* {
      margin: 0;
      padding: 0;
      box-sizing: border-box;
    }

    body {
      font-family: 'Outfit', sans-serif;
      background-color: var(--color-light-bg);
      color: var(--color-dark);
    }

/* --- header styling using flexbox --- */
    .site-header {
      display: flex;
      justify-content: space-between;
      align-items: center;
      padding: 1.5rem 3rem;
      background-color: var(--color-slate);
      color: var(--color-white);
    }

    .logo {
      font-size: 1.5rem;
      font-weight: 600;
      letter-spacing: 2px;
    }

    .main-nav {
      display: flex;
      gap: 2rem;
    }

    .main-nav a {
      text-decoration: none;
      color: var(--color-white);
      font-size: 0.85rem;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      letter-spacing: 1px;
    }
/* --- gallery section using flexbox --- */
    .gallery-section {
      display: flex;
      gap: 15px;
      background-color: var(--color-dark);
      padding: 2rem;
      align-items: stretch;
    }
/* each column is a vertical flexbox */
    .gallery-col {
      display: flex;
      flex-direction: column;
      gap: 15px;
      flex: 1;
    }

/* making the last column wider than the others */
    .wide-col {
      flex: 1.5;
    }

    .gallery-col img {
      width: 100%;
      object-fit: cover;
      border-radius: 4px;
    }

    .img-short { height: 150px; }
    .img-tall { height: 250px; }
    .img-xtra-tall { height: 415px; }
    .img-wide { height: 200px; }
    .img-square { height: 200px; width: 100%; }

    .inner-row {
      display: flex;
      gap: 15px;
    }

    .inner-row img {
      flex: 1;
    }

    .invite-section {
      display: flex;
      flex-direction: column;
      align-items: center;
      padding: 4rem 2rem;
    }

/* styling the progress dots */
    .stepper {
      display: flex;
      gap: 1rem;
      margin-bottom: 2rem;
    }

    .step {
      width: 16px;
      height: 16px;
      border-radius: 50%;
      border: 2px solid var(--color-slate);
      background-color: transparent;
    }

    .step.active {
      background-color: var(--color-slate);
    }

/* the main white card container */
    .invite-card {
      background-color: var(--color-white);
      padding: 3rem;
      border-radius: 8px;
      box-shadow: 0 10px 30px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
      width: 100%;
      max-width: 500px;
      text-align: center;
    }

    .invite-card h2 {
      font-weight: 400;
      letter-spacing: 3px;
      margin-bottom: 2rem;
      color: var(--color-accent);
    }

    .invite-form {
      display: flex;
      flex-direction: column;
      gap: 1rem;
    }

    .input-wrapper {
      display: flex;
      align-items: center;
      border: 2px solid var(--color-slate);
      border-radius: 4px;
      padding: 0.5rem;
      background-color: var(--color-white);
    }

    .input-wrapper input {
      flex-grow: 1;
      border: none;
      outline: none;
      font-family: inherit;
      font-size: 1rem;
      padding-left: 0.5rem;
    }
    
/* the small delete icon inside the input box */
    .remove-btn {
      background: none;
      border: none;
      font-size: 1.2rem;
      cursor: pointer;
      color: var(--color-slate);
    }

    .submit-btn {
      background-color: var(--color-slate);
      color: var(--color-white);
      border: none;
      padding: 1rem;
      font-size: 1rem;
      font-weight: 600;
      letter-spacing: 1px;
      border-radius: 4px;
      cursor: pointer;
      margin-top: 1rem;
    }

    .skip-link {
      display: block;
      margin-top: 1rem;
      color: var(--color-slate);
      font-size: 0.8rem;
      text-transform: uppercase;
      letter-spacing: 1px;
    }