Engagement & Wedding Rings: The Definitive Buying Guide for People in Love (Paperback)


Review: Just buy it.
And get a cup of coffee. And a high-lighter. And then just let this book do your work for you. Why? Because "Typical Joe" will wander into a nice jewelry store not knowing diddly about diamonds, sporting a deer-in-the-headlights look that serves as an aphrodisiac to the store clerks. The love Typical Joe! With their lush carpets, free coffee, revolving credit and halogen lights that would make a piece of tar light up like Vegas, the stores also provide an "education" about diamonds through brochures published by their trade association. But if you want the REAL skinny -- and not some puff piece that glosses over the important info -- get this book. It holds your hand, feeds your head and keeps your wallet MUCH fatter in the long run. ( I know am I going to get negative marks at the bottom of this review from annoyed jewelers...sorry, folks). I saved thousands of dollars.

For instance, I never knew about diamond brokers until I read this book. The appendix helped me find a good one;I saved a lot of money on the ring. I should mention that the purpose of the book is to educate on diamonds, not diminish the importance of a good jeweler (although, after I saw the mark-up on loose stones, I was livid. I'm all for making a profit, but most jewelers just GOUGE you). Point is, by reading this little book, you can learn a good deal of pertinent info and translate that into an immediate savings.

Buying an engagement ring, in theory at least, should be a one-time purchase. And no guy wants to mess it up. Get this book, understand the color, clarity, blah blah blah but focus on the CUT. If you understand that, you're miles ahead of Typical Joe. This book is well-organized, well-written and provides all the info you need to get a beautiful diamond from a position of strength.

Review: What do diamond flaws look like? This book will not tell you
I purchased this book along with the book Diamond Ring buying guide by Renee Newman. This book only contained B/W diagram drawings and described the 'flaw's that diamonds have. Hello? dianmonds are not B/W diagram drawings, that little dot on the drawing tells me nothing!

The book seems to ramble and drone on and on about diamonds, like a good old high school history book. Of all the 14 pages of color photos, there are 6 pages dedicated to 'designer rings' and the rest are just photos of different styles of jewelery. What does a yellow diamond look like? What about a diamond that was cut incorrectly? A simple line drawing does not help at all.

I found Newman's book much more detailed and well written than this book. Newman has many photos, practically the entire book is made up of color photos of diamonds and flawed diamonds (so you know that to look for).

If you have a lot of time on your hands and don't mind a boring book, then buy this book, other wise Newman has condensed this 300 page book into just a mere 150 pages or so into hers.

Review: Helpful
This book was really helpful in making me feel comfortable shopping for a ring for my girlfriend.
I also used howtoproposemarriage. com to come up with a proposal that knocked her socks off.

Review: I can't see the stars through the clouds
After reading quite a few books in this category; I found Matlins book informative but not practical in the real world. The book was in my opinion too generalized and wasn't what I needed, i.e. expert advise on how to buy a top quality diamond from a reputable jeweler at the best price. If you want to learn about the history of the diamond the book might pass but won't tell you what you need to know if your out shopping for one.

Best purchase I ever made
Before I bought this book, nothing worried me more than buying a diamond (not even buying a car or a house). After visiting several jewelery stores I was even more worried. I was concerned that there was a lot of information that I was missing beyond the "4 C's" (Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat). So, I decided I needed to do some research before I purchased an engagement ring and luckily I stumbled across this wonderful book.

This book provided me with all of that missing information in a format that was to the point and easy to understand. It taught me how to tell the difference between Cubic Zirconia and Diamond, how to tell if I was looking at the diamond that was listed on the certificate, convinced me that cut was the most important quality in a diamond and most importantly, it told my WHY.

As a result, we have an engagement ring better than anything either of us had imagined and I saved thousands of dollars. Buy this book before you buy the ring, you won't regret it. Thank you, Antoinette and Antonio!

Review: definitely one to read before buying
A friend of mine, Scott Hall, referred this book and its author to me when I was in the market for an engagement ring. Even though Scott's not a very bright guy, the tip was invaluable.

How to Propose Marriage: In a Romantic Way (Paperback)

Book Description
How To Propose Marriage (In A Romantic Way) is an entertaining training manual that contains over 30 easy-to-follow, romantic ways to propose marriage. Fully illustrated, this amusing book is guaranteed to raise anyone's romance IQ.

From the Back Cover

AMAZING SECRETS REVEALED!!! * Choose from over 30 easy-to-follow, romantic ways to propose marriage
* Learn how to make that special someone say Yes, Yes, Yes!
* Wake up the romantic devil inside you!

The Way To A Woman's Heart
And Much, Much More! About The Author - Jean Paul is considered by many to be the world's foremost authority on romantic behavior. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he lives, eats and breathes romance. For years, he's been somewhat of a living legend on the French Riviera. Now, for the first time, Jean Paul has decided to share a few pearls of his wisdom with the rest of humanity. If romance is an art, there is but one true master: JEAN PAUL

Review: Down on bended knee
While chatchi might be the world's foremost authority on bagging babes at the local pool hall, I'm not ashamed to admit that I needed help proposing to my most recent fiancé. The ladies might be surprised to hear this, but of all the things that chatchi has mastered in life, being romantic is not one of them. Sure, chatchi's neatly-trimmed mustache, impressive collection of Whitesnake t-shirts, and Joe Camel tattoo might make the girls weak in the knees -- but keeping them around longer than a one-night-stand -- that's a different story.
So, with chatchi's impending engagement, I decided to talk to my best friend, Rick. He always has good tips on how to be romantic. This one time, Rick got his girlfriend's picture airbrushed on the back of his denim jacket. That was pretty cool.

Well, it turned out that talking to Rick wasn't a good idea after all.

With nowhere else to turn, I decided to consult the trusty folks here at Amazon.com. That's when I found, "How to Propose Marriage: In a Romantic Way". According to the dust jacket on the book, author Jean Paul is a living legend in the French Riviera, and that it would not be an exaggeration to say that he lives, eats and breathes romance. Aside from his modesty, Jean Paul is also generous. "How to Propose Marriage" is filled with a few (but not all!) pearls of Jean Paul's wisdom. Trust me, if romance is an art, there is but one true master -- Jean Paul. His amazing secrets were exactly what I needed to awake the romantic devil inside me, and guarantee that my girl would forget those seven other marriage proposals she got from her ex-boyfriends.

Boy, was I right! Jean Paul's tactics were invaluable to my cause. On a perfect moonlit night, I took my girl out to a fancy restaurant. She thought that I was just being sweet, but little did she know that this was the night that I had chosen to ask her to marry me. I had the whole evening planned out, and she didn't expect a thing. At one point, I started to get nervous, but I thought back to Jean Paul's advice ("don't be nervous"), and everything was okay. When the moment was right, I got down on one knee, and recited a poem that I wrote for her. I'd never written a poem before, but thanks to Jean Paul, I was now able to speak to my lady-friend in ways that I never imagined. As tears of joy fell into her plate of Olive Garden spaghetti, it was clear that my words were melting her heart.

She was uncertain at first, but after convincing her that I wasn't going to date girls on the side anymore, and that I'd make an effort to find a job, I could tell that I was really starting to get through to her. She weighed the pros and cons of the situation, but it wasn't until I showed her the 1/10 caret Princess Diamond Solitaire Ring in 14k White Gold that the deal was sealed.

Review: None of this would have been possible without Amazon.com, and especially Jean Paul's incredible book, "How to Propose Marriage: In a Romantic Way".

A September 2005 wedding is planned.

Review: Second Language
I might be wrong but I don't think this author is American. His wording and thought process is a bit difficult to follow at times and I sometimes get the feeling that he is rambling.
As far as proposals go, there were only 18 ideas in the book. This book is definitely "self published" which makes it hard to read at times with the weird spacings, etc.

Review: Magic
A wonderful book to help you prepare for that magic moment. Aimed primarily at those proposing marriage I nonetheless found it invaluable when planning how to suggest to my wife that we reaffirm our vows. While I disagree with Marjorie's assessment that I was "completely wasted" when I first proposed to her 24 years ago I will be the first to admit that I'd comfortably exceeded appropriate Dutch Courage margins. Thanks to Jean Paul I think I'll make this time memorable for different reasons.

Planning Your Wedding without Confusion, Head-Spinning, Stress!
If you're another bride (or groom) to be who feels like they're getting swept away in the wedding planning whirlwind and feel overwhelmed, these resources can help! I cannot exaggerate how much I underestimated the magnitude of the wedding planning process. You may be able to relate. When your sanity's at stake, there is an alternative to a drive-thru chapel elopement officiated by Elvis, so give these very useful planners a try before you scrap the whole thing! I wish I'd found out about these resources sooner, but at least I know now, before I'd completely given up! I've spent a lot of painstaking time weeding through all the books, binders, software, magazines, etc, finding the most useful, so you can be spared the trouble!

The Best Books for Planning and Inspiration
There are so many books out there on the subject of wedding planning it's enough to make even the most calm and collected bride-to-be's head spin. No one has time to read them all, especially a busy bride-to-be, so where can you get everything you would need to know in just a couple of books, books that compliment each other rather than just being repetitive? 'Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette: Cherished Traditions and Contemporary Ideas for a Joyous Celebration (4th Edition)' and 'The Best of Martha Stewart Living Weddings (Best of Martha Stewart Living)' are two excellent volumes that cover everything imaginable when used together: practical meets inspiring. The former is practical: a complete etiquette guide from the Authority on etiquette, but it's also much more than that, with a lot of useful help and information on planning. The latter is inspiring: a beautifully written volume with breathtaking photographs that can unleash your creativity and sense of elegance like no other.

Great Book for Reducing Pre-Wedding Stress!
As you begin your planning process, you may also find yourself experiencing the occasional, or perhaps persistent, feeling of stress and anxiety. Who doesn't want one of the most important days of their life, perhaps the most important, to be absolutely perfect? I underestimated how determined I would become to strive for perfection. In fact, the more research and planning I do, the more eager for this impossible goal I become, and the more stressed. Before my first bout of being frantic, I wish I'd had a copy of 'Wedding Zen: Calming Wisdom for the Bride'. This book is like no other. Now hold on, this is not for the spiritual person or student of Zen philosophy. This is a practical and helpful guide for ANY bride who'd like to maintain her sanity and sense of humor during this whole crazy process. I call this source of calm my "sanity saver."

Computer Software for Wedding Planning - the Most Helpful Tool!
Organization is SO critical in taming nerves. With so many Wedding Planner computer software programs out there offering free trials, who has time to try them all and find the best one? I've saved you the headache and done the homework. 'My Wedding Companion CD' is the most complete, inclusive, useful, practical, and polished program and the best place to start, and should satisfy all your planning software needs and then some.

Keep Yourself Current and Updated with a Magazine
Interested in a magazine to keep you current and updated, and give you useful advice that's a fun way to pass the time when you have a few minutes to spare? 'Brides' may be for you. A practical and fun read for any bride. The best, most complete, bridal magazine available. There's a wealth of ideas and information here.

A Good Wedding Planning Binder/Workbook is an Organizational MUST!
Finally, I recommend a planning binder of some sort with worksheets, forms, and a calendar for recording your appointments. Please don't buy the first one you see! Many of them are slick, glossy, and tempting, but not very practical or inclusive of what you really need! There are so many of them, and most of them do not include everything you will want to have in one place! And who wants to deal with having their important information spread out among 3 or 4 planners? My "most useful" suggestions for it to include: vendor interview questions, with spaces to put answers, for multiple vendors, that you can compare later. Budget worksheets that again allow you to compare multiple vendors, not just put information for your final choice. A calendar to keep all your appointments. And not something so stuffy and pricey that you won't want to make a mark on it! It should be something you are comfortable lugging around to vendor meetings and writing in freely! The most complete, inclusive, useful, and reasonably priced planner I've found after tireless searching through so many is "The Bride's Essential Wedding Planner: From "Yes" to "I Do" and Beyond" by Amy Nebens. She really "gets it" as far as what we REALLY need!

333 Questions You Might Want to Ask Your Mate : Before Getting Engaged or Married! (Paperback)

Book Description
This book is full of questions you might want to ask a person you are thinking about getting involved in a serious relationship with!You must ask a person questions or else you will never find out if the two of you are compatible until it is too late!

From the Author
Have you ever been in a relationship, looked over at your mate, and asked yourself. "What am I doing here?" "Who is this person?" "Am I really in love?" (It's not a question of, do you love this person?) The question is are you in love with him/her? Are you satisfied? Is this a person you feel would be a good mother or father to your children? Do you look forward to coming home to this person, and spending the rest of your life with him/her? If you answered yes to the majority of the questions above, the next question is: Do you really know this person? Have you asked him/her all the questions you need to ask them? Questions to make sure the two of you are compatable. Do you share similar thoughts and dreams? Do you like the same kind of food, music, etc? These are just a few things you may have to ask. There are many more questions and issues that need to be addressed. Read this book! Hopefully it will bring you one step closer to finding your soul mate! enjoy!

Review: Bringing us closer together
This book sheds a new light on the true meaning of relationships. My fiance and I will be getting married this July and we thought we had just about covered everything a couple would need to know about each other before they tied the knot. Boy were we wrong, this book opened up dialogue between the two of us and we reviewed and answered the questions in it for weeks, we even made a little game out of it. We feel so much closer to each other after getting this book. I reccommend it to anyone that will be starting a serious relationship or getting married soon it's worth the $14.95 we paid for it!

Review: Disappointed
I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of this book as I facilitate marriage preparation workshops. ... I would agree that there are several pertinent questions asked, however many of the questions seem like they are 'space fillers'. This along with a lot of spacing and extremely large font look like an unfortunate attempt to make a 'book' ... out of something that could be written on 1-2 sheets of paper. Please don't get me wrong, I strongly believe in couples preparing for their engagements and marriages, and I believe that couples should talk about many of the subjects listed in this book, I just don't personally and professionally feel that this book is worth the money. There are many other relationship oriented books that would provide better guidance for couples as they get to know one another and prepare for their upcoming marriages.

Review: If you plan on getting married get this book!
Listen I have been waiting for a book like this for a long time now. It's really quite simple and the title is self explanatory. I actually got a copy of it a few months ago when the authors sent it to our company for review. It has been a real charm for me. I enjoyed reading all of the questions they came up with in this book. I had a lot more fun answering them on the questionnaire I ordered and I keep it on hand for my future dates. Thumbs up you guys you have a winner.

Getting to 'I Do' (Paperback)

Review: Startling. Potent.
Please don't be put off by the corny title or froofy cover. In fact, this book seems to have been written for those committed to finding solutions for making romance actually work. The book requires an open mind and a willingness to sacrifice certain behaviors in order to obtain certain rewards. Personally, I read cover-to-cover 30 to 40 books a year and "Getting to I Do" is among the top 5 most important and life-transforming I have ever read, which is saying a lot. These principles worked for me, and for several of my friends.

Review: Read all the way through before passing judgement

A friend of mine is always encouraging me to go for what "cooks me". Well this book cooked me.
First off, I am a guy and this book is definitely written to the female audience. So I had to keep transposing and interpreting as I went along. As I read it I found that I was having all kinds of reactions ranging from HECK NO! to DARN RIGHT!

One of my first reactions was to a subheading in the first chapter DO YOU WANT IT ALL, OR ARE YOU WILLING TO COMPROMISE TO GET HIM? that really pushed my buttons because one of the issues that I am working on in my life is not settling.

What kept me going through the book were the examples and how many were true for my life. One of the best insights in the book for me was that rejecting someone can be an act of love. The author advocates either accepting or rejecting someone, both are acts of love. What is not an act of love is to tolerate someone.

I think that many of my concerns with the book could have been alleviated if the material in the chapter FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES, which is at the end of the book, would have been placed at the beginning. For me, it sets the context in which the rest of the book is written rather than being a summary. It directly addresses many of the concerns that I had as I read the rest of the book.

There is much of value in here, and even though it is written for women and I don't agree with everything in the book, I'd recommend it to anyone interested in improving relationships in their life simply because it is so thought-provoking.

Review: MissM0
I think this book is underrated. It's a great self-help book for those who are clueless about the roles that they exhibit when attracting the opposite sex.

For those choosing to be feminine, the book explained what behavior traits are feminine to attract an agressive mate. Vice Versa.

Also, how to prepare and handle different phases of a relationship:
- Flirting
- Courting
- Dating (perfect phase aka honeymoon phase,imperfect phase - how to handle conflict, negociating, and commitment.

I have sent this book to a few of my single girlfriends who were always complaining and were unaware of their destructive behavior patterns. To date, one of my referrals is married. :-)

Review: Not completely idiotic
I usually totally despise self-help books of the 'how to get a man and keep him' type, but this one, although like most self-help books pretty silly, does contain some quite sensible advice.

Dr. Allen's theory is that everyone is either a 'feminine energy' person or a 'masculine energy' person. The masculine eneergy personis the leader who cherishes his mate, the feminine energy person is the follower who respects her leader. Dr. Allen doesn't think it matters whether the man or the woman is the leader or the follower (this makes her more flexible than the authors of most such books), but she maintains that you must have one of each, she doesn't think 'equal' relationships can work.

If you decided to be the 'feminine energy' woman (as she thinks most women will probably want to be) you let the man make the running, make the decisions (so long as they are not unethical, immoral, or something that can harm you or your children), and accept what he gives you graciously (that includes accepting things you might not particularly care for, like unwanted advice). You always give back less than you take, because a feminine energy woman must love herself more than her man.

One of her theories is that men want to marry virtupous women, so you must not sleep with a man until he has 'committed' to you, if you want to marry him. I don't know how true this is generally, but it certainly wasn't true in my own case, I slept with all the men I went out with before they'd 'committed' to me, but nevertheless some of them did want to marry me.

The part of this book I enjoyed the most is the chapter called 'Finding the Toad in every Prince' in which she describes how you cope when you discover the things about your prospective mate that you don't like. she says "There is a prince in every toad and a toad in every prince. But does someone fall in love with the prince part of a person? No way. They fall in love with the toad part. It's the idiosyncracies and weirdness that really endears someone to you, the part that makes you say "Oh, that's just him" and you love him anyway.
I tell women if they are still waiting for the perfect man - mentally, physically and emotionally he's not coming.
I feel that if you get someone who is 51 percent or better, keep him. That is to say, if you like more about the person than you don't, then go for it. Because odds are that if you don't, and you go out looking for a better deal elsewhere, you could end up with someone who is only 49% or worse."

I thought this was very sensible advice. One of the things I like about this book, is that Pat allen does not recommend a woman making herself into a doormat, or behaving as if only what the man wants matters, she believes that a naturally 'masculine energy' man will want to keep his wife happy and give her what she wants.

Not everything in this book made sense to me, but I did think some of the advice was quite sensible, and you might find it helpfull. It certainly didn't induce in me the feelings of nausea that other books of this kind have done.

Review: If I'd only known then...

I first read this book after ending a 4 year relationship. I remember standing in the bookstore looking (skeptically) at all of the relationship books, when the title of this one caught my eye. I said to myself, "yeah, right". When I picked it off the shelf, I noticed a quote from Marianne Williamson, who at the time was the Spiritual Leader of the church I was attending. Having much respect for her, I read the first few pages. Immediately, I was hooked. I after reading the book, I purchased two more copies for single friends. (I'm actually online this morning to purchase more copies) As I explained to them, the title really doesn't do the book justice. For me, it was more than getting married, it was about understanding myself and my energy and the role I played in relationships.

Let's Elope : The Definitive Guide to Eloping, Destination Weddings, and Other Creative Wedding Options (Paperback)

From Library Journal
Here's a guide for couples willing to break some traditional rules. Behan and Shaw, who eloped with his wife in 1997, offer a short history of elopement and talk about reasons modern couples elope: stress reduction, finances, and the desire to be unique. They define elopement today as anything other than the big, traditional wedding and discuss options ranging from minimally planned escape elopements to some of the hybrid wedding-elopement choices like surprise weddings, dinner-party weddings, destination weddings, and theme weddings also covered extensively in Robin Kring's Storybook Weddings (Meadowbrook, 1998). Sidebars feature happy couples discussing their elopements, while a quiz helps readers identify which elopement option is right for them. Sections on communicating the big decision to others and elopement etiquette are quite helpful. More than half of the book discusses where to wed, offering tips on web sites, wedding packages, and favorite, romantic, and exotic locales. For all collections.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Book Description
Can't cope? Elope!

Admit it. You always thought eloping sounded kind of romantic, right? Too bad everyone expects you to have The Big Wedding -- the kind you always thought you wanted. So now that you're engaged and knee-deep in wedding planning, why are you secretly wishing you could just fly off to a tropical island and say your I do's in your bathing suit?

Well, you can! There are many different ways to elope -- and not all of them involve running off in the middle of the night. These days, "eloping" is anything other than a traditional wedding -- from a steps-of-city-hall ceremony with just the two of you, to a fun-filled "destination wedding" with your family and closest friends.

Let's Elope is filled with creative ideas for exchanging your vows in a memorable, personalized way that won't necessarily cost you a fortune -- or your sanity. Let's Elope includes:

* A brief history of weddings -- and why people first began to elope
* A quiz to help you decide if eloping is right for you
* Inspiring anecdotes from real-life couples who chose to opt out of a traditional wedding
* Elopement etiquette, including how to break the news to your family and friends
* Information on how to plan destination weddings, country weekend weddings, and surprise weddings
* Up-to-the-minute addresses, phone numbers, and Web sites for the world's top elopement spots
* Tons of ideas about what to do with all the money you saved!

Review: Not as good as "Beyond Vegas"
I bought this book as soon as my fiance and I were engaged, excitted about the prospect of eloping. Reading it will get you excited about eloping, show you that it can be done, and give you some general ideas as to how to start the process, but when it comes down to it, the book does not offer that great of advice.
I highly recommend that you consider buying "Beyond Vegas" by Lisa Tabb and Sam Silverstine instead of "Let's Elope." We ended up buying both of them in the end, and actually using the information in BV to plan our wedding in Scotland. Unlike with Let's Elope, the authors actually got married in all of the destinations discussed in there books, and give all the pointers you need, not just what can be found on the official country registrar web sites.

Have fun with it. But don't buy two books when one will do.

Review: Fabulous Elopment Book When You Don't Know Where to Begin
The book gives creative and fun ideas for couples looking for something different. I would highly recommend the book to any couple not sure about a traditional wedding. I loved that it also gave resources such as web sites and phone numbers.

Review: a good start.
Eloping has always sounded like a good option but i never really gave it any credit untill i read this book. This book is filled will enough information to get you to believe that eloping can be done and also provides you with enough examples of peoples who went throught with it. For some one, like me, who is just starting with the idea this is a great book. Its filled with stories, successes, and hints on what to do and avoide - as well as some initial resources to start your research with. For those who have already excepted the idea and have done some research you will not find any thing new.

Review: Great book if you are uncertain about eloping and how to
This book was a great for helping to make the decision of whether to elope or not. If you still want the "big wedding" there are lots of creative ideas in this book of how to include your family etc. It even has information on places to elope! If you are considering a destination wedding, elopement or even just a non-traditional wedding with less stress read this book.

Review: Not for those already sold on eloping
I bought this book hoping for some research on wedding locations. Instead, this book spends a bit of time in each chapter reminding you of the benefits of eloping and querying you to make certain you want to elope.

I know I don't want a wedding. I was just hoping for some well-researched advice on locations where I could get married and have my marriage legal in the US. Felt too much like a traditional wedding book to me.

Review: Very helpful for non-traditional wedding planners
This book was very helpful for dealing with the issues of a non-traditional wedding. I would highly recommend it.