Overview
Congratulations on your engagement. And welcome to the world of a thousand questions.
- Can I wear a very formal gown at my daytime wedding?
- Do the bridesmaids' dresses have to be the same?
- When should I send out the wedding invitations?
- What services are included in a hotel wedding?
- How do I know how much Champagne to order?
The answers to all these questions, as well as to the countless choices and details ahead, are yours for the asking in The Perfect Wedding. Whatever type of celebration you're dreaming of, bridal expert Maria McBride-Mellinger can help make it a reality, tailored to your tastes, your temperament, and your budget. A comprehensive, knowledgeable text, illustrated throughout with beautiful color photographs, offers advice and creative ideas every step of the way:
Your Engagement: choosing a fine diamond with confidence; where to get customized wedding bands.
Planning: making decisions calmly, and in the right order; how and where to register for bridal gifts.
Fashion: designing your own bouquet; finding the best flowers of the season.
The Ceremony: decorating church or temple; choosing a musical program.
The Reception: planning an affordable caviar-and Champagne party; enjoying your own wedding.
In a unique feature of The Perfect Wedding, Ms. McBride-Mellinger shares her retail and service sources as well. The most extensive listings ever published of the best bridal talent in the country, both regional and national — the author's own "insider Rolodex" — connect you quickly and easily with exactly the right people to help you create you own Perfect Wedding. No bride-to-be could wish for a better gift.
Synopsis
Whatever type of celebration you're dreaming of, bridal expert Maria McBride-Mellinger offers advice and creative ideas every step of the way in The Perfect Wedding. A unique feature of this comprehensive, knowledgeable text is the extensive listing of the best bridal talent in the country, both regional and national.
Library Journal
Wedding planners are a perennial for public libraries, which should buy new ones periodically to keep up with current trends. Two of these three would be good choices if your copy of Martha Stewart's Weddings (Crown, 1987) is wearing out. Both Weddings and The Perfect Wedding present the requisite gorgeous photos, planning timetable, and suggestions for choosing and working with florists, caterers, and the rest of the myriad support services these events entail. McBride-Mellinger (The Wedding Dress, Random, 1993) takes a slightly more traditional stance, while Clark (Wedding Memories, Wilshire, 1990) shows what can be done with Western, nautical, Victorian, or Renaissance themes, in addition to the more traditional weddings. McBride-Mellinger's book is somewhat easier to use for actual planning, while Clark's is more of a wishbook for style. McBride-Mellinger's resource directory is particularly well done. Costa, who has written for Redbook and Working Woman, looks at the traditional weddings of China, Japan, and Korea and also offers suggestions for blending these customs with Occidental styles. Menus and recipes are included, along with an excellent resource list for supplies and for further information. All three titles will be useful to public libraries, and Costa's is very highly recommended for those serving Asian American populations.Susan B. Hagloch, Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, Ohio