Wedding Books

I've lost track of the number of weddings that I've conducted or assisted using this book. My wife and I originally used it to find readings for our own wedding 16 years ago. Since then, I've given it to many about-to-be-wedded couples, and they inevitably love it. An uncommonly thoughtful and wide selection of great quotes & readings.

An excellent collection of readings from great literature, and various cultures and religions. With so many good selections and such variety, the book nears a one-stop shopping resource for readings. Makes you want to have more than one ceremony! The author provides some subtle suggestion/guidance by grouping readings according to themes and speakers.

I'm giving this a low score because the cover claims that the selections are specifically for wedding readings, both traditional and informal. I agree with another reviewer: the few excerpts I liked and could use in a ceremony all appeared in other collections. I'd recommend this only to someone who is reading about love and marriage for a peek into other times and traditions...not to gather readings for a ceremony. The texts were certainly interesting and educational, but most are only appropriate for self-conciously nontraditional events, very brave readers, and highly literate guests. Lots of archaic langauge and rather overwrought expressions of love. I'm planning a small, casual wedding and many of the guests are writers also. I'd be embarassed to have most of these readings presented, so I'm returning my copy. If you're researching wedding rituals or are looking for quotes for an article on commitment through the ages, this might be good for you. If you're a busy-wedding-planning bride looking for some readings that will engage but not challenge your guests, I'd recommend looking at other guides.

I'm giving this a low score because the cover claims that the selections are specifically for wedding readings, both traditional and informal. I agree with another reviewer: the few excerpts I liked and could use in a ceremony all appeared in other collections. I'd recommend this only to someone who is reading about love and marriage for a peek into other times and traditions...not to gather readings for a ceremony. The texts were certainly interesting and educational, but most are only appropriate for self-conciously nontraditional events, very brave readers, and highly literate guests. Lots of archaic langauge and rather overwrought expressions of love. I'm planning a small, casual wedding and many of the guests are writers also. I'd be embarassed to have most of these readings presented, so I'm returning my copy. If you're researching wedding rituals or are looking for quotes for an article on commitment through the ages, this might be good for you. If you're a busy-wedding-planning bride looking for some readings that will engage but not challenge your guests, I'd recommend looking at other guides.

I really enjoyed all the readings this book included. It has religious and non religious readings. It includes sonnets, love poems and passages from the Bible. If you want some alternative selections for your ceremony, I definately recommend this book. Whether you are Jewish, Christian or Atheist this book really has something for everyone. Some of the readings they include in this book would be great to be recited at the reception, or be placed in your wedding program or invitation. I would recommend reading this book from cover to cover so that yu don't miss any of the special passages that you may want to incorporate!

Jo is a great person with wonderful ideas, now they are availble to us all. If your doing it yourself or just want some ideas, this is a elegant and crative place to start.

Jo Gartin's Weddings is a small book, compared to books by other event planners, such as Colin Cowie or Martha Stewart, but it packs a big punch in its pint size. She offers fresh, creative and inspiring ideas that, for the most part, are very do-able, and will add personal touches to every aspect of the wedding event. She shows several dresses she reworked, and how to do similar things yourself. There are clever ideas for flowers and centerpieces. My favorite part was how gracious her ideas are for welcoming guests, from personalized Seltzer bottles, to baskets with parasols, wired flowers for every guest, and fans doubling as programs. I am planning a destination wedding, and the amount of ideas for welcoming people are abundant. Highly recommended!

As an event planner I am always searching for new and interesting ideas. Well, Jo Garton's book provides just that. Upon first glance her eyeys do see to be in the pricey area (she is a planner/designer to the stars), but her ideas and be scaled down to fit more modest budgets. I loved the pictures and descriptions and the fact she strayed from the path or other books. Great book!

This book really helped in planning my wedding,it was fun and inspirational. There's alot of information on doing things more interesting and unique versus traditional. Out of all the books I acquired for my wedding planning this was by far my favorite.

This book had so many great ideas for making my wedding unique. They are simple and feasible to create, but be prepared to be crafty or have someone you know who is crafty help you.

Lovelace ends the stories of Betsy's childhood with a warmly written story about thr triumphs and misadventures of being a wife. The story continues to shows Betsy's faithfulness to her family, friends, and now her husband, while giving a glimpse of life in the World War I era.

This book is great for children and teens. They will learn about life in the early 1900s in a very readable and enjoyable way.

This is the best of the Betsy Tacy books. I read them out of sequence having read one earlier childish one and then picking up Betsy's Wedding in the school library because of the awesome cover. I later read the rest of the Betsy books and this one is definitely the best one. I think the author changed the level of maturity to match the age of the characters. I'm definitely a fan of Maud Hart Lovelace in the way that some readers are hardcore fans of the Anne of Green Gables writer (I'm not).

If you haven't gotten into the Betsy-Tacy series of girls' books, based on author Maud Hart Lovelace's childhood in turn-of-the-century Minnesota, treat yourself or a young lady you love. Starting with Betsy's Wedding (or any of the books) is fine; Lovelace began this series about the close friendship of 3 little girls at a reading level appropriate for their age in the first book ("Betsy-Tacy," about age 6), and masterfully upped the reading level to match her growing heroines' ages. Betsy's Wedding is a young adult book with charm, period grace and accuracy (Betsy is very concerned about learning to cook for her wonderful groom Joe) but also prescient in its concerns for her budding career as a writer (a la Jo in "Little Women").
A personal note: I was a close friend of Maud Hart Lovelace's daughter Merian, for whom these stories were originally told as bedtime tales. And Maud was apparently as lovely a person as you'd expect from reading the series--a great lady, capable of being very funny, but never never talking "down" to her young readers.

I love these stories. They are like escapes into the past. Very cute.

I just performed my first wedding as an Ordained Minister. I actually bought about 3 books to help me with the ceremony and I didnt have to use any of them except this book. It was perfect! They give you any time of ceremony you can think of!!!! EXCELLENT!!!

I bought this book to help write the wedding ceremony for our officiant (friend). It is helpful in the aspect that it lays out a variety of ceremonies from start to finish, but the selections are somewhat limited if you aren't looking for the basic cookie cutter ceremony. If you are looking for more options for readings and vows, I recommended you check out the book by Judith Johnson. If you just need a couple of ideas for a ceremony - this book will be helpful for you

THIS IS THE 2ND BEST OF ALL WEDDING BOOKS FOR A MINISTER. THE 1ST IS THE BAKER'S WEDDING HANDBOOK. I PURCHASED 15 BOOKS AND WAS WORRIED BUT THESE 2 BOOKS ARE THE ONLY ONES I USE FOR MY WEDDINGS. THEY MADE IT EASY AND LESS STRESS. THANK YOU!

My fiance and I had a friend marry us, so we had to come up with our own ceremony. We didn't want to write it ourselves, but we didn't want a cookie-cutter religious ceremony either. This book was the answer we were looking for. I bought many books, but ended up only using this one. It's extremely well organized, and even comes with worksheets!

It's organized by type of ceremony you want (i.e. traditional religious, contemporary non-religious, quick, second time around), and this was perfect for us. The readings, vows, and everything in that section ended up being exactly what we were looking to say. We read through the whole book to make sure other selections in other sections weren't better, but we always ended up loving what was in the section for the type of wedding we wanted. The people who did this book have impecable taste.

This book focuses on love, commitment, and in some cases religion without being cheesy or overdone. They have all the classic wedding things you'd expect (such as Corinthians for readings), but they also add readings that are less traditional, but equally romantic and applicable to your ceremony. It has a sense of uniqueness, but still traditional.

I highly recommend this book to anyone doing their own ceremony, or even people who just want to add a little something extra. I couldn't have done my ceremony without it!

Between the organization and taste, this book was really well done. It was such a relief that they organized it by ceremony type (and then by type in the back, such as readings, vows, ring vows), so you're not feeling lost reading through 100 different readings and hating all of them. This is a bride must-have!

This is a great book for both couples and wedding ceremony officiants. This book, The Wedding Ceremony Planner by Rev. Judith Johnson, and Diane Warner's Complete Book of Wedding Vows, comprise a nice starter bookshelf for a wedding officiant.

This book has a number of complete ceremonies, numerous vows, readings, and worksheets. It's a great resource for a couple starting to plan their ceremony. Even the "traditional" ceremonies are a little non-traditional. Very nice.

Jakarta (also known as "Jack") is determined never to fall in love or get married. She's seen her five sisters deal with boys and doesn't think they are worth the hassle. Plus, she's doomed by the "wedding curse": her dates at her sisters' weddings have turned out disastrous.

Two of her sisters are planning summer weddings and she's involved but sticking to her vow to not get herself into a relationship.

Then she meets Leo. He is the wedding planner's son, so he and Jack are thrown together in the wedding preparations. Leo isn't like the other guys. He wants to get to know Jack and believes he can break the "wedding curse." Yet Jack keeps herself busy with her sisters' plans to keep her mind off Leo. It's not that easy, though, as Leo manages to appear everywhere!

This is fun novel about falling in love, wedding chaos, and just making time for what's important. I enjoyed getting to know Jack as well as her sisters. Part of the appeal in this novel is not only wondering what's going to happen with Jack and Leo but also about her sisters and their relationships.

Will the weddings take place without a hitch?

You have to read SAVE THE DATE to find out!

Reviewed by: hoopsielv

I would recommend the book
"The Littles Have a Wedding'.
It is a fun book about little people
who have tails. They live in the walls
of the Bigg's house.
They have many fun adventures.
In this book, they have a Wedding.
This is why I would recommend this book.

great book if you have a child that loves reading buy it I will garanteeyou your child will love it. Perents could read it but that is another story. GOOD BUY MY FRIENDS.

Did Anita Shreve promise her publisher to a book of so-many pages? Is that why the Halifax disaster novel of Agnes is included? Or, is it there as a clumsy attempt to mirror 9/11? Whichever, it is, it fails! I would have liked to learn more about the other characters, Jerry, etc.

I'm the type of reader who usually finishes a book, no matter how painful...and I finished this one. I had to, as I had just stopped at Day 5 in "Ten Days in the Hills." I couldn't fail on two consecutive reads.

If you haven't purchased this book, don't! If you have, save it for the beach.

I've been reading several class-reunion novels lately, and this one stands out. The delicacy, the unerring accuracy, of the portrayals of old friends who are changed yet unchanged, by a couple of decades apart is compelling. Successes and tragedies, trauma shared and unshared, personal definitions all are reinterpred, and in some cases, blown apart with Anita Shreve's sure hand. I especially liked Agnes, the spinster-teacher-secret lover of a professor they all knew and admired. She writes her alternate endings out in fiction, raising the inevitable question as to how much of this story might draw on the author's own life, real or wished-for.

I listened to this on CD in the car and believe me if I hadn't been on a long trip and needed something to listen to I would have stopped withing the first few chapters. There is only one or two characters worth liking and rooting for (the couple marrying) The rest are sniveling idiots and the story withing the story is so predictable. Ms Shreve also needs an editor for the inconsistencies within the story. A little more research please

It's worth three and a half stars. I really wanted to find out how these stories move forward to the end when the reader just has to let go of curiosity.
The fact that I was drawn to keep on reading, paired with the Shreve's very rich language that I very much enjoy is the good of this book.
However, I didn't too much care for the mix of main plot with the characters' own stories - each too heavy! - weaved in here, let alone the sub plot of a novel written by Agnes, one of the protagonists, thrown in on top. In short, it's a reunion after 27 years of a group of then-high school students from New England. The occasion is a marriage of two of them who were sweethearts back then and are now getting married after decades in other marriages. The event appears to be overshadowed - or should I say fragmented? - by each protagonist's own stories and secrets that we find out about in flashbacks and soul dumps as the wedding weekend progresses: the bride has cancer, the inn-keeper who is hosting the wedding had a rough marriage to a famous poet, the poetry editor is still infatuated with the inn-keeper, the ex-girl-friend of his best friend in high school who died two weeks before their graduation. This books just appears to be a construct with too many story lines and not enough unity, real book-time is moving too slow. But again, I really wanted to finish it and enjoyed the language.

A WEDDING IN DECEMBER by Anita Shreve
August 5, 2008

Amazon Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Anita Shreve is one of my favorite authors, and I've enjoyed most of her books. A WEDDING IN DECEMBER was not one of my favorites, mainly because it took a while for me to warm up to the story. The story revolves around a group of middle aged adults who meet at an inn in the Berkshires for a wedding for one of their former classmates. It's been many years since they have all been together, and there are many stories to tell. This is one of those books that is more a character study than an actual story with a plot. There are secrets that are revealed, and more importantly they learn about each other as they spend a rather intimate weekend together, detailing their past lives after they had met the last time.

The reason for the gathering is the wedding of Bridget and Bill. It is a second marriage for both. They were sweethearts in school, but for some reason things didn't go the way everyone had expected, and they both married other people. Now, after many years apart, the two are together again. Bridget's health is in jeopardy, and before it is too late they want to make their union legal.

I don't know if this story would appeal to the average reader. Fans of Anita Shreve will definitely want to read it, and once I got into the story I did enjoy it. It just took a while for me to get into each character. There's a lot going on between all the former classmates, and it made for interesting reading, at least for me. Anita Shreve is a master at creating complex realistic characters and she shows it in this novel. Not one of her best but definitely recommended for her fans.

Fun to look at pictures but this book does not offer many ideas for the every day bride.

From the lush pink suede front cover to the back equally lush cover it's a bride's picture book dream. There's not much nuts & bolts "how to" there, but if you want inspiration, you will find it. The weddings covered definitely fall into the platinum wedding category, so for us mere mortals with real budgets, many of the over the top extravagances are not possible. BUT the look and feel of the radically different weddings contained in the book will spark the imagination - and it will be up to the bride or brides planner to make it their own. Bottom line - wow! for brides & wedding planners.

I'm a collector of wedding related books, and this one does not disappoint. I wasn't willing to pay full price - a whopping $75 - but when it came down in price on Amazon and Christmas came bearing gift cards, it was the perfect time to add to my collection. The book is beautiful on my book shelf and I enjoyed the gorgeous layout of all the memorable weddings. This has great details about each event and the photos are stunning.

This is such a fabulous book, every bride should buy this book for inspiration. Here at Magnolia Village Florist, we recommend every bride peruse though great books such as Colins before meeting with your florist.

Thank you Colin for another great book!

Magnolia Village Florist
Seattle, WA

I bought this as a gift for my newly engaged sis-in-law, so she could look at all the pictures and get into the excitement of wedding planning. I wouldn't buy this for myself, but it worked as a gift : )

This is a great guide. It's complete, from planning to the event to afterward. I don't agree with 100% (I'm having black bridesmaids' dresses, so there!) but it talks about the reasons for most customs and has little asides about various questions and customs. A very good guide, not stuffy, practical. :)

I am getting married in July and my sister is getting married in August. She is my maid of honor and I will be her matron of honor. She bought a lot of wedding ettiquette/planning books that we have both been consulting, and this is by far the best. The author has obviously been involved in planning many weddings, from the most elaborate to the most simple, and she offers great advice. A must-read for the bride who wants as many personal touches as possible, but also wants to know what's acceptable -- and what's not. A very funny read, as well!

FINALLY! A book that doesn't assume I work as a designer for Martha Stewart Weddings. It offers guidance to all with such wonderful common sense (which I've found all TOO uncommon in today's wedding guides!) This book does not tell the bride that she can do anything she wants becasue after all it's HER day. Ms. Shaw comes straight to the point and tells you the truth. Just like a best friend. Only this best friend knows exactly how to word the invitations and seat the groom's family. And this book is actually funny! The examples of faux pas are excellent reminders of just how ridiculous and childish people can get when it comes to weddings. This book will help you make your day special, AND help you expertly manage the delicate situations that will surely arise along the way. Above all, its humor will remind you that weddings are supposed to be fun. This is a great gift for a bride-to-be.

This wedding book is very well done. The best part of the book is the fact that it uses humor. In an age when weddings have become the focus of obsessive mothers and brides that are out of touch with reality, Shaw uses humor to foucs on keeping the wedding tasteful and nice. The book is full of tons of practical advice. The use of humor makes it very readable for grooms!