Beautiful Wedding Receptions (Pennies from Heaven Series)
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.
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: OSTENTATIOUS IDEAS FOR EVERY
SEASON BUT NOT EVERY BRIDE
If Kennedy or Vanderbilt is your last name and I mean The Kennedys
and The Vanderbilts, if Bill Gates is your wedding sponser or
if you are a member of the Royal Family then this book is for
you. If you live in the real world you may not want to bother
reading a book that would embarrass even Martha Stewart. Even
if your wedding budget isn't that of a small nation you can
uncover some ideas to use on a realistic day of bliss. But I
would leave out the "Honeymoon bed out in the open"
next to a swamp unless you are marrying Jeff Corwin or the Crocodile
Hunter. Look at page 116 and see if you would like to spend
your wedding night there but McBride-Mellinger says "far
from sight of the area's inhabitants". It's also far from
sight of a bathroom,room service and Walgreen's to get some
mosquito spray and close to sight for anything with four or
six legs or even eight hairy ones that hopefully would be four
groomsmen rather than a spider. As in all the weddings in the
book, the cakes are works of art, the prettiest I've ever seen
(pgs 106&107, 214&215 "a masterpiece" and
the chapter on Confections) and the flowers are magnificent.
If you read this book make sure to have a dictionary for all
the $2.00 words as it must have been written with a word processor
in one hand an a Thesaurus in the other. Also, a really good
cook book will come in handy to try and figure out what everyone
was eating. McBride-Mellinger is even so helpful as to tell
you how to dress the "help" as if in this day and
time the guests even know what to wear, where the "help"
should go to the bathroom, and to prepare food incase they work
more then four hours. But do show respect because Maria McBride-Mellinger
has a very high opinion of herself and a much over inflated
ego. "The Perfect Wedding Reception" is that: perfectly
ostentatious,pretentious,over the top and prefectly not for
middle class America. The book is a "perfect" waste
of a good tree. For over 30 years I have been a floral artist
and wedding planner with the experience of over 500 weddings
in all parts of the US and Europe.
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.
Review: Very helpful
There are some wonderful suggestions here to make your day special.
You will read this and remember the little things to do. One
recommendation would be to direct readers to Katherine's Song,
the wedding song in Defenders of the Holy Grail (Ken Agori)...this
is THE song for this millenium. Of course, this may belong more
at the service, but at the reception for the first dance, WOW!!
THis book is worth the money...
Review: One of the Best
In preparation for our wedding, I ordered just about every book
that I thought looked appealing and got great reviews, literally
HUNDREDS of dollars' worth of books! This and its companion,
The Perfect Wedding, stood out among the rest.
I liked it for the following reasons:
1. Beautiful pictures of original ideas. There were lots of
pictures and lots of ideas. Obviously you aren't going to find
a book that has absolutely every idea for flowers or cakes (it
would be HUGE!), but the ones that this book included were very
nice.
2. Good mix of pictures and text. About 3/5 of the book was
pictures and ideas. It was divided up into 4 sections representing
the 4 seasons, so you could get ideas for your specific season
(getting inspiration from the best of your season is a great
idea!). The other 2/5 of the book was resources with phone number,
addresses, websites, etc., so you could actually get ahold of
the people who put together the beautiful things in this book
or go to the places that would give you more of a similar idea.
3. Not just for the wealthy. Granted that I personally am not
too concerned with books geared for my budget, this book gave
ideas for all ranges of budgets. Of course, some of the cakes,
flowers, etc., must have been expensive, but she also gives
ideas that are more budget-conscious.
I would recommend this book, no question. It's
better than Colin Cowie's, on par with Martha's, and definitely
much better than Vera Wang's.
The Ultimate Wedding Reception Book
(Paperback)
Review: Wedding Details (Hardcover)
Book Description
Whatever the setting -- a minimal, modern buffet, an intimate
wedding breakfast, or a sophisticated formal reception -- this
invaluable book is full of elegant and imaginative ideas to
help you transform your wedding day into a magical and memorable
occasion.
Throughout the book, clear and concise text is paired with evocative,
inspirational photographs that are guaranteed to capture the
imagination.
About the Author
Mary Norden, a succesful textile designer, has been commissioned
by Liberty, Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent.
She has written for Homes & Gardens and is the author of
Gift Wraps: Baskets & Bows and Decorative Embroidery. Sandra
Lane is a successful still-life photographer. Her work appears
in magazines such as Elle Decoration and Homes & Gardens,
and she has photographed several of Mary Nodens's previous books.
She lives in London.
Review: Great resource tool
I have a small wedding business and found this book very helpful.
It is a very simple short book but it is loaded with great ideas
for weddings and receptions. Pictures are excellent, lots of
new ideas to try, I would recommend it as a resource guide and
was very happy to receive it as a gift off my wish list.
Review: Big Things Come In Small
Packages
A cute-sized book chockful of ideas! Creative ideas on favor
packaging, table settings, floral arrangements. Inspirational
ideas that can be easily adapted to your budget and style.
Review: Practical and modern-day
ideas
Cute-sized book offering plenty of creative, practical and modern
ideas on wedding favors, table settings, and floral decorations;
beautiful still photography for inspiration.
The Perfect Wedding Cake (Hardcover)
Book Description
The Perfect Wedding Cake is an inspirational guide
for the bride and groom on how to choose a wedding cake that
reflects the style of their wedding. It covers everything they
need to know, including how to select a cake design and baker,
when to cut and serve the cake, and how to choose delicious
flavor combinations and a cake to complement the season. For
those who want to bake their cake at home, the book includes
basic but delicious cake and frosting recipes created by a leading
pastry chef that can be executed in a home kitchen.
Thirty-five full-color photographs of gorgeous wedding cakes
showcase a wide variety of inspirational styles and types-from
traditional tiered cakes to contemporary alternatives such as
jewel-like single-serving cakes-created by some of the most
respected chefs working today, including Sylvia Weinstock, FranÁois
Payard, Gail Watson, and Ron Ben-Israel. An extensive resource
guide of the top wedding cake bakers in the United States completes
the book.
About the Author
KATE MANCHESTER is a food writer and a private chef. She is
coauthor of Sylvia Weinstock's Sweet Celebrations (Simon &
Schuster), and her articles have appeared in Martha Stewart
Living, Outside, and Vermont Life magazines. ZEVA OELBAUM, is
a New York-based still life and food photographer, who contributes
to the New York Times, Bon AppÈtit, and Metropolitan
Home. She has photographed many books, including Perfect Vinaigrettes
(Stewart, Tabori & Chang), The Sutter Home Napa Valley Cookbook
(Chronicle), and My Favorite Dessert Company Cookbook (HarperCollins).
Review: Wedding Cake Guide for Brides
This whimsical book features 35 full color and 10 black and
white photographs of wedding cakes. The diversity of the cakes
is the real strength to this book. Many modern books focus primarily
on fondant-covered cakes (the cover of this book is a fondant
cake), but this book strikes out into buttercream and even stacked
pastry cakes. The variety of cakes in this book is a great value-add
for brides.
The book is arranged topically. Chapters include an Introduction
to Wedding Cake Lore and History, Cake Flavors Fillings and
Icings, Choosing a Wedding Cake Baker, and even Recipes for
Baking Your Own Cake. While the majority of brides will prefer
to purchase a cake, the inclusion of recipes will help brides
understand exactly what goes into making a wedding cake, ensuring
that the brides who read this book are well-educated consumers.
The cake designs feature modern and classic inspirations.
On page 18, you will find a fondant cake covered in impeccable
gum paste roses and calla lillies. On page 22 you will find
a buttercream cake adorned with chocolate seashells and coral,
perfect for a summer wedding. On page 28, you will find the
modern favorite tilted design, accented with gold and metallic
colors. You will even discover a stacked cupcake design as an
alternative to a traditional tiered cake.
Creatively written for the bride, this is an essential
guide to choosing your wedding cake. For friends of the bride,
this makes a lovely gift.
Review: Good guide for the bride to be
This is a book that is more suited as a guide for the bride
to be on how to decide on a cake, choose a baker, etc. It has
some beautiful and unusual cakes by a variety of cake designers
for those looking for ideas. However, there weren't as many
cakes as I had hoped.
Review: Beautiful Book
So many beautiful cakes! I made a friends wedding cake based
on one of the cakes in this book and it came out so pretty!
There were many helpful tips but basically I used this book
for inspiration.
Review: Cakes! Glorious Cakes!
As I looked for a book that would assist my dearest friend,
plan the perfect wedding for her daughter?I was fortunate enough
to come across a copy of ??The Perfect Wedding Cake??. This
beautifully photographed collection of wedding cakes not only
provided us with practical information (such as how to choose
a baker, in addition to a resource guide to the best cake designers
in the US), it made a glorious coffee table book as well. Moreover,
the recipes inspired my single friends to create some of the
cakes for occasions that call for a touch of ??decadence??!
Why wait for a wedding to make one of these gorgeous cakes?
Review: A Beautiful Book...
As a wedding planner, I can attest that anyone who says this
book is 'disappointing' has simply never gone through the wedding
cake books currently on the market. Most of the cakes in those
books look dated and uncontemporary. This is, without a doubt,
the prettiest book on wedding cakes. The cakes themselves are
stylish, very today, and simply the most beautiful we have ever
seen. Bravo Ms. Manchester et al. on a fabulous job!!
Review: Not a good choice if you're looking
for ideas for your cake
I chose this book because I'm getting married in June and I
have no idea what I want my cake to look like. I thought this
book would be filled with pages of designs...I was very disappointed.
Review: Really Beautiful...
I gave this book to friends who became engaged over the holidays,
and they absolutely loved it! It's a great gift for anybody
that's having cake at their wedding and wants it to be something
special.
Review: highly recommended!!
This book is a wonderful step by step guide. It has great recipes
and suggested combinations of flavors for cakes and fillings.
It is excellent for beginners through advanced cake decorators.
I haven't done a wedding cake in a long time and this book has
really gotten me prepared to tackle this fun project again.
If you're trying to decide whether or not you've got the guts
to try to make a cake for yourself or a friend this will give
you all the tools and confidence you need!
Review: Very informative
The book is very informative....has great pictures for instructions....hoping
my wedding comes out great.
The Complete Book of Wedding Toasts (Paperback)
Brilliant: The bridesmaid's guide to a wedding toast.
I was the bridesmaid in my friends wedding and this book provided
me with the know how on delivering an exceptional toast worthy
of my best friend's wedding.I would highly recommend this book
to anyone.A must own
Review: Very helpful
My brother got married recently and I was the best man. The
thought of getting up and giving the toast at the reception
was really scary to me so he got me this book to help. When
I read through the book I found several that made a lot of sense
so I combined a couple together and added a few things of my
own. It turned out great and I know I couldn't have done it
without this book.
Review: A Maid of Honor's best friend
This is a very cool book! I was recently in my cousin's wedding
and had to give a couple of speeches about the bride and groom
and it really gave me a lot of good ideas. There was lots to
choose from so that I sounded like I knew what I was talking
about. Even my mother liked it. Well worth it.
Review: Terrific!
This book really allowed me to enjoy my daughter's wedding.
Not only was it a great help to the wedding party it was also
a great help to me and my husband. We were able to give loving,
appropriate toasts with a minimum of nervousness. I highly recommend
it.
Review: A Terrific Useful Book
I just loved this book. I've been a bridesmaid so many times
and have had to make toasts and say "a few words"
on many occasions. I just wish I had had this book ten years
ago. Some of the toasts actually brought tears to my eyes. It's
truly a reference book that's written with heart, passion, and
humor. I recommend it to anyone who needs to come up with a
meaningful speech for anniversaries, weddings, any emotion-filled
life event.
The Pocket Guide to Wedding Speeches & Toasts (Paperback)
Diane Warner's Complete Book of Wedding
Toasts: Hundred's of Ways to Say "Congratulations!"
(Paperback)
Book Description
The best man brings down the house with a hilarious story.
The bridegroom recites a touching poem.
The father of the groom gives an eloquent toast
to the newlyweds.
All of these can happen at your wedding with Diane
Warner’s Complete Guide to Wedding Toasts, which features hundreds
of sample toasts anyone responsible for delivering heartwarming
words at a wedding can use.
And this completely new edition includes:
Special toasts by members of the family and the
wedding party
Entire chapters are devoted to special toasts,
including toasts by the best man, the fathers of the bride and
groom, the bride’s sister, the bride for her mother and the
bride and groom to each other.
Toasts with ethnic variations
A chapter has also been devoted to dozens of touching
ethnic toasts, including a wedding toast inspired by an old
Eskimo wedding prayer, a beautiful Scottish wedding toast and
fifteen lovely, lilting Irish wedding toasts. This chapter also
includes a list of each country’s preferred toasting beverage.
Toasts inspired by the classics
This chapter is filled with unique toasts inspired
by Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Aristotle, George
Eliot, and many others.
Humorous toasts
The book wouldn’t be complete without a chapter
filled with humorous toasts, including charming anecdotes, limericks
and one-liners.
Diane Warner is the best-selling author of 22
books, including Diane Warner’s Contemporary Guide to Wedding
Etiquette, Complete Book of Wedding Toasts, , Complete Book
of Wedding Showers, Complete Book of Baby Showers, Diane Warner’s
Big Book of Parties and How to Have a Big Wedding on a Small
Budget, 4th Edition. Diane also writes for magazines, newspapers
and Web sites. She is a popular speaker and radio and television
guest. She has made over 100 national radio and television appearances
and can be seen regularly on HGTV and The Discovery Channel.
She lives in Tucson, Arizona with her author-husband, Jack.--This
text refers to the Paperback edition.
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