Yesterday I went to my local book-sellers to see what's new in the world of wedding books. These sections of the store are usually only a couple shelves, and the usual tried-and-true books are there, like the latest Martha Stewart Weddings book, something by Colin Cowie, and oodles of "how well do you know each other" quizzes (and guys, please don't fall for those). But when looking at some of the other books, I was partially surprised, partially grossed out by what I saw. It seems like every wedding planner has written their own wedding book, and some honestly aren't worth the $14-25 they cost.
So here's some advice, when you're drawn to that section of the book store, on what's worth your hard-earned dime, and what ain't.
"The Simple Stunning Wedding Organizer" by Karen Bussen is my favorite wedding planning workbook. This baby has it all! Style quizzes, tips on what to look for with vendors, places to stick magazine clippings, even pages for you to sketch out ideas. Some books lack one thing or another, but I really like this one. My favorite thing about this book - it's a binder. You can take out, move around, and add things per your preference. Well done, Karen.
"Bridal Bargains, Secrets to throwing a fantastic wedding on a realistic budget" by Denise and Alan Fields. This book is a MUST HAVE for all brides wanting to get a bargain for their big day. There's reviews of everything - what gown designers cover what sizes with what gown options, to big big bargain options. They've got the questions to ask vendors like you'd expect - but they also cover things some folks don't - like will your celebrity photographer be shooting the wedding themselves or will they staff it out? This book is golden - you should own it.
"Weddings" by Colin Cowie. Colin Cowie is probably the biggest name in wedding planners there is. He does the royals and super-A-list celebs (like Trump and Oprah). If you aren't spending millions on your wedding you can't touch him with a 10-foot-pole. Lucky us, he writes a lot of books. Now, I'm not a Colin Cowie groupie, so I can honestly say that most of his books leave me with a "take it or leave it" attitude. But not this one. This book is a step by step instruction guide for brides and planners on how to create a wedding, complete with a copy of a Colin Cowie wedding day timeline in the back. If you want to mimic this planner's incredible style, this is where to go.
"The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Weddings" by Joshua Piven, David Borgenicht, and Sarah Jordan. The latest in the hysterical yet handy book series, this is a great book to get a laugh from, but it's what you'll be reaching for on the big day when something goes wrong. I learned things about stain-removal I'd never heard of, and some solid advice that is my day-to-day bread and butter. This is a great book for you to give your maid of honor to keep in her emergency kit.
"Buff Brides" by Sue Fleming. If you've got a weight-loss goal for your wedding day (and let's face it, who doesn't), this is the book for you. This book pairs a great workout schedule with little reminder tips on the borders, like "schedule gown fitting". Most of the book is a pictorial-guided series of work-outs, and in the back is a week-to-week guide of what workouts to do when. And, if your close to the big day and not there yet, there's even a supped-up workout to get you to your goal. After your married and have a baby on the way, there's even "Buff Moms-to-be" and "Buff Moms" books.
There's also a lot of great professionals out there that, teaming them up with what you're learning in these books, will help you get an even better wedding. Your
wedding planner can help you out with a lot of the bargain and how-to advice.
Happy planning!
Rebekah Ross
Weddings & Events
