The Knot's Complete Guide to Weddings (Paperback)
Amazon.com
Promoting the idea that
"there's only one thing that really matters: that
you have the wedding you want, not a nervous breakdown,"
Carley Roney and the editors of The Knot Web site have
compiled all the information any modern bride and groom
may need to plan and execute their dream wedding. Equal
parts wedding consultant, marriage counselor, best friend,
and cyberresource, this is not the guide your grandmother--or
mother, for that matter--used to plan her wedding. Much
of The Complete Guide to Weddings in the Real World is
culled from the experiences and questions that users of
their successful Web site, www.theknot.com, have written
in about. This interactivity gives the guide credibility
for the engaged couple of the '90s. Readers will find
the Web site a useful accessory to the book.
In a humorous, hip, and engaging style, Roney runs down
the basics of betrothal starting with the engagement and
ending with the honeymoon and postwedding "reentry."
In between, we get specific instructions on details like
budgeting essentials, selecting locations, arranging the
ceremony and reception, hiring photographers and musicians,
and registering for gifts. Roney also presents a "Sticky
Subjects" section that covers the more sober side
of weddings: what to do when your families' religious
or political beliefs collide, how to keep the physical
side of a relationship alive during the turmoil of wedding
planning, the potentially explosive issues of money and
wedding budgeting, what to do when your friends or family
disapprove of your intended, and even "Top Ten Family
911s."
Snapshots of actual weddings and their budget
breakdowns, comprehensive checklists and worksheets, and
extensive information on wedding resources with phone
numbers, addresses, and Internet addresses (when available)
will both help you untangle the knots that can come with
getting hitched and make your day one that brings tears
of happiness, not dismay. --Stefanie Durbin
From Library Journal
These three books offer all the up-to-date advice on weddings
that this year's crop of couples might need. Going to
the Chapel, compiled by the editors of Signature Bride
magazine, is aimed at black couples and includes ways
to add African elements to a "traditional" wedding
or to use authentic African customs throughout. Included
are Yoruba and Christian Nigerian suggestions as well
as Muslim practices. One of the most popular sites on
the World Wide Web is theknot.com, which serves over 250,000
visitors per month. Its editorial staff has put together
a print guidebook to all the nuances of wedding and honeymoon
planning. This guide includes everything that Emily Post
ever mentioned but will be more appealing to the cybergeneration.
McCoy concentrates on getting the most for your wedding
dollar. Her book is concise and well organized, with worksheets,
resource lists, and even wedding cake recipes. Her chapter
on selecting diamonds is outstanding. Any of these titles
will be a good choice for public libraries. Those serving
a large, diverse population will want them all. Those
that can only manage one or two will have to consider
their current collections and the needs of their particular
clientele.?Susan B. Hagloch, Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New
Philadelphia, OH
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
"The Knot is unquestionably America's leading wedding
resource. . . .No bride and groom should be without it!"
--Marcy Blum, top wedding planner and coauthor of Weddings
for Dummies
"www.theknot.com is THE BEST wedding
planning Web site. . . . * * * * * rating."
--Yahoo! Internet Life
"A resource for the post-Emily Post
crowd. The Knot provides ideas, advice, and a place to
vent for those planning to take the plunge."
--Crain's New York Business
Review
"The Knot is unquestionably America's leading wedding
resource. . . .. . . * * * * * rating."
--Yahoo! Internet Life
"A resource for the post-Emily Post
crowd. The Knot provides ideas, advice, and a place to
vent for those planning to take the plunge."
--Crain's New York Business
Book Description
Planning for the big day? Here are the most up-to-date
answers to all your questions in the first book from the
editors of The Knot, the largest online wedding resource.
Overwhelmed by the countless questions and
details that planning your wedding entails? Don't despair!
The Knot's Complete Guide to Weddings helps you make all
the critical decisions and takes you step-by-step from
your engagement to the big day, from the reception to
the honeymoon. Inside you'll find checklists, worksheets,
true tales, insider advice, and in-depth sections on:
How to personalize your wedding
Updated wedding etiquette
Creating a realistic budget
Choosing a great location
Shopping for The Perfect Dress
Tips for working with florists, caterers, officiants,
and others
Sneaky cost-trimming tricks
Invitation wording
Ethnic wedding customs
Vows and ceremony details
Plus: Coping with stressful family situations,
dealing with interfaith issues, and maintaining strength,
sanity, and romance through it all.
Inside Flap Copy
Planning for the big day? Here are the most up-to-date
answers to all your questions in the first book from the
editors of The Knot, the largest online wedding resource.
Overwhelmed by the countless questions and
details that planning your wedding entails? Don't despair!
The Knot's Complete Guide to Weddings helps you make all
the critical decisions and takes you step-by-step from
your engagement to the big day, from the reception to
the honeymoon. Inside you'll find checklists, worksheets,
true tales, insider advice, and in-depth sections on:
How to personalize your wedding
Updated wedding etiquette
Creating a realistic budget
Choosing a great location
Shopping for The Perfect Dress
Tips for working with florists, caterers, officiants,
and others
Sneaky cost-trimming tricks
Invitation wording
Ethnic wedding customs
Vows and ceremony details
Plus: Coping with stressful family situations,
dealing with interfaith issues, and maintaining strength,
sanity, and romance through it all.
From the Back Cover
"The Knot is unquestionably America's leading wedding
resource. . . .No bride and groom should be without it!"
--Marcy Blum, top wedding planner and coauthor of Weddings
for Dummies
"A resource for the post-Emily Post
crowd. The Knot provides ideas, advice, and a place to
vent for those planning to take the plunge."
--Crain's New York Business
"Best of the Web: Bridal Registry:
The Knot Wedding Gift Registry" -- US News and World
Report, Dec. 98
"The best wedding website: The Knot,
**** Four Stars"
-- Yahoo! Internet Life, Jun. 98
About the Author
Carley Roney is the founder and editor-in-chief of www.theknot.com,
the most comprehensive and up-to-date information center
on weddings that exists today. Since 1996, Carley has
been gathering ideas and giving advice to 250,000 couples
a month, making The Knot the most popular destination
for brides and grooms in cyberspace. Its new wedding magazine,
The Knot, will debut in the fall of 1999, followed by
a television series.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission.
All rights reserved.
Foreword
When we launched The Knot Web site in 1996,
we just knew there were people out there like us--modern,
smart, in-love couples looking for an up-to-date, stylish,
and real-world approach to planning their weddings. Within
a year we had a huge online following of hundreds of thousands
of to-be-weds from all over the country. Word spread fast.
It seems that couples simply can't find anything out there
that matches The Knot's tell-it-like-it-is advice, fresh
ideas, practical etiquette, and stress-relieving sanity.
(Besides that, we are the only real resource out there
for both the bride and groom.)
We're thrilled to be able to put in print
the best of The Knot's opinions, exhaustive databases
of information, and real people's experiences. You simply
can't beat the completeness and portability of a book--never
mind the fact you can snuggle down into bed with it (together).
Before you dig in, take a look at the table
of contents. We've structured things in (sort of) chronological
order. But don't think you have to sit down and read this
book from start to finish. At the opening of each chapter
you'll see what's covered. Scan and look for the headlines
that address your current issues.
Since we know planning a wedding can be
kind of intimidating, we've tried to make this book as
user-friendly as possible. The sidebars offer easy nuggets
of important info on saving money, resources, hot ideas,
and more. If you're overwhelmed and don't have the vaguest
idea where to begin, check out the "To Do" list
in Appendix A. It tells you what to worry about when and
tells you which chapters in this book will guide you through
each to-do.
This is a working book, not a bible. Feel
free to mark things, tear out pages, dog-ear to your heart's
content. There's a fun and fact-filled resource section
in the back of the book with phone numbers, resources,
checklists, and worksheets. Make it your own.
Finally, as far as we're concerned, there's
only one thing that really matters: that you have the
wedding you want, not a nervous breakdown. Don't get too
caught up in the details. Your wedding will be mesmerizing--no
matter how big or small the budget, no matter how much
or how little time you can devote to making it happen.
So whether your wedding is an over-the-top 400-person
formal religious affair or an intimate backyard barbeque
after eloping, you're in the right place. Read up. Make
decisions. Trust your judgment. Let go. Enjoy.
Useful book to have for those planning their weddings!
There is information from the announcement of the engagement
to the big day, from reception to the selection of honeymoon
destinations. Other useful information includes the roles
of the wedding party, wedding gown selection, vows and
ceremony details, budget planning as well as dealing with
the stress of planning for a wedding. There are inserts
of real life stories that I find quite fascinating.
I think this is definitely a useful book to have for those
who are planning for their weddings. It's extremely comprehensive
as the author does an excellent job in covering the various
aspects of wedding. There are always issues or things
that were not thought of before but will be brought to
attention in this book. "The Knot" is definitely
a lot more "down-to-earth" compared to some
of the other wedding planning books out there which are
useful only if you are planning for a extravagant wedding.
In addition, this book also comes with a wedding checklist
as well as worksheets which would help couples with their
planning. This is definitely a must have for couples!
Review: GREAT Book!!
I would recommend this book for any new Bride who wants
great advice on weddings. I have read several books and
this one has nice quality information - in great detail.
If you want to READ a book, not just look at pictures,
this is the book for you. It's the best!!
Review: Great!
This book is a must for all brides to be or even to wedding
planners. It offers not only a practical checklist, but
also experiences of other couples that walked the aisle
before us. With great advices on how to make your wedding
what you want: a beautiful and personal ceremony...I recommend
it without hesitation.
Review: A TOP-NOTCH, MUST-HAVE
BOOK FOR WEDDING PLANNING!
I have had two daughters walk down the aisle and one left
to go. The tips and information contained within this
book will be a valuable help to anyone who is planning
that all important day. The book is not just for the bride
and her family, but for the groom as well. So often the
groom sincerely wants to help, but a good number are uncertain
of what their role is except to show up for the blessed
event! This book will help steer everyone in the right
direction.
The book takes you through each step of the planning process,
from checklists, budgeting, location and photographers
to troubleshooting in a variety of personal situations.
What happens if your family does not exactly welcome your
intended with open arms? Or, perhaps your family's religious
beliefs are different than his, then what? I can recall
one wedding that would have more aply been described as
a three-ring circus. The mother of bride locked herself
inside a bathroom and refused to come out because her
"ex" showed up at the last minute to give his
daughter away. The bride's sister (maid of honor) ran
UP THE AISLE in tears when her former boyfriend, a friend
of the groom's showed up with a new lady on his arm. At
the reception, the master of ceremonies decided there
would be a change of plans and a new method of determining
who ate first, by having each guest bid for their dinners
(starting at [amt.] per person) with the proceeds going
to pay for the honeymoon! Needless to say, it was the
fastest way to clear a room ever recorded in history.
Most guests had already given a very generous gift to
the couple, now they were expected to pay for the honeymoon?
These are mistakes no bride or groom wants to make. This
book is an excellent guide to making one of the most important
days of your life, a day you will cherish for years to
come. Happy wedding planning and may all your days be
filled with sunshine!
Review: A truly useful guide!
This is the most realistic wedding planners that I have
run across. I just got married 3 weeks ago and this book
made the wedding planning process so much easier.
The advice on selecting vendors was practical and helpful.
She also offers advice on relaxing during those tense
weeks beforehand.
Some of the best features are on suggested
photographer shots, realistic ways to budget and save
money, and incorporating cultural traditions.
This guide should be the first on every
brides list!
Review: Helpful for the GROOM,
too!,
I'm getting married next August, and I got this book for
my fiancee, but I really got it so I could read it, too.
If you don't know a whole lot about weddings, but your
fiancee wants the "best of the best," then you
are like I am.
Grooms, this message is particularly for you. A good groom
WANTS to help, but he has no idea HOW. This is the book
you can use to "catch up." Any way, a wedding
takes lots of planning from lots of people, and every
day I give thanks to having a book like this so I can
read up on what's supposed to be going on.
As I have said, most weddings require much
planning, and you're going to need a book like this to
walk you through everything. Wouldn't you rather have
a more classy book like this one that is extremely helpful
no matter if your wedding is in two years or two weeks
- or would you rather have one of those "cutesy"
and condescending books like "Marraige for Dummies"???
Review: A MUST HAVE for anyone
getting married!
This book is written by someone who actually cares about
how a wedding is put together. It gives many options and
suggestions, and any possible scenario that you could
imagine. If you want a traditional wedding these are the
invitations you should have, the dress, etc.. BUT that
does not mean that you have to stick to it. They have
suggestions of customs, heritage etc that is enjoyable
to read even though it may not apply to me. I am only
1/4 of the way through the book and it has helped GREATLY.
Every chapter deals with an aspect of the wedding. It
does not lump everything together and talk about everything
as a whole. You need to look at your wedding as parts
and this book helps you along.
Review: Wedding Advice For
Real People
Finally, a great book about weddings for women (and men!)
who have NOT "been dreaming of this day since I was
a little girl..." This book was not condescending,
sticky-sweet, or full of things you "must do."
But it did tell it like it is, and everything you need
to have a creative, fun, elegant event is in here!
Review: from a mom
As a mom of a bride-to-be, I bought this book for my daughter
and she loved it. I thought we could share, but I had
to buy my own copy because I couldn't ever get my hands
on it... Lots of good ways to deal with money issues -
this book helped us solve many arguments!
Review: I recommend this
book to anyone about to take the big plunge
my best friend is getting married (the first of my friends)
and this book has been my savior. answers any and all
questions to everything i wanted to know. a god send -
don't know what i would do without it.
Wedding Invitations (Hardcover)
by Jennifer Cegielski
Editorial Reviews
Book Description
A wedding invitation heralds the good news of two people
making a commitment and also reveals the style and tone
of that highly anticipated day. Gone are the days when
a couple's major decision about their invitations was
choosing between white or ecru paper-today's invitations
come in an incredible array of materials, colors, textures,
sizes, and shapes. And the often complex structure of
modern families makes wording invitations a challenge.
The first book to fully address these topics, Wedding
Invitations takes couples from original idea to finished
product, no matter how simple or extravagant their vision.
The book presents both traditional and modern
designs, details the many different types of inks, papers,
and printing methods available, and discusses how to deal
with ceremony cards, response cards, maps, and other enclosures.
The text covers all aspects of invitation etiquette, from
acknowledging various family members in the most appropriate
way, to properly wording inner and outer envelopes. Wedding
Invitations offers advice on desktop publishing, working
with a designer or calligrapher, papermaking, and doing
your own letterpress printing. Since many guests cherish
the invitation as a memento long after the ceremony has
passed, this is a must-have for the newly engaged.
Amazon Reviews
A wealth of information--even
beyond the wedding
I have to admit, while planning my wedding I was hesitant
at first to purchase a book that seemed to be on only
one wedding topic. But being into stationery and typography,
I'm glad I took a chance on this one. I wanted our wedding
invitation to be really special (we have been together
a long time and already have a child), and this book helped
us achieve that goal. All the bases are covered, so you
really understand what all your options are in a simple,
non-overload way. This book is like a "master class",
and is great for anybody who is interested in printing,
stationery or invitations in general.
Review: A lot of useful information
I'm not sure what the reviewer below was reading because
this book contains everything you could ever hope to know
about wedding invitations. It's definitely visually attractive,
but it's the useful information (even gives you a timeline
for you invites to make sure you're on track which I am
often not!) that make this a must-have item for anyone
about to get married.
Review: Very comprehensive and informative
Invitations book!
A must have for the "Bride-to-be" or anyone
planning an event. This creative Invitations book covers
everything you'll need to know when planning a wedding.
It is layed out in an easy to read format w/ stunning
visuals of invitations, etc. in a compact book that can
be used for a referrence manual year after year.
I highly recommend it!
Review: Gorgeous, useful and a time
saver!
This will help you through making all sort of invitation
decisions (believe me there are a lot to make, I had no
idea before I started) like paper and ink colors and also
tell you all sorts of stuff about how to word your own
invite to suit your wedding formality level. My invitations
are going to be on blue paper letterpressed with brown
ink, very elegant yet modern. I never would have thought
of that combination had I not picked up this book! I can't
wait to get the invitations up from the printer.
Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette: Cherished
Traditions and
Contemporary Ideas for a Joyous Celebration (4th Edition)
(Hardcover)
Amazon.com
What makes a
perfect wedding? "[The bride] and the groom both look
as though there were sunlight behind their eyes, as though
their mouths irresistibly turned to smiles," wrote
Emily Post in 1922's Etiquette. Great-granddaughter-in-law
Peggy Post, author of the fourth edition of Emily Post's
Wedding Etiquette, absolutely agrees with Miss Emily. To
ensure those bright eyes and smiles, she imparts thoughtful
and commonsensical advice on how to plan for not just your
wedding, but for all the social and familial obligations
and traditions that a wedding entails.
Unlike many wedding manuals, Post includes advice for the
"encore" bride as well as for the new bride. In
this day of remarriages and blended families, tact and strategy
are often needed to make sure feelings aren't hurt and everything
runs as smoothly as possible. A chapter on multicultural
and interfaith marriages addresses differing world traditions
and how they can be incorporated into a touching ceremony
that makes both the couple and their families happy. If
you are unsure of who is supposed to do what, Post gives
you clear instruction, often including a flow chart that
delineates the responsibilities of all people involved in
the wedding party (bride's parents throw the engagement
party, best man returns the tuxes, flower girl's family
pays for her outfit).
Throughout Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette
are sidebars with questions asked of Post regarding an
amazing array of wedding-related conundrums ("My
daughter's fiancé wants to follow his family's
tradition of having a money tree at the wedding. I personally
find this distasteful; can I say so?"). This is a
great book to find the answers for all those sticky questions.
All involved in the wedding process should leaf through,
get their bearings, smile, and then forge ahead. --Dana
Van Nest
Book Description
Peggy Post, America's etiquette authority, presents an
indispensable, comprehensive guide to planning and personalizing
your wedding. Today's weddings are more complex than ever
before, with new traditions and new family relationships
to consider. This thoroughly revised fourth edition of
the classic Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette addresses countless
wedding questions both old and new. With the famous Post
blend of sensitivity and practicality, Peggy Post shows
how to handle the big decisions and the little details
that will make your wedding beautiful to behold and uniquely
yours -- and how to carry it off with minimum stress and
maximum style.
Three new chapters offer advice on the latest
realities of today's weddings, including multicultural
ceremonies, encore weddings, and postwedding duties. Expanded
sections give guidance on financial matters, working smoothly
with wedding consultants and others on your "wedding
team," and planning theme and destination weddings.
Dozens of at-a-glance lists, boxes, and charts on everything
from most-asked questions to creative ideas for personalizing
the day are perfect guides for busy brides and grooms.
With this book in hand, a couple can confidently
blend the best of classic tradition with contemporary
style, making this wondrous event a celebration to be
remembered and treasured by all.
Review: Excellent Purchase!
I am studying to be a Wedding/Event Planner and this book
is a part of my course study. I loved the material and
featured Q&A. The book is very modern yet contemporary
at the same time. An excellent buy for anyone planning
their wedding or joining the wedding industry.
Review: Panic in the wedding aisle!
Yikes! I am newly engaged, and this book scared the bejebbers
out of me! My fiance and I were looking at a simple wedding.
This book intends to scare you into looking at more and
more elaborate proceedings. Finally, you are at the point
where you believe no one but a diety called a "wedding
planner" can actually pull off a wedding.
Perhaps it is where I live and my social-economic
class, but this book view of etiquette is manners that
quickly translates into cash. I literally woke up in the
middle of the night when I considered how much everything
would cost and how far behind the wedding planning was.
My friends who are married knew what sort
of wedding I had in mind and did not hestitate to tell
me to send the book BACK.
Review: This massive guide is all-inclusive
and brilliant
Not just for Etiquette! This book is an impressive wealth
of knowledge and information, and is just loaded with
useful information that I've never found in other wedding
books, and I've bought and browsed my share of them. You
need not worry this book will just repeat information
you may already have in other books, this book will complement
your collection and give you lots of details you probably
won't find anywhere else. It's the wedding Bible. And,
although Post is the authority on Etiquette, not only
is this guide the only Etiquette helper you'll ever need,
it also is a huge help in planning and ideas. You won't
find any glossy full color photos in here but this book
offers so much those other more "glossy" books
don't have. This is a MUST for any engaged couple.
Review: Great wedding resource,
more than etiquette.
This is a great book for any bride to be. It includes
not only etiquette, but it also has tips. It was especially
useful for wording on invitations, and also for the envelopes.
A classic!
Review: The only wedding book you'll
need!
This books takes the place of so many other books out
there, like guides to writing thank yous, guides about
religious traditions, what to wear. This book has it all.
You're getting about 15 books for the price of one. Emily
Post's Wedding Etuiquette guides you from announcing your
engagement to friends and family all the way through writing
Thank you's and everything in between. It's an invaluable
guide for the bride, the groom, the bridal party and even
the guests at a wedding! Have you ever wondered how much
to give for a wedding? What to wear for a daytime formal
wedding? What order to use for the processional? How do
you write out an invitation for a same sex couple? What
is the appropriate way to write out Thank yous? All of
these questions and many more are answered in this thorough,
sensible book. It's a great read and very well organized
so you will be able to find anything you need. It is a
great gift for the bride and groom because its timelines
can also be used as a planner. It's also a great gift
for the bridal party or parents of the bride because it
outlines all of those responsibilities as well. This may
very well be the only wedding book you'll ever need, whether
you're the bride, the groom, the father of the bride,
the maid of honor, or just a guest!
Review: Excellent bridal resource
Read Miss Manners or Emily Post for advice before you
throw any major event and you can't possibly go wrong.
In this day of Bridezillas and tacky "traditions"
such as family-hosted showers, money dances, and registry
info in wedding invitations, the astute bride will consult
real experts rather than The Knot or Dear Prudence!
Review: A fairly good book
This book is marvelous help in preparing for your wedding
day, laying out all the physical aspects of the wedding
from A to Z. Sadly, this book doesn't have much discussion
on preparing your heart for the day. It is said that a
woman looks forward to her wedding day, a man looks forward
to the wedding night - both are important, but men often
tend to downplay the day's events as they focus on the
evening.
Review: Invaluable
An invaluable book to avoid potential wedding/social faux
pas. Has guidance from invitations to thank you letters
and everything in between. If you're wanting more value
for the money, I would suggest "Emily Post's Etiquette
(16th Edition or latest)" as it covers wedding (albeit
not as detailed), social and business etiquette areas.
Review: Very helpful and incredibly
detailed
I decided to get this book because I was struggling with
how to make wedding decisions that would potentially upset
some people, like not having kids be invited. I was surprised
when the book arrived at how thick it is, there is really
a wealth of information in it. I like that she gives both
a traditional and contemporary view on certain topics,
and the sections are clearly marked so its not as though
you have to read it from beginning to end to find what
you are looking for. I think this book can be helpful
even if you're not facing and etiquette dilemma, it makes
you think of things you hadn't even thought of. Its also
really clearly written.
Review: Excellent Single-Source
Wedding Book,
If you only plan on buying *one* wedding guide book, this
should be it.
Peggy Post addresses almost every aspect of wedding etiquette
in this hefty book. Although you can find most of this
information on Internet sites, Peggy Post does a fantastic
job of compiling wedding information in one easy-to-use
volume.
Book highlights include:
- Exhaustively Thorough Invitation Section
(Example: Outlines specific language you should use if
the bride's divorced/remarried parents are jointly hosting
the wedding.)
- Engagement Outline
(Example: Gives recommendations for who the happy couple
should tell, when, & how.)
- Guest Information
(Example: Discusses gift giving, response cards, etc.)
Peggy Post does an excellent job of conveying
information without sounding preachy. She offers recommendations
instead of barking standards.
In addition to being a great planning tool, this book
is also quite lovely! As such, it would make a beautiful
engagement gift.
Highly recommended.
The Artful Bride: Wedding Favors
and Decorations : A Stylish Bride's Guide to Simple, Handmade
Wedding Crafts (Artful Bride) (Paperback)
Book Description
Saavy, modern brides are seeking ways to personalize their
wedding celebrations, and to make them unique, special,
and unbelievably fun without relying on tradition-heavy
standards. This beautiful guide contains everything a
bride needs to put her own stamp on all of the special
events surrounding her wedding, from pre-celebration parties
to the rehearsal evening to the reception, with elegant-but
also simple and inexpensive touches. Artful Wedding Celebrations
includes more than 20 fashionable and fun-to-make projects
from handmade place cards to humorous party favors, dramatic
centerpieces to customized glassware.
About the Author
April L. Paffrath is a freelance editor and writer in
Cambridge, Massachusetts. In addition to book and magazine
editing, she has written architecture profiles, travel
pieces, cooking articles, and craft how-to's, for magazines
such as Scientific American Explorations and Martha Stewart
Living. She is coauthor with Laura McFadden of The Artful
Bride: Simple, Handmade Wedding Projects (Rockport, 2003).
Livia McRee is a craft writer and designer who is always
looking for new twists on beautiful crafts. She lives
in Wellesley, Massachusetts, is author of four craft books,
and has contributed to several others.
Paula Grasdal is a printmaker and mixed-media
artist living in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She has contributed
to several Rockport publications and is coauthor, with
Holly Harrison, of Collage for the Soul: Expressing Hopes
and Dreams through Art.
good ideas
Reviewer: Desiree
There were some good ideas in this book. Unlike the invitation
book, they didn't seem to be as origional. There were
also favor ideas that wouldn't really be useful for most
weddings. However, there were some cute ideas, I liked
the tags they used for place settings. There were some
tips that I wasn't aware of before reading the book. I
do have to admit there are a couple of things that we
might consider for our reception. I am looking forward
to getting the other artful bride book.
Review: Martha's employee
makes a book.
Following from the previous review where I commented that
the projects in this book could have been from 'Martha
Stewarts weddings' imagine my amusement when I saw on
the back of the book that the Author IS from Martha Stewart's
living! Trust me, this book is truly banal.
Review: I sadly missed McFadden
in this artful bride book.
Compared to the wonderfully creative and unique original
'Artful Bride' I found `wedding favours', the third book
of the artful bride series to be a real let down. I was
terribly disappointed so I checked and saw it was only
written by one of the two authors of the first book, sadly
Graphic Designer Laura Mc Fadden is absent. I found all
of the projects in the third book to be rather obvious
and lacking in enthusiasm, and especially lacking the
edgy well designed feel of the first book, which is a
bible for the crafty anti-bride.
Only two of this books projects appealed, but they are
no stretch of the imagination for bridal favours either:
home made chocolates & bonsai trees, please, I think
they lifted those ideas from Martha Stewarts weddings!
Overall the feel of the book was of icky bridal triteness,
with a lot of pink, heart shapes and a flower on nearly
every page. I am waiting for the second book in the series,
Invitations, which, unlike `wedding favours' was co-written
by Laura Mc Fadden and I hope it will be better.
Hosting Wedding Parties (Hardcover)
Book Description
From showers to receptions to bridal teas, you'll find
everything you need to toast the happy couple in style.
HOSTING WEDDING PARTIES offers the inspiration and the
how-to instructions for planning and hosting unique wedding-related
theme parties that will be remembered for years to come.
Each party is beautifully photographed to show every detail,
from handcrafted invitations to exquisite centerpieces
to thoughtful and unique party favors. Decorations and
specially crafted accents are explained in step-by-step
instructions, yet all party elements are easy and affordable!
Also included are complete party menus with easy but delicious
recipes, along with suggested table settings and beverages.
A special section on entertaining help includes etiquette
tips, floral arranging ideas, and more. Whether you're
the maid of honor, the mother of the groom, or the bride
herself, this book has the details you need to plan the
perfect party.
Just look what makes this book a must for your collection:
** Covers a wide range of parties, not just
showers! Includes parties for rehearsals, engagements,
and receptions.
** Perfect for anyone involved in a wedding - the maid
of honor, mother, father, grandparent, bridesmaid, groomsman,
uncle, or aunt.
** Contains complete menus and recipes for each party.
** Features easy and affordable party plans that don't
require weeks of preparation.
** Includes a special section on etiquette tips, floral-arranging
ideas, table setting, and more.
** It's the best book you'll find on the subject. Most
"shower" books are one color, and don't have
recipes. This one is full of full-color photos that help
you make your wedding party a smash.
The Perfect Wedding Reception : Stylish
Ideas For Every Season (Hardcover)
Book Description
Once couples decide
to say "I do" there are dozens and dozens of
decisions to be made. It's hard to know where to begin
and even more difficult to fit all the dozens of details
together into one wonderful event. Thankfully Maria McBride-Mellinger,
author of acclaimed bridal books, stylishly illustrates
just how to create a dreamy reception that will be forever
memorable.
The Perfect Wedding Reception features exquisite
wedding celebrations designed by Maria McBride-Mellinger
that capture the magic of each season in refreshing, contemporary
style. The nuptial adventure begins in a formal spring
garden but soon its off to a beach front for a fanciful
summer wedding, to a revolutionary era stone barn for
a rustic fall wedding and finally to a gracious country
home for a candle lit winter wedding feast.
Glorious photos of each location, flowers,
menu selections, table details, centerpieces, bouquets,
invitations, wedding cakes and favors tell the story of
each wedding with helpful tips and most importantly McBride-Mellinger's
favorite resources from around the country that will actually
help bring your wedding reception to life.
Whatever season you choose to marry Maria
McBride-Mellinger offers delightful flourishes to tempt
every couple as they plan the party of their lives and
create memories meant to last a lifetime.
About the Author
Maria McBride-Mellinger is leading expert on weddings.
She was fashion editor for Bride's magazine for five years.
She is the author of The Wedding Dress (Random House 1993)
and Bridal Flowers (Bulfinch Press 1992). She is contributing
editor to Bride's and a frequent contributor to other
national magazines.
Great ideas and details for across the seasons!
Review: Reviewer: A. Maxham "Just trying to help..."
I wanted to get some sort of book for ideas because all
that the brick-thick bridal magazines do is show you wedding
gown after wedding gown with the occasional bridesmaids
gown thrown in for variety. I wanted ideas for place settings,
place cards, flower arrangements, cakes, favors, and even
menus and was getting frustrated.
When I ordered this book, I was a little concerned because
it is advertised as a reception for each of the four seasons.
I'm having a winter wedding, so I was thinking "Oh
Great- I'm only going to be able to use a fourth of this
book." I was WRONG! Generally speaking this book
manages to give you ideas for how to give your wedding
(or any formal event) the *feel* of the season, but also
gives you detailed ideas that may generalize throughout
the year. For example: The spring bouquet with some modification
would be beautiful for my December bouquet.
In addition to the seasonal advice, there
are sections called "Fine points" dealing with
general details such as "confections" (desserts),
table accents (for formal, semi-formal and informal occasions),
flowers, etc. The ideas that seem to be lacking in the
literally foot-tall stack of bridal magazines are here
in this book.
Yes, some of the ideas in the book are sorta
pricey, but some are less pricey and very do-it-yourself
(e.g. Juniper shrubs in galvanized tin buckets, covering
the topsoil with moss and tying a silver mesh ribbon around
the trunk- VERY cute, and highly do-able).
I highly recommend this book! I do wish
there were a book for each of the seasons, but until then,
don't be afraid of this one!
Review: Perfection!
As a second-time bride, this was the book that "did
it" for me.
My October wedding reception, while not the exact replica
of Ms. McBride-Mellinger's, incorporated as many of her
ideas as I could. This is an absolutely beautiful book
which will be an inspiration to any bride to be that wants
a classy, memorable wedding befitting her chosen season.
The settings, invitations, floral designs, cakes, and
small touches are unique and certainly can be "scaled
down" for those on a smaller budget.
Not the end-all, be-all catalogue of a bridal book...but
a digestable and exquisite source of inspiration.
Review: Beautiful pictures, but
not enough different weddings
This book has wonderful pictures of four weddings, one
in each season.
The pictures are truly extraordinary, but they are almost
exclusively of these four weddings, so there aren't tons
of different ideas for each season, rather one "theme"
idea for each season. One thing that disappointed me was
that her summer wedding was a casual one on the beach,
so if you want more formal ideas for a summer wedding
you are out of luck. Like other reviewers have said, most
of these perfect presentations would be completely out
of a lot of people's price range, but you could definitely
pull a few ideas that you loved from her spreads and make
it work on a smaller budget. By and large this is a good
supplementary book on reception ideas, with tons of photos
and some good "idea" text (as opposed to "how-to"
text.)
Review: creative suggestions
This book suggests many creative ways to make your wedding
reception fun and unique. The author describes 4 weddings
(one for each season) thoroughly and with an artist's
eye for detail and color. She also provides an extensive
index for all aspects of reception preparation and planning.
The pictures vividly display the character of each wedding,
bringing them to life. I would have prefered some extra
examples with illustrations of decorationg ideas for each
season that were not part of the featured wedding. It
would have been nice to have some more practical examples
of possibilities. The featured weddings are gorgeous but,
for people like myself, a bit out of reach financially.
Surely, one can put a creative, unique twist on some less
eccentric styles to make them equally as special, beautiful
and perfect for any wedding.
Weddings from the Heart: Contemporary
and Traditional Ceremonies for an Unforgettable Wedding
(Paperback)
Midwest Book Review
With its combination of contemporary and traditional ceremonies,
as well as suggestions for vows, readings and extra special
touches, Weddings From the Heart will help any couple
understand the meaning behind the wedding ceremony and
create the most exquisite ceremony possible. Movingly
written in Daphne Kingma's warm and intimate style, Weddings
From the Heart offers five complete ceremonies: one that
emphasizes the psychological dimensions of love; one for
the previously married; one that celebrates the joy of
finding soul mate; a ceremony for people in recovery;
and a ceremony that focuses on the spiritual commitment
of marriage, as well as the texts of traditional Christian
and civil ceremonies and hundreds of vows, consecrations,
and blessings of the rings from traditions around the
world. Weddings From the Heart also contains more than
fifty heartwarming, philosophical and poetic readings
on love from a wide range of writers and poets, including
Pablo Neruda, E. E. Cummings, Rainer Maria Rilke, Shakespeare,
Shelley, and Elizabeth Barret Browning. Also included
are step-by-step suggestions on how to put together your
own ceremony and a multitude of ideas on how to deepen
the experience both for the couple and the guests. --This
text refers to the Paperback edition.
Book Description
Weddings can be traumatic or transporting, depending on
many factors, some of which are beyond the control of
the bride and bridegroom. But one area which they can
control is the ceremony itself. This newly designed bestselling
guide offers hundreds of suggested texts, vows, poems,
consecrations, readings, and more to help couples create
a wedding that is personal and meaningful. It even offers
five complete ceremonies, including one for the previously
married, one celebrating the joy of finding a soul mate,
and one focusing on spiritual commitment. With selections
from Pablo Neruda, Shakespeare, e. e. cummings, Rainer
Maria Rilke, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Weddings
from the Heart offers a reassuring array of possibilities
for making that special day truly special.
Review: More than words can say ... Kingma is king of
vows!
I plan to elope and have never wanted to say the standard
religious vows from my Roman Catholic childhood. Kingma
is a master of words. Capturing love is not easy. Saying
the most with the least is the magic. Bring illumination
into your personal ceremony with Daphne's wisdom. Better
yet, consider having her as your marriage officiant.
Review: Okay, depending on
what you want
Most of this book was irrelevant for what I wanted. I
was looking for a source for religiously-oriented vows,
prayers, and blessings which I could use to create an
ecumenical wedding service. This book DOES have a section
of such things --and I did find it useful for comparison
purposes-- but the main emphasis is on contemporary vows,
addresses, etc., most of which seemed just too fluffy
for me. If you do want very emotionally-laden, "unique
to you" and non-traditional wedding, go for this.
If you seriously want to compare weddings from different
Judeo-Christian traditions, I highly recommend _Weddings:
A Complete Guide to All Religious and Interfaith Marriage
Services_ instead.
Review: A great tool for
getting ideas for your ceremony
My partner and I combed through this book learning the
history and meaning of different kinds of ceremonies which
really helped us as we wrote our own. I am not a specifically
religious person so it was helpful learning the background
behind the different parts of traditional ceremonies (invocation,
vows, etc) as well as seeing how different folks (pagan,
recovery) have created their own ceremonies. I actually
found these sections a bit cheesy, but it was still a
useful book in all.
Review: Looking hard for
a Unique wedding? THIS BOOK might help
This book is not a workbook on what kind of linen to use
at your reception or how to get bridesmaids to wear ugly
dresses...
For someone (me!) who's trying to put together a spiritual,
unique, open-minded wedding this book helps. It's been
really hard finding books that are for people like me
that don't want to have a Church wedding with a lot of
pomp and circumstance that doesn't keep in mind those
of other sexualities and partner relationships.
Though this book doesn't scream alternative..it's a good
reading and offers a lot for you to think about!
Review: Weddings from the
heart
This book was a great place for my fiance and I to start
some dialoge about what we want. Both of us have been
married previously and it was an excellent way for us
to compare what we had before, and design a ceremony that
is unique to us as a couple. We took a pen and circled
parts we liked from several ceremonies and hope to compile
them into one. This book came recomended to me and now
I see why.
Review: A must if you are
writing your own wedding ceremony!
My fiance and I decided early on in the stages of planning
our wedding that we wanted to write our own ceremony.
We were getting married in a garden setting and wanted
a ceremony that reflected our personalities, feelings
and the joy we felt at being together and committed for
the rest of our lives.
This book gave us so many great ideas on how first, to
structure the ceremony, and then some of the wording we
could use. We didn't copy any ceremony exactly, but the
ideas that this book provides are great! I can't tell
you how many people came up to us afterward and said it
was the best wedding ceremony they had ever attended!
Review: Comments from a Marriage
Celebrant
I have found this book a great resource in preparing for
Wedding Ceremonies. I have conducted over three hundred
weddings in South Australia and this book is one that
I recommend to couples who are searching for inspirational
material. The book is practical, down to earth and encourages
couples to explore, discuss and develop their own thoughts
from a wide range of example material. Worth a read!
Review: Weddings from the
Heart : Contemporary and Traditional Ceremonies
An excellent book for those planning a nondenominational
wedding. With a keen interest in spirituality and creativity,
hours of searching at libraries and bookstores lead us
to this book. Kingma recognizes that every wedding ceremony
is unique and offers the food for thought that many need
to formulate a meaningful event. She defines "types"
of marriages the first section. As one might expect of
any relationship, we found that while none applied exclusively,
there was some meaning in each. This exercise helped us
engage our officiant in a thought and discovery process
about our vision for a ceremony. The descriptions of traditions
from various cultures stimulated our creativity; the outline
of traditional western wedding components offered structure;
and a list of readings included one of our final choice
readings (adapted from the Christian Bible in an amazingly
polically correct manner).
Review: Nice readings
I thought there were a nice collection of readings that
I didn't see in other compilations. I found the ceremonies
in Into the Garden much more to my liking.
Wedding
Date Ideas:
So
you've said yes! Congratulations! Now it's time to start
planning. I hope you have a year, but you can do it in a
lot less if you have to. You just may not have as many choices
for dates and venues if you're doing it in a hurry. Many
of the more popular dates, venues and vendors are booked
up to a year in advance. And that brings me to my first
advice: (1) Be flexible as much
as possible. There will be some items you will not want
to compromise on, whether they are the venue, your dress,
flowers, or some other factor. Identify those items and
be ready to compromise on the rest if possible.
(2) Consider a wedding planner. I know,
I am a wedding planner, so of course I say that. But a
wedding planner can save you precious time and money,
even for a small wedding. Choose one who offers "a la
carte" services if your wedding is small, and get help
only for what you need. I suggest allowing the planner
to help locate and negotiate with vendors and venues especially.
They can also help locate the best sources for favors
and wedding clothing.
(3) If you do not use a wedding planner,
take the time to do your research.
Make use of every resource available to you. Order wedding
catalogs, check out wedding sites on the Internet, read
bridal magazines. The more you know, the better your choices
will be.
(4) The best books for weddings include
those from The Knot There are also budget planners and
checklists on the website and in the books. I especially
recommend 'The
Knot Ultimate Wedding Planner : Worksheets, Checklists,
Etiquette, Calendars, and Answers to Frequently Asked
Questions'The Knot Wedding Planner Guide and 'The
Knot Guide to Wedding Vows and Traditions : Readings,
Rituals, Music, Dances, and Toasts'The Knot Guide
to Wedding Vows and Traditions : Readings, Rituals, Music,
Dances, and Toasts.
(5) Acquaint yourself with the rules of
etiquette. The larger and more formal your wedding, obviously,
the more important this will be. For the ultimate word
on how to handle any situation, go to the traditional
source: Emily Post. The book you need is 'Emily
Post's Wedding Etiquette: Cherished Traditions and Contemporary
Ideas for a Joyous Celebration (4th Edition)' Emily
Post's Wedding Etiquette: Cherished Traditions and Contemporary
Ideas for a Joyous Celebration.
Don't forget to check Amazon Marketplace
when ordering these books; you can often get them as good
as new for much less.
(6) For some specific advice on dates: Try
not to choose a Sunday. Any other time will be less expensive.
Afternoons are less expensive than evenings, and will
require less alcohol if you are serving alcohol, and finger
foods rather than full meals. Holidays can be good times,
especially near Christmas, because many venues are already
elaborately decorated and you will not have to add as
much. Christmas also lends itself to inexpensive favors,
such as small ornaments, and to bouquets of poinsettias
or other Christmas flowers rather than the more traditional
roses or lilies.
I hope this advice is helpful to you, and
I wish you a wonderful wedding!
Wedding
Ceremony Accessories
Congratulations on your wedding!
What a wonderful and exciting time in your life. We want
your ceremony to be as beautiful and magical as you've
always dreamed. We pride ourselves on providing you with
excellent service, attention to detail
and of course wedding accessories that are of
sensational quality and value.
For fifteen years LTM Party, located in beautiful Sarasota
Florida, has helped "brides-to-be" prepare for and celebrate
one of their most important "Life Time Memories".
With over 50,000 square feet of retail space and a reputation
for providing magnificent service, we have been recognized
as an industry leader.
It is our pleasure to assist you in creating a fantastic
wedding ceremony!
We offer a fantastic assortment
of wedding & reception accessories that will be sure
to please!
Wedding Favors &
Wedding Gifts
Say thank you to your wedding reception guests with superb
style. Whether you are looking for just the right wedding
gift for members of your wedding party, or classic favors
we have quite an assortment to choose from.
You can also create your own colorful wedding favors with
our wide selection of ribbons, favor cards and boxes,
and other essentials. These
tokens of your appreciation will always be treasured by
your guests as they remember your wedding day.
Wedding Ceremony & Reception Decorations
Let yourself go wild and have fun designing your unique
wedding ceremony and reception. You'll have a great time
exploring your creative side and we are here to help!
We have pearl balloons, exquisite candles, ribbons &
bows, beautiful guest books, and not to mention car decorating
kits for those naughty groomsmen and bride's maids!
Wedding Ceremony Glassware & Toasting Glasses
Toast
to your new lives together as husband and wife with sparkling
toasting flutes. Choose from classic lead crystal, glass,
tulip shaped or Mediterranean glassware.
We also feature a variety of beautiful engraved glassware
as keepsake gifts for your wedding party.
Wedding Unity Candles & Favor Candles
Our unity candles are printed
and polished the old fashioned way... by hand. The results
are pristine heirloom quality wedding unity candles. With
perfect attention to detail, each candle is printed directly
onto the wax surface of the candle. These symbols of your
everlasting marriage can be lovingly handed down for generations
to come.
Personalized
Wedding Gifts
We
have elegantly crafted monogrammed and engraved gifts
that are a perfect way to say thank you to your groomsmen
or bride's maids.
Wedding
Cake Servers and Cake Tops
Serve up delicious wedding cake with all the essentials
for the reception. We feature elegant cake servers, cake
tops and all the marriage ceremony "must haves" you are
looking for. Whether your looking for a traditional look
or contemporary elegance for your ceremony - we have numerous
selections to choose from.
Wedding
Ring Pillows
We have quite an assortment of delicate satin ring pillows
that are beautifully embellished with just the perfect
details. They are sure to provide the perfect accent
to your wedding ceremony.
Wedding
Albums and Guest Books
Treasure your memories of this perfect
day with beautifully crafted wedding albums and guest
books. They
are a spectacular way to capture every wedding memory
in an everlasting and treasured keepsake.
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