Wedding Books

There is no finer story in the English language than "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe." The technique of the unknown narrator is a wonderful device and once you've identified the identity of this narrator, the story becomes more enriching and, alas, more mysterious. The unusual triangle of characters trapped in love is, at first, depressing, but when reread and then again reread, the eternal theme becomes enlightening and the lessons learned become permanently embossed in your mind. This story is truly an experience to treasure. Carson McCullers' other stories are as enriching, but this is her masterpiece.

I've loved Carson McCullers for years, and her complete works have only been sporadically available. Her miniatures are near perfectly realized works of literary art, and this collection is a fine introduction to a great writer from the south who seems to have dropped of the critical radar. Her output is quite small, finely honed, and the prose is like a clear blue sky. Her longer works are worth searching for, and I recently noted that The Library of America has been hard at work making sure that Carson will continue to be read....!

I'm not a fan of the open-ended short story, being a tale that is redolent with symbolism that I'm certain is there but just don't "get." Unfortunately McCullers' tales seem to fall into this category so I was not terribly thrilled with the stories. However, as a body of work they were interesting--the themes of lost childhood, changing sibling relationships, disgruntled musical prodigies, and general loneliness / rejection emerge and give a nice sense of continuity to the works. The inclusion of two of her novellas is nice; I appreciate the longer story format for the ability to get to know the characters and setting a little better.

Overall I'd recommend picking up McCullers' novellas and if you're thrilled with those, tackle her short stories.

What strikes me most about McCullers is the simple yet rich complexity of her characters. While some of the earlier stories in this book felt too incomplete for me, as if they were more vignettes than stories, the tales grew stronger as I read on. The Haunted Boy is my favorite because it resonates with a sad truthfulness as a boy struggles to cope with a tragic event from the past which he's yet to deal with emotionally.

I think any true fan of literary storytelling will admit that, though perhaps not always perfect, Carson McCullers' writing as a whole is a sample of this genre at its best.

I have always read stories in the past that gave me feelings right away. After reading these short stories, I was somewhat confused why McCullers didn't elaborate, or why she ended the story where she did. It was only after reading her biography, that I began to reread the stories and became obsessed with all of them. The meanings became clearer, the ideas behind them were revealed, and she has become my favorite author. I would recommend this to anyone, and I would also recommend her novels too. Enjoy.

So boring - could they not offer better suggestions? I think I earmarked ONE poem...this is better suited for a traditional, ultra-conservative person who likes these really old-fashioned poems. Nothing updated or modern about it. I hated it. Sorry.

There are many collections of writings out there today which can be used in wedding ceremonies, or in related activities like writing an invitation.

As a practicing interfaith minister, what makes this anthology so special to me is the diversity of sources for the material. It includes writings of everyone from Emily Dickinson, Maria Rilke, and the Christian Bible, to those of Seng-Ts'an, RUMI, and Parancoti Munivar. This is truly a unique gathering of words and philosophies for anyone involved in preparing a wedding ceremony!

This is the most useful book I found among many I looked at for writing our ceremony, which will incorporate buddhist and taoist ideas and language. The only readings collection I've found so far that goes beyond the Judeo-Christian/Western emphasis to incorporate Islamic, Buddhist writers and some poets beyond the usual suspects. The anthology features both long and short readings and sample ceremonies from a variety of traditions. I found it indispensible.

I've been asked to officiate a Zen wedding in September, and knowing virtually nothing about Zen, I started looking for some good source material to help me put the ceremony together. I googled Zen wedding and this book came up in the search. I also found some reviews that recommended it for that purpose. INTO THE GARDEN: A WEDDING ANTHOLOGY by Robert Hass and Stephen Mitchell has been, at once, both a disappointment and a pleasant surprise.

My quandary goes something like this; I still don't really know where to start composing a Zen ceremony as this book renders but slight direction in that arena, so my sourcebook search continues. I gleefully did find, however, a book laden with writings and poetry that I am sure to include in ceremonies of a broad scope. This book is one of the finest collections of wedding functional prose I have seen available anywhere. This is followed by a sample script of various types of wedding ceremonies, and yes, there is even a sample Zen wedding ceremony that I am sure I will use some variation of, but the book DOES NOT explain the Zen culture. I guess that's why it shows up on a google search.

If you're planning a wedding, you're sure to find a reading here that fits perfectly with your ceremony. Even if you're not planning a wedding, you will enjoy reading this delightful book.

Pastor Monty Rainey

This is the most useful book I found among many I looked at for writing our ceremony, which will incorporate buddhist and taoist ideas and language. The only readings collection I've found so far that goes beyond the Judeo-Christian/Western emphasis to incorporate Islamic, Buddhist writers and some poets beyond the usual suspects. The anthology features both long and short readings and sample ceremonies from a variety of traditions. I found it indispensible.

England 1814

THE WEDDING NIGHT OF AN ENDLISH ROGUE is a very sensual tale of reclaiming one's first true love. Very enjoyable!

Good book but did not capture me as well as the other books in the series.

I picked this book up and devoured it in a day. The story grabbed me from the start, saucy characters, and great plot twists. It is a fun, escape from reality read.This is a story of unrequited love and passion that will keep you glued to it till end. The dialogue was Hunter at her best...witty and amusing. The plot moved along at a great pace. Full of enjoyable supporting characters and stories.Both characters felt "real" and made me believe they were in love with one another deeply. Both had great senses of humor too, which is always a plus. This book had everything you need to create a good romance: a dashing hero, a beautiful heroine and, most of all...PASSION! This book is sharp and fast-moving. Filled with Lovable characters, exciting and not too heavy action-mystery twists. Lots of laugh out-loud, I-can't-believe-they-did-that scenes and oh so plenty of heart warming moments. This was just the kind of romance novel I love. Wonderful characters. Characters that seems real because they are not perfect-something most novels like this lack. I absolutely loved this book. The author has a great gift in her ability to develop characters. I must have laughed a hundred times and I absolutely couldn't put the book down until I was finished. Wonderfully written! And very sexy Historical Romance book. I loved, loved ,loved this book!!!

This book is by far my favorite of the series.

For me this was the kind of book I truly love to read. The couple had fallen in what appeared to both of them to be lust several years before when neither of them were quite sure of the others true feelings. But they both lived with their romantic encounter and it never truly left them. They both regretted that they had not taken a few different actions afterwards that might have changed the course of their lives. So 6 years later Julia and Heath are once again thrown together although she is engaged to another, Russel and Russel has asked Heath to guard Julia while he chases after a French spy. Heath cannot believe it - he is supposed to guard this woman that he has not forgotten - and has measured all other women since. Soon the couple will be forced to test their feelings for each other once again. It is just so romantic and sexual and heated. You can feel this couple just explode right off the pages. I loved how they both remembered their encounter and they both truly regretted that they had not been honest with their feelings. It is great that they are given this second chance at love. The Boscastle men are one sexy charming family of rogues that seem to be absolutely wonderful husband material when they find the right woman. For Heath no other woman but Julia will do and he truly had me melting for him as he seduced Julia right into his bed! Great sexy historical romance!!!

From the inside flap of the paperback edition

Lord Heath Boscastle's attraction for Julia Hepworth begins with a bang. She shoots him at a hunting party-accidentally, of course. Though the shot grazes his shoulder, her beauty pierces his heart. Sparks fly soon after when they find themselves dangerously close to a compromising position. Too inexperienced to understand such overwhelming emotions, Heath and Julia part ways.

Now, years later, Heath is a high-ranking intelligence officer, asked to protect his commander's fiancée, Julia, while he chases down an elusive spy. Heath quickly regrets his promise when he meets Julia again-and their mutual desire still burns hotter than ever. Of course he will protect her. There is danger in the air. And Heath would never think of betraying his friend, until he learns that Julia herself has been betrayed. Suddenly seduction Boscastle style is the name of the game. Yet Julia has a trick or two up her own sleeve-and is determined to be a player, and not a mere pawn, in his wicked game.

This is the last volume of the trilogy about the Boscastles, starting with The Seduction of An English Scoundrel and followed by The Love Affair of an English Lord. If you liked those two you would surely enjoy reading this one. Not much in the innovation line, the plot presents the usual irresistible alpha-male and the strong heroine. Still, a good reading for Regency fans.

I am so impressed with how thorough and well-written this book is. It is phenomenal. I wish I'd had it when I first started out. It's much better than many of the courses offered. Now it serves me very well for training interns!

I recently purchased Wedding Planning and Management: Consultancy for Diverse Clients. I have to say that I am truly impressed with the books content. Over the past years I have purchased every wedding planning & business start-up book imaginable. This book is the only book you will need to not only plan a wedding, but also start and run a wedding management business. This book covers every aspect of the wedding, wedding planning industry, and much much more. As a former student, and now the business owner of Exceeding Expectations Wedding & Event Management Company, this book is my number one resource for running my event planning business, and number one reference guide to all things related to weddings. From the charts, case scenarios (which I absolutely love!), photos and everything in between, the book is very well written and put together. The authors truly did an amazing job, you won't be disappointed! Money well spent! Congratulations on a job well done!

Geomyra Lewis
Owner & Event Coordinator
Exceeding Expectations Wedding & Event Management Company
[...]

As a newcomer in the industry, I've read just about every Wedding / Event Planning resource there is. This is, hands down, the best yet. What I admired most about the book was its academic approach to the field as it reads like a college level textbook.

I recommend it to anyone looking to break into the business of event / wedding planning. It is the only book you need!

This is an excellent, indepth resource book if you are thinking of going into wedding consulting. It not only covers every topic, but it also gives examples from different cultures. The case studies are an added bonus, and the "what would you do" scenarios make you think out a plan before something like that actually happens to you.

You may think Movies and Mental Illness is a book intended strictly for the mental health professionals and/or educators. Although I do not fall in either of these categories, I was enlightened by the wealth of knowledge offered by this book.

I felt the authors did a remarkable job educating us on mental disorders, the misconceptions associated with them, and the powerful effect film has on public perception of those with mental disorders.

Each chapter discusses a psychological disorder and includes several well-known films that portray each one. The authors showed us a fabricated case history of a lead character in the film with a particular disorder. Also included is the patient's psychological history, behavioral observations, diagnosis, treatment plan, and the prognosis. I found the tables and charts that were included throughout the book to be very helpful and user-friendly.

This book is a useful resource for everyone.

A really fine layman's guide to several prominent mental illnesses where specific films accurately portray manifestations of and reactions to those illnesses. It is now much more enjoyable to watch those films again with a better understanding of what the characters are attempting to portray. Highly recommended to any movie viewer who would like to know more about specific mental illnesses, but aren't able to attend psychiatric Grand Rounds as a physician.

A good book covering a host of movies across time. Apart from one movie at the beginning of each chapter for a disorder category, not much diagnosis detail. Written by sound researchers in psychotherapy

I love this book! It gives samples of how to create that overall look and feeling you want and not just another book of lists of things to do!
I would highly recommend it!

Beautiful pictures, a few original ideas, but nothing new if you often read bridal magazines or already have one or more bridal "coffee table books." Nice, but not earth-shatteringly so.

This book is great...I am a wedding planner and love to see the work of other planner's and Jung Lee never ceases to amaze me. If you are planning a wedding and need help or advice pick this book up!!

The professionals at fete are the best in the business, so leave it to them to make an incredible book! Fete will show you how to give your guests and yourself a luxurious experience without being over the top or tacky.

This book is filled with helpful and practical tips in planning a unique wedding. It gives you so many fresh, modern ideas and insights. What a fantastic guide! I highly recommend it to anyone who's planning a wedding.

Great book! Only one problem: the language can be a bit hard to understand. The book was originally published in the UK, so it is understandable that some words and phrases went over my head, but very good none-the-less!

Very cute book, but be warned... This is the same book (with a different title) as "Asking For Trouble" by the same author.

I bought this book after seing the wonderful movie for the 6th or 7th time. I was waiting expectantly for it to arrive from amazon only to get disappointed soon... As all previews reviews have stated, the only similarity between the book and the movie is that a single girl hires an escort to act as her boyfriend at her sister's marriage somewhere in england and they fall in love.
For one I prefered the storyline I saw on the screen (but that's a personal preference). But what I seriously disliked is the way the writer expressed herself. It just seemed as if she was trying too hard. Trying to hard to appear modern, hip, fun and empathetic to those overweight girls outhere, when judging by the book cover the writer is neither young/modern or overweight. The result being all those abbreviations that drove most people nuts -I seriously doubt that if I go any party/bar and ask for a V&T everyone is guaranteed to understand what I mean- and the overuse (or perhaps abuse) of the words cow, pig, piglet. It seemed more like a lack of imagination or creativity than modernism to me. The dialogues didn't flow effortlessly, the humour was rather forced than witty (i.e. Josh:I like curvy women; Sophy: you're calling me fat???).

In short: nice idea, bad writing style. A good editor could have erased all those "cows" and upgraded it to a 4 star rating. Not a bad read, I did finish it in 4-5 days which is soon when you have a work and 2 small kids, but felt like a waste of time afterwards. I just don't think anyone is likely to sympathize with Sophy or her family while reading this book. And when I don't care for the protagonists, it usually means I don't care for the book as well.

For those of you who are new to chick lit; there are better authors out there. Shophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes, Jill Mansell, Emily Giffin are a good start.

Great book! It made me go out and buy all Elizabeth Young's other novels. I have reread them all waiting impatiently for the next one to come out! I love the humour and the personalities. The best of the Brits - I think.

I adored this book. It had me laughing and frustrated and I never wanted to put it down. I loved the characters and how vivid their surroundings were. I was quickly brought into Sophy's world and was just as curious about Josh as she was. She was a lovely character, quite real and I found I had things in common with her, which is a plus in a novel. Elizabeth Young had a certain knack for modern romance with humorous twists. In the end it left me sad to put the book down...for good???

A great summer read that'll have you laughing out loud.

Loved it! I wish it could have been shipped a little sooner, but it was worth the wait.

If you want a book to look at wedding-related pictures, this is a pretty good one. It has a little bit of planning information, but it really isn't that helpful. It has several pages on some celebrity weddings and it may give you some good ideas. It just isn't something that you need when you're planning your wedding because it isn't loaded with that much information. For example, it has several pages just talking about the engagement ring, which you don't need information on because you probably already have the ring if you're planning your wedding. It's a great visual book, but not a great resource.

Although I do not regret buying this book, it is more of an idea and reference book than anything else. But what else should one expect in a wedding book?

I really appreciated the section on invitations. It explains alot of vocabulary used in the printing industry. You think you know something about planning and events, and then you get engaged and realize that the smallest decision can be painstaking.

It could use an update as well. Most of the "celebrity" pairs included are no longer together.

I love this book! If you're planning your wedding and your vision is both tasteful, stylish, & classy - I highly recommend this book! I've had it for a few months now and my wedding is still 6 months away - I refer back to the book for additional ideas! Additionally, the photos are beautiful!

If you are planning a wedding, this is a great resource. It is full of ideas covering off so many different areas, including rings, ceremonies, cakes, flowers etc. The gorgeous presentation makes it an item to keep forever.

I got this book first to find out what the attendants' roles generally are, and thought it was so fun and helpful and to the point that I bought copies of it for each of my bridesmaids. Some of the info was obvious to me, and some I had no idea. If you've been a bridesmaid before, you may already know some of this stuff, but it would certainly be a fun refresher. For those completely in the dark, this is a great, quick read with all the pertinent info included.

I bought this book for my style savvy bridesmaid, not for its information... It's not badly written, it's very simple and to the point and, honestly, the typeface and graphic design are what caught my eye. It's very basic and very easy to read and refer to, a good choice for a first time bridesmaid.... probably the one who hasn't really put a lot of thought into what goes into being a wedding in general.

I'm a Maid Of Honor later this year and this book totally gave me ideas/new twists and brought up things I hadn't thought about. As a long distance MOH, the travel tips and hints were great too. I totally had no idea about some of the extra responsiblities in the reception! Yay for this book!

I am delighted with this purchase. I just know my little niece will be delighted with it. She will love adding her comments and details of the day and It will be a beautiful keepsake for her.

I bought these as a souvenir for my two daughters who will be my flowergirls at my wedding. My eldest daughter has had great fun filling in bits of the book before the wedding. Its a really personal momento. Definately recommend

This book is a wonderful gift idea for a flower girl. It explains everything about the wedding and everyone in the wedding while providing space for you to write and add pictures. The flower girl can also add her own input and pictures.

Since I'm getting married in May, I was really exicted to see this book. It seemed like the perfect idea for my flower girl - a memory book and a 'what to expect' book. And it is a nice book, with beautiful pictures. However, after seeing the book in stores (and thus able to see the full content) I decided not to buy it.

Why? Because some of the text was very specific to the flower girl duties, etc. and it wasn't what was happening in my wedding. My flower girl will not be scattering petals, and I didn't want to create false expectations.

And while the photographs were pretty, they weren't of the wedding she was going to be in - yes there was space to put photos of her in it, but it didn't feel as personal.

I decided to go and make her a personalized flower girl memory book - using a photo album with drop in pages. Some of the pages will be pre-made by me, about what to expect in the wedding, about going to find her dress, about the special signifigance her basket holds (Its the basket I carried in her grandmother's wedding), etc. Other pages will be blank so she and her mom can create them together.

The book of memories is a great idea, it just wasn't meeting my needs.

I bought this book for my 7 year old flower girl and she loved it! It's a pseudo-scrap book for the flower girl and it focuses on their role in the wedding. Extremely age appropriate. I would not recommend it for any girl under the age of six.