diff --git a/backend/__pycache__/app.cpython-312.pyc b/backend/__pycache__/app.cpython-312.pyc
index 5ae5f35..535fb61 100644
Binary files a/backend/__pycache__/app.cpython-312.pyc and b/backend/__pycache__/app.cpython-312.pyc differ
diff --git a/backend/app.py b/backend/app.py
index 967c5f5..e1052d2 100644
--- a/backend/app.py
+++ b/backend/app.py
@@ -209,8 +209,8 @@ TEXTS = {
         "subtitle": "Willkommen zu unserer Hochzeits-App",
         "login_note": "Passwortgeschützter Zugriff für unsere Gäste.",
         "login": "Login",
-        "group_name": "Gruppenname",
-        "group_password": "Gruppenpasswort",
+        "group_name": "Benutzername",
+        "group_password": "Passwort",
         "login_submit": "Weiter zum Gästebereich",
         "guest_area": "Gästebereich",
         "hello_guest": "Hallo {name}.",
@@ -298,8 +298,8 @@ TEXTS = {
         "subtitle": "Welcome to our wedding app",
         "login_note": "Password-protected access for our guests.",
         "login": "Login",
-        "group_name": "Group name",
-        "group_password": "Group password",
+        "group_name": "Username",
+        "group_password": "Password",
         "login_submit": "Open guest area",
         "guest_area": "Guest Area",
         "hello_guest": "Hello {name}.",
@@ -401,7 +401,17 @@ def get_hero_image_asset() -> str:
     candidates = []
     if configured:
         candidates.append(configured)
-    candidates.extend(["hero.jpg", "hero.jpeg", "hero.png", "image.png", "image-1.png"])
+    candidates.extend(
+        [
+            "hero.avif",
+            "hero.webp",
+            "hero.jpg",
+            "hero.jpeg",
+            "hero.png",
+            "image.png",
+            "image-1.png",
+        ]
+    )
 
     for filename in candidates:
         if (assets_dir / filename).is_file():
diff --git a/backend/static/styles.css b/backend/static/styles.css
index 9608a38..465e7ee 100644
--- a/backend/static/styles.css
+++ b/backend/static/styles.css
@@ -80,10 +80,17 @@ h3 {
   display: flex;
   align-items: flex-end;
   background-image:
-    linear-gradient(to top, rgba(20, 30, 22, 0.72), rgba(20, 30, 22, 0.2)),
+    linear-gradient(
+      to top,
+      rgba(18, 31, 24, 0.42) 0%,
+      rgba(18, 31, 24, 0.16) 50%,
+      rgba(18, 31, 24, 0.04) 100%
+    ),
     var(--hero-image);
   background-size: cover;
-  background-position: center 28%;
+  background-position: center 24%;
+  background-color: #f2eee3;
+  background-blend-mode: normal;
   box-shadow: 0 14px 38px rgba(39, 66, 53, 0.18);
 }
 
@@ -93,6 +100,11 @@ h3 {
   color: #fff;
 }
 
+.hero-overlay h1,
+.hero-overlay p {
+  text-shadow: 0 2px 14px rgba(10, 20, 14, 0.34);
+}
+
 .hero-kicker {
   margin: 0 0 0.25rem;
   letter-spacing: 0.06em;