital in London. "Kirstie is a complete fighter," her now-husband says in the documentary. "You can't put her down. She'll fight for anything." The CF Patient Registry lists that 90 percent of people with the disease who received lung transplants lived for one year after transplantation, and half are still living after five years. Of the 30,000 people in the United States with the disease, most can expect to live into their 30s and 40s.

So for however long they have together, Stuart says he and Kirstie are going to make it count. "In life, you don't know who you will fall in love with," he says. "But I would rather something short, and be as happy as we can be, than a lifetime of just going through the motions."

—Phillip B. Crook

With the promise of marriage equality soon to come to Maryland after Gov. Martin O'Malley signs the bill into law this week also comes the reality that the fight to end discrimination in the state is not yet won. "There remains a lot of work to do between now and November to make marriage equality a reality in Maryland," said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, in a statement yesterday. "Along with coalition partners, we look forward to educating and engaging voters about what this bill does: It strengthens all Maryland families and protects religious liberty."

Despite the state Senate voting 25-22 for the law mere days after the House of Delegates passed the bill last week, opponents can now begin collecting 55,726 valid Maryland voter signatures to bring the measure to referendum on the November ballot. "Every time this issue has been brought to a statewide vote, the people have upheld traditional marriage," said Maryland Catholic Conference spokeswoman Kathy Dempsey in a statement. With so many churches and clergy members voicing disagreement with the new law, the state's lawmakers are under pressure to answer to the religiously tied political views of some constituents.

But not all lawmakers. The only Senate Republican to vote for the bill, Allan Kittleman, had this to say to his base: "You don't worry about politics when you're dealing with the civil rights issue of your generation."

Read more about same-sex wedding news from across the country.

—Phillip B. Crook

"The arc of history is one that bends toward justice," said Democratic Sen. Pat Steadman, the gay lawmaker sponsoring Colorado's bill for same-sex civil unions. A Senate committee approved the legislation yesterday in a 5-2 vote, with one Republican senator voting with Democrats—a sign that the measure will likely pass in the full Senate.

But in order for Colorado to become the eighth state after Washington to offer gay couples the same rights as its straight citizens, the bill will need to clear the Republican-controlled House, where members like Republican Sen. Kevin Lundberg strongly oppose the issue and support the state's 2006 voter-approved ban on gay marriage.

Lundberg challenged Steadman during the emotional debate before yesterday's vote over whether or not the Democrat would seek use a civil unions win to overturn the marriage ban, being that Steadman would directly benefit. "I can tell you Sen. Lundberg that if this bill passes, I will avail myself of it," he answered. "I am a member of the class of unmarried persons who are eligible for this relationship, and it is one that I would seek. Beyond that, I cannot predict."

—Phillip B. Crook

As a 2008 Olympic gold medalist in relay swimming, Matt Grevers knows a bit about poolside pressure—which no doubt thickened the chlorinated air on Saturday before Grevers proposed to his girlfriend and USA national swimming teammate, Annie Chandler.

"If I didn't get first it wouldn't have worked out so well," Grevers remarked later of winning the 100-meter backstroke at the Missouri Grand Prix, conveniently placing him on the medalist stand to make his next move. With a medal around his neck and a ring in his hand, Grevers bent to one knee and asked a towel-wrapped Chandler to marry him. By our estimation, this is probably the only scenario in which wet hair at an engagement isn't a mood killer. Watch the video above to soak up all the surprise proposal goodness—or just to see shirtless, tan swimmers. Your pick.

—Phillip B. Crook

As Washington State became the seventh state to legally recognize (and protect) same-sex marriage this afternoon, Gov. Christine Gregoire addressed a celebratory crowd at the state Capitol in Olympia. "We did what was just. We did what was fair," she said. "We stood for equality, and we did it together, Republicans and Democrats, gay and straight, young and old, and a number of our faith organizations. I'm proud of who and what we are as a state."

Two weeks ago, the state Senate passed a bill approving the measure, which quickly moved through the House last week before ending its journey into law on Gregoire's desk for her signature—although it won't take effect until June 7. If opponents of same-sex marriage are successful in filing a challenge to postpone the law before then, the issue will go up for state-wide vote on the November ballot.

At least for today, however, opposition is the last thing on openly gay Sen. Ed Murray's mind. "My friends, welcome to the other side of the rainbow!" he said at the bill signing. "No matter what the future holds, nothing will take this moment away from us."

—Phillip B. Crook

A three-judge panel in the ninth US circuit court of appeals ruled 2-1 today that Proposition 8—a 2008 voter-approved measure restricting marriage to opposite-sex couples—is unconstitutional. "Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California," judge Stephen Reinhardt said in the ruling.

The court's decision upholds the ruling of a federal judge in 2010 who found the measure to be a violation of civil rights. But Proposition 8's fate doesn't end with today's news. If supporters of the measure appeal to a larger panel (and they will), the US Supreme Court could eventually hear the case, creating a national precedent for same-sex marriage.

—Phillip B. Crook

Photo: Courtesy of Verde Studio

Photo: Via Albany Times Union

After 31 years together, New York State Assembly member Daniel O'Donnell and his partner, John Banta, married on Sunday in Manhattan. As the Assembly's first openly gay member, O'Donnell was the legislative sponsor for the Marriage Equality Act, which became law in New York last June—just moments before O'Donnell and Banta got engaged.

The couple hosted their restaurant wedding at Upper East Side landmark Guastavino's, where former chief justice of the state Court of Appeals, Judith Kaye, officiated before a group of 400 friends and family—one family member in particular being O'Donnell's sister, Rosie O'Donnell. (Read about Rosie's own marriage plans here.) The celebration continued with a night of dancing at a disco-themed party.

See the latest same-sex marriage news breaking from Washington State here.

—Phillip B. Crook

Washington State is set become the seventh state to legalize same-sex marriage after the state Senate passed a bill last night approving the measure. The bill now moves to the House, where it is expected to find swift approval next week before Gov. Chris Gregoire—who also supports the issue—signs the bill into law.

The Senate passed the bill 28-21 thanks in part to four Republicans who crossed the aisle to vote with the majority. According to the bill's sponsor, Democratic Sen. Ed Murray, same-sex marriage "is as contentious as any issue that this body has considered in its history."

Read about the first same-sex wedding performed in New York, the most recent state to legalize gay marriage, here.

—Phillip B. Crook