New wedding book reviews
Read 'em and reap. The following are reviews of new wedding books.
WEDDING STYLE: Hundreds of Tips and Secrets From the Professionals for Styling Your Own Big Day , by Carole Hamilton, Ryland, Peters & Small, Jan. 31, 2009, $29.95.
Can't afford a wedding stylist? Then you might want to turn to "Wedding Style," by Carole Hamilton, a refreshing resource for brides looking for great style on a budget.
Hamilton suggests multiple lists (no surprise, there) and mood boards, which use color swatches, photos and charts to ignite the couple's creativity and help explain ideas to vendors.
The book showcases the work of several wedding industry heavy hitters including Vera Bradley, known for her brightly patterned handbags and Sylvia Weinstock's luscious cakes.
Photographs by Rodney Bailey show the beauty of creative lighting and mood-setting colors.
Hamilton gives great tips on seating guests, such as putting elderly and pregnant people near the bathroom and many great entertainment ideas including hiring a caricaturist for groups totaling 50 or fewer or a James Bond-style casino for receptions of 150 or more.
Great favors are lottery tickets and mini wedding cakes.
Hamilton's thorough troubleshooting leaves virtually no stone unturned, leaving dreamers to enjoy the journey to their big day.
WEDDING FLOWERS , by Antonia Swinson, Ryland, Peters & Small, Jan. 31, 2009, $9.95.
To some, a rose is just a rose. To Antonia Swinson, it's a masterpiece waiting to be arranged.
That's good news for the bride who can't tell the difference between a daisy and a delphinium, and even for the bride who can.
"Wedding Flowers," Swinson's latest book, is a handy little guide, which is filled with pages of gorgeous flower arrangements by Swinson.
Don't want to think too much about the flowers in your weddings? Take this book to your local florist, point to your favorite photos and say: "Do this!" You won't be disappointed.
Bouquet sophisticates will be pleased as well. Swinson notes interesting facts about flowers, such as white heather "traditionally is supposed to bring good luck to the wearer."
She also gets points for her innovative ideas, which include using a sequined bag as a flower basket to create a delightful bridesmaid favor.
Another hit are the boutonnieres for the groomsmen. Many wedding books focus solely on the bride, but Swinson gives the groom his due, featuring handsome designs, such as a rose flanked in winter jasmine and tied with a cranberry ribbon. And, of course, the classic corsage is featured.
More great suggestions are to be had in this book, where ideas are the cream of the crop.
EMILY POST'S A WEDDING LIKE NO OTHER: Inspiration for Creating a Unique, Personal, and Unforgettable Celebration , by Peggy Post and Peter Post, Collins Living, 2008, $22.95.
Sara's and Nick's wedding in Rye, N.Y., was almost derailed when a Nor'easter scattered their wedding plans to the winds.
During the ceremony, the lights in the church went out and later the couple, along with 250 guests, couldn't get to their fancy reception hall because the roads were blocked with trees the storm had knocked down.
Weddings -- surprise -- don't always go as planned, says Peggy Post and Peter Post, in their new book, "A Wedding Like No Other," a collection of stories that will inspire couples to carry on even in the most challenging of circumstances.
The book is somewhat of a departure from the authors' usual fare. The wedding experts, who are both related to legendary etiquette expert Emily Post, have spent years preaching the virtues of the best-laid plans. But even these wedding experts know what can happen with that.
"Our goal is to get you to put aside your planning lists and must-do's for a few hours ... and let your imagination soar," the Posts write.
That's what Sara and Nick did, and their wedding proved memorable. The priest ordered candles to brighten up the darkened church, which created a "incredibly dramatic" effect; and later the couple and about half of their guests danced the night away on the lower level of a club that the bride's father belonged to, as the storm raged outside.
The rest of the stories aren't as thrilling, but they still stir the spirit and remind us that the best weddings take place in the heart rather than the wallet.
EXPOSED: CONFESSIONS OF A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER , by Claire Lewis, Thomas Dunne Books, 2008, $24.95.
In "Exposed," Claire Lewis shares the good, the bad and the uproarious about weddings.
In her refreshingly honest wedding exposé, Lewis gives an undiluted snapshot of the life of a wedding photographer.
Lewis recounts many tales including an officiant vomiting on the bride, a drunken groom that had to be revived with an IV and a mother of the bride, who demanded that the food match the "jewel tones" of the flowers' color.
WEDDING PAPERCRAFTS , by Ann Brownfield & Jane Cassini, Cico Books, 2009, $19.95.
As trends go, DIY is the new chic. And just in time. With a reeling economy, more couples are searching for affordable ways to create a memorable wedding.
One such way is creating your own wedding favors, advises the authors of "Wedding Papercrafts."
Some of the projects include invitations, bridesmaid headdresses and a "wish tree" made of Japanese Kyosheishi bleached white paper and well-meaning notes from the guests.
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