Wedding Books

The problem with Wedding Etiquette is that it's requirements just don't work for everyone. So how do you get around those that don't suit your needs, but still keep your manners? This book is the answer. It tells you which etiquette rules you can break without offending or appearing ill-mannered, and how you can bend others so they work for you, the unique couple. It's also a fun read.

This book, the third in the "Anti-Bride" guide, is an alternative to all the Martha Stewart, cookie-cutter do-it-by-the-book books on weddings. This book is incredibly helpful if you, like me, were the first of your friends to get married. Clueless about how to handle your divorced parents and that black sheep uncle? Do you have to invite your boss you hate? Do you have to invite your friend's evil girlfriend he just met? How do you make a seating chart? What if the bride's parents aren't paying, or the maid of honor is a dude? All of these questions and tons more are answered in this book, and it'll tell you whether your crazy ideas are considered socially acceptable in a modern world (and generally, they probably are.) Special thanks to Jennifer, my bridesmaid extraordinaire and BFF 13 years strong, who bought me this book when my fiance and I were wallowing knee-deep in wedding planning ignorance.

This book is a clone of every other etiquette book on the market with slightly edgy cover art to disguise the fact that they still say you aren't allowed to tell anyone where you're registered. Etiquette is etiquette whether you're an anti-bride or not, and I suppose it's my own fault for thinking this book would tell me something different from all the others.

I have recently become engaged, and I'm dreading planning a wedding. I picked up this book because the questions are already beginning, and I was hoping to find some polite ways to tell people to back off. This book does offer some suggestions there, and overall, it helped me become a bit more excited about the process without drowning me in details. I do wish that they had included more than they did in this book. For example, they give some suggested text for invitations. They tell you that "request the honour of your presence" is only to be used for ceremonies held at a place of worship. However, "request the honour of your presence" is used in *all* of their suggested formal wordings. They didn't provide a single example of the etiquette for a formal wording for a wedding held outdoors or in a banquet hall or other non-religious location. Considering that they suggest alternate locations in several places (and even recommend destination weddings as an option, which I found refreshing as I'm figuring on having one), this omission was glaring. There's several other little things like that where I feel a few more pages would have made this book perfect.

Still, I do recommend this book. I haven't looked at any other wedding guide or book, and I feel like I have a grasp of what is needed, what obstacles may come up, etc. The tone is terrific, and the structure is easy to follow when read as a whole or in tidbits here and there.

Very well written. Accuracy not to sure. My wife and I were raised in that area and are unaware of communities talked about in the book.

Fast, easy to read style. Depicts the pioneer life true to form. If you like Laura Ingalls Wilder, you'll love Carrie Young.

There were no reviews at this site when I ordered the book. I wish there had been - as I thought the book would be set around the 1900s and the only story that was set in that time frame was the first. The first story WAS good. But I had purchased it more for research into the Victorian times in North Dakota and so I was disappointed. I was also disappointed in how little I got for my money. The rest of the stories were only so-so.

There were no reviews at this site when I ordered the book. I wish there had been - as I thought the book would be set around the 1900s and the only story that was set in that time frame was the first. The first story WAS good. But I had purchased it more for research into the Victorian times in North Dakota and so I was disappointed. I was also disappointed in how little I got for my money. The rest of the stories were only so-so.

Ironically, I share the same name as the author, although no relation. I agree with the reviewer who said that she still thinks of the characters 4 years after reading the book.

I found myself in awe of what these homesteaders accomplished. The style of writing made for a quick read, and I have found myself going back to the book to re-read it about 2 times per year. Some details I have nearly committed to memory. I can't think of very many books that I can so enjoy when re-read- ing them.

As a director this was an excellant resource book, however my seamstresses found it next to impossible to figure out the patterns. It would take someone quite comfortable in making patterns. The directions are there and could be worked out with enough effort and trial. Still, as a resource it's great and was quite useful. The designs and details alone are worth the price.

Cary Riggs
Thomasville, GA

Very good book. Thanks!

Good book for creating fashions of the era .And the price for each pattern was a price I could not pass up.I love the patterns and clothes of days gone past and this is no exception.

Being a costumer, I'm frustrated that there aren't enough "authentic" patterns, with the fine details that they had, being produced out there, except for the "Halloween-type" costumes. This is a great resource for patterns that have the look and period-correct construction techniques. Ms. Grimble has chosen some truly beautiful ones from real vintage patterns to include in her book. I haven't had a chance to learn how to scale the patterns up yet, but look forward to it.

This book features patterns for dresses, skirts, shirts, jackets, underclothing (etc.) for the years 1905 and 1907-1909.
It contains:
20 (patterns) from 1905
22 from 1907
21 from 1908
23 from 1909

This is a good book, well up to Frances Grimble's high standards. It contains many patterns but can also double as a sourcebook, since it contains many pictures of clothes from fashion plates. I would recommend buying it, but make sure to research these years to find out if you really want it. Remember, this is mid-late edwardian.

Didn't find this book all that great. Some information was very useful, but much of it was too simplistic, or even outdated. You can't shoot modern weddings like you did in 1970, and this book had some example shots that seemed very old-school.

I don't regret buying it, but I wouldn't go to this book first when I'm looking for new, exciting ideas when shooting weddings.

I purchased this book first, read it in a day, and haven't looked at it again. The most useful elements were the business section: it has a mockup of a contract and other information on business and legal issues. Otherwise I found the book less than useful. The photos aren't very impressive, rendering the advice a little suspect. There isn't very much technical information about posing or lighting, it's all generalized and vague. Nor are there wedding-related tips, most of the advice in this book could be summed up by "know how to work your camera". I went to the bookstore and picked up Wedding Photography by Mark Cleghorn, which was much more useful. I recommend you look elsewhere for wedding photography books.

This is an excellent wedding photo book! It is very informative and has given me a lot of great ideas. Would recommend to anyone who is thinking about taking wedding pictures.

This is a very outdated book. The images are very dated and the style is too stiff. I am guessing that the pictures were old when the book was originally published in 2001. If you fancy yourself as a contemporary photographer then look elsewhere.

I recommend looking up The Top 10 Wedding Photographers in Popular Photography. Their styles are fresh even if some of them like Jerry Ghionis are highly posed. Even Jerry's work doesn't have a posed look to it.

This book covers all the main topics of wedding photography for the beginner. Not too much detail on camera settings; the focus is more on things you want to be aware when photographing the different parts of the wedding from before the wedding until after the reception. Pictures are great as examples and text is easy to read and understand.

There's something irrepressible about a wedding of royalty. Even the most jaded of us is capable of maybe an 'awww' or two as we get to see a bit of a fairy tale come to life. There is pomp everywhere, from the fabulous gown and jewels that the bride is wearing, the wedding cakes and favours, to public displays of the wedding gifts.

This handsome little souvenir album is to commemorate an upcoming wedding anniversary -- that of England's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, who will have been married for sixty years, in November 2007. It is also a look at how Royal weddings have changed and evolved from fairly private ceremonies that were witnessed by close family members and courtiers, to now what is a spectacle watched by millions on the television and launching a flurry of books, magazines and various souvenirs from the pleasant to the grossly tacky.

The five weddings themselves occur in a period of time that spans just over a century, from 1840 to 1947, with the criteria that either the bride or groom would be a monarch of the United Kingdom.

The first wedding is that between Queen Victoria and her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, in 1840. Victoria had been Queen of Great Britain for two years when her wedding was celebrated, and public curiosity was intense as to who she would choose to be her consort. With the rise of new printing techniques, there were now ways that the public could observe, albeit from a distance -- there were special prints and panoramas that were printed to feed the curiosity about the event.

About twenty years later, the next royal wedding occured, this time between Victoria and Albert's eldest son, Bertie, the Prince of Wales and the future Edward VII, and his fiancee, Princess Alexandra of Denmark, 1863. Now there was the art of photography to add to the documents; some of these were hand-tinted to create a nearly painting like quality. The gifts were also more opulent, and this time, were described in a special magazine that supplied all of the details from what the guests were wearing to engravings that showed various aspects of the wedding service itself.

Thirty years later, another wedding occured, this time between Bertie's son, George, Duke of York, and his cousin, Princess Mary of Teck, in 1894. This time, celebrations and public notice were high, with various royalties from around Europe visiting to pay their respects. The gifts were put on public display this time, and admission was charged, with the proceeds going to a charity. The bride's trousseau was described in various ladies magazines in lavish detail and illustrations.

The fourth wedding was that of George VI and Queen Mary's second son, Albert, Duke of York, and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923. No one really expected them to become sovereigns of Great Britain, and so the celebrations were not quite as extravagant as might be expected. But one notable addition was that this was the first royal wedding to be filmed, and soon there would be opportunity for anyone to see it, all for the price of a ticket to the cinema, and sitting through a newsreel.

The fifth wedding was in 1947, with that of two of Queen Victoria's great-great-grandchildren -- Princess Elizabeth, and Prince Philip of Greece. After the dreary years of WWII, and the troubles of rebuilding, London was ready for a celebration. The outpouring from the public was immense, and it seems that all of England took the day off for a holiday. The marriage proved to be one of the most successful in the royal family, and appears to be still quite solid after nearly sixty years.

Each wedding goes into some detail about the clothing, providing pictures and closeups of the brides' gowns, showing some of the intricate sewing and decoration that went into the making. As was traditional, all of the clothing worn were made from British materials and designers. What I found especially beautiful were the samples of lace and embroidery, often with monograms and special designs incorporated into the designs. A very brief history of the couple is also included, talking a little about their childhoods, and what happened after the weddings. At the end of the book, there is also a listing of what music was performed at each wedding, with a few surprises tucked in.

What may surprise you is what you will not find in this book. There isn't any mention of Lady Diana, or of the notorious wedding of Edward VIII and Mrs. Simpson.

For anyone interested in royalty, and how what started as a private celebration soon became an opportunity for public celebration, this is a lovely, well-made and designed book. The photographs and pictures are unusual, many of which I had not seen before, and gave a sense of intimacy.

The author, Jane Roberts, is the Royal Librarian, and has compiled a beautiful little volume on the lore of royal weddings. For anyone interested in the English monarchy, it would be a nice addition to their collection.

Five stars. Recommended.

A wonderful book that takes you back in time for 5 royal marriages. I had a splendid time reading and looking at the photos. I have been watching the "Royals" all my life. I remember the day Elizabeth and Phillip were married, and this little book just made those memories much more clearer than ever before! A "must" for "royal watchers"!!

A wonderful display of that special wedding. It was like the Queen was showing these momentos to me herself.

This book was published by the Paulist Press and has a Nihil Obstat, so in theory it should be an accurate presentation of the issues.

However, on pages 185-186, on Q. 97, Do declarations of nullity render children illegitimate (not, by the way, included in the index, which refers only to p. 97 for legitimacy and has no entry for illegitimacy at all), it reads:

"Second, the misappropriation of the term _illegitimate_ indicates a misunderstanding of legitimacy. _Legitimacy_ is a term used by many legal systems throughout the world. The term indicates knowledge of a child's paternity . . . The term _legitimacy_ connotes that a child's father is the husband of the child's mother at the time of conception or birth. In no way could a declaration of nullity deny a child's paternity. At the time of birth, the legally presumed relationship between the child's father and mother was indeed that of husband and wife. A declaration of nullity does not deny this, so the legitimacy of the child cannot be affected."

There are major problems here. First of all, "legitimacy" and "known paternity" are not the same thing at all. There have, historically, been "acknowledged illegitimate children" in which a man voluntarily claimed responsibility for a child born out of wedlock. There have been "bastardy bonds" in which, in the days before blood testing and DNA testing, a court assigned responsibility for the begetting and support of a child to a man. There are, today, numerous paternity suits brought my mothers, social service agencies, and other entities for numerous purposes, ranging from support to obtaining a relinquishing of parental rights for adoption. Paternity is _not_ dependent upon the parents' being married to one another at the time of conception or birth.

On p. 185, the author points out that, "In Church law a marriage that is declared null is thereafter referred to as a 'putative,' or 'supposed,' marriage. It was a marriage contracted inviolation of an impediment, or with a condition or defective consent, but entered into in good faith on the part of one or both of the contracting parties."

Actually, that isn't true either, since elsewhere in the book he points out that it's possible for both parties to a subsequently-annulled marriage to have entered into it in bad faith, but that's a different question. See page 176: "The Church is really declaring, in hindsight, that on the day of the wedding specific factors, such as defective consent, problems regarding its legitimate manifestation or the ineligibility of the bride or groom, prevented the two individuals from bringing about a valid marriage--as had been presumed. . . . The tribunal can only declare whether or not it has been proven that the marriage was invalid from the start."

The whole point of the above is that a "declaration of nullity" (a term which the author prefers to "annulment") declares that in fact the marriage never existed. Some people, possibly including one or both of the "putative" or "supposed" spouses, just thought that it did -- but they were mistaken.

If the marriage never existed, then the children cannot have been conceived or born in wedlock. The inevitable logical conclusion is that some people, possibly including one or both of their parents, just "supposed" that they were.

The declaration doesn't affect the status of the children under secular law. That's true enough. If there was a valid civil marriage, followed by a valid civil divorce, the children are legitimate for purposes of inheritance, etc. However, the canon law statement that they are "legitimate" is a purely arbitrary declaration (aimed at outcome, the result that the system wants to achieve, rather than input, the nature of the procedure being carried out).

If these two pages are so inaccurate, I become suspicious about the rest of the book.

What is a Catholic annulment & why do I need one?
Written by Jacqueline Rapp, JD, JCL, MCL Rapp Canonical Consulting Louisville, KY

As a judge on a marriage nullity tribunal, I run into people, on a daily basis, who do not understand the declaration of nullity (or annulment) process and they do not understand why they need an annulment to begin with. It's been my understanding that this is because there are some misconceptions as to what the Catholic Church teaches about marriage, and therefore what the Catholic Church teaches about relationship that are not marriage (therefore needing an annulment). I hope to clarify some of this for those who may need this information.

What is an annulment?

A Catholic annulment, or a declaration of nullity or invalidity, is a statement of fact, by the Catholic Church, that a valid marriage (as defined by the Catholic Church) never existed. Therefore, it is not a Catholic divorce, since divorce looks at the moment that the relationship broke down and says, "there was something and now we are ending it." The annulment process says, "from the very beginning, there wasn't what was necessary for this relationship to be called a marriage." The annulment process is definitely NOT saying that there was no love involved and there wasn't some form of relationship there. It is also not saying that there wasn't a valid civil contract (thus, all children born of this valid civil contract are legitimate). This process looks at an entirely different realm - the spiritual one - as this is the Catholic Church's domain.

Why is an annulment necessary?

The Catholic Church teaches that marriage (as created by God for all people), if created, is permanent, exclusive, fruitful and ordered to the good of the spouses. This means that marriage is until death parts them - and not divorce (permanent); it is between one man and one woman (exclusive); it is open to the procreation and education of children (fruitful); and creates a relationship that is an equal partnership of the whole of life that strives to the growth of the two people involved (ordered to the good of the spouses).

Because the Catholic Church teaches that marriage is permanent, and that IF it was created that no human power can separate what God has joined together (not even the civil government who has the power to end the civil contract that they call marriage), then once two people stand in front of God and everybody and IF they create what the Catholic Church defines as marriage, then it cannot be dissolved. That marriage bond is in place until death.

So, no new marriage covenant can be created with someone else, because the party who has been married before still is bound to that first person, since the bond, if formed, cannot be ended with a civil divorce.

Therefore, the Catholic Church investigates, through the annulment process, whether an actual marriage, as defined by the Church, came into being. If they determine, by examining the facts presented to the Tribunal, that no "marriage" came into being, then the parties are free to contract marriage with someone else.

Why do I need one if I'm not Catholic?

If you are not Catholic and you are planning on marrying a Catholic, then you may be asked to go through the annulment process. This may seem odd, given that both people from the first union are not Catholic and it doesn't make sense that the Catholic Church should investigate this marriage.

The Catholic Church recognizes, as a valid marriage, any marriage between two people who were free to marry (no previous marriages between them). Basically, if the non-Catholic church of either party recognized the marriage as valid, so does the Catholic Church, and since marriage, as God created it, is permanent, then these marriages also need to be investigated.

And, anyone who is wanting to marry a Catholic, has to "play by our rules," so to speak, since the Catholic whom they are marrying must abide by these laws of the Church.

The Catholic Church believes that the teachings on what marriage is binds all people whether they are Catholic or not, given that it is part of God's Divine Law.

Options other than an annulment?

Are there other options for working with previous marriages other than the annulment process? Yes, indeed there are.

If a person was either Catholic or married to a Catholic and they did not get married according to the canonical form of marriage (in front of a Catholic priest/deacon with two witnesses), and there was no Church permission to do that (called a dispensation from form), then this would be called a Lack of Form case and can be dealt with by proving that one of the parties was Catholic (with their baptismal record) and that they did not get married according to Catholic form (with the marriage license) and that they are now civilly divorced (with the divorce decree).

If one of the parties to the first marriage was not baptized, and that non-baptism can be proven, and the person who is applying for this process was not the cause of the breakdown of the marriage, then a Privilege of the Faith case or Petrine Privilege case, can be sent to Rome and the non-sacramental marriage can be dissolved, leaving those parties free to remarry.

If both of the parties were non-baptised throughout the course of the marriage, and now the party applying wants to become baptized and marry a Catholic, and the non-baptism of both parties can be proven, then a Pauline Privilege case can be done and the non-sacramental marriage can be dissolved, leaving those parties free to remarry (after the one who desired baptism has received it).

Conclusion:

A basic rule of thumb to follow is that if there was a previous marriage contracted by either you or your fiance, be sure to tell your priest. That marriage will have to be addressed in some form or another, either by a documentary case, a privilege case or a formal annulment process.

Annulling a marriage is one of the thorniest practices of the Roman Catholic Church. People who are granted annulments are given a whole new lease on life, but for those who are denied an annulment, the news can be devastating. For Catholics, an annulment means that a sacramental marriage never took place. The most common reaction to this is "I went to the wedding, what do you mean a marriage never took place?" People begin to wonder if an annulment means that children from such unions are illegitimate (no). Others wonder what right the Church has to declare a marriage null, and see the process as judgmental and vindictive. Others believe that annulments are only granted to those willing to pay a hefty price tag. With so much negative press, it is no wonder why so many people find the annulment process intimidating and decide not to pursue having a marriage annulled.

Michael Smith Foster, a Catholic priest and canon lawyer who works at the Marriage Tribunal for the Archdiocese of Boston has written a clear, easy to understand book answering the many questions of what an annulment is, and what an annulment is not. The book is published by Paulist Press, and is set up in a question and answer format, like many book released by this publisher. In discussing the annulment process, the author also explains what a Catholic marriage is supposed to be. His style is pastoral and non-threatening. The book is compassionate and hopeful for people who have been hurt by a marriage coming apart.

While this book will be most helpful to people going through the annulment process and those who are ministering to them, it will be of interest to any Catholics who want to understand more about this procedure and what the Church truly teaches about marriage.

I have worked in the field of church law for over 20 years. I have met with over 1000 petitioners who really don't understand the annulment process. All they understand is that they would like to enter into a new marriage and they want to be able to "make it right with the church." And, on the other side is their ex-spouse who doesn't understand as well, what is going on when they receive their letter from the tribunal informing them of their ex-spouse's application. What I have begun to do is to send them a copy of this book, in advance of my meeting with them. When that happens, their defenses are down, they understand so much better what is happening and their questions are no longer harassing or attacking. They have such a clearer picture of the process and they are much more able to handle the situation because they have had it explained to them in language that they understand.

I would encourage any tribunal to have a number of these books on their shelves, so that when someone appears at their door who is beleaguered, and bewildered, just hand them the book, give them a chance to read it and your worries will be over- they now have a clearer picture of what the process is all about.

This book is a user-friendly one. The question and answer format is used to its highest possiblity. It deals with all of those questions we never bothered to ask our high school religion nun or college theologian, and now wish we had. As both a civil and a canon lawyer dealing in divorce and annulments, I cannot think of one question not asked asked and answered here. The index makes it even easier to navigate the concepts explored. The result is a book that explains the concepts but also tells you how to deal practically with them in the context of the Church's laws and canons. This book takes the whole package of married life and puts it into Catholic perspective. This start to finish result, especially starting at the time of the marriage, is the crux of what so many do not understand about the Catholic Church and marriage. Foster's approach is totally successful just because of its simplicity. The book should be read by those thinking of marriage and not just those far down the road. It's assistance to both is what makes this book so important.

The biggest complaint that my daughter had when she started to read chapter books was that the stories had no substance, they were dull and boring. When we found these Cobblestreet Cousins books it was the best thing that could have happened. My daughter enjoyed these books the first time and many, many times since. She connected with the characters and loves their delightful surroundings. Now she is reading books that are more challenging but still visits these for fun. If you have a little girl who is having trouble connecting with many of the beginning chapter books, try these! We have given them as gifts to many of her very best friends! I only wish that a boxed set was available.

My six year-old daughter loves this series and this new Cobble Street Cousins book was so enjoyable for her. The distinct and unique personalities of Lily, Tess, and Rosie are so intriguing to my child and these girls and the adult characters in this series are such wonderful role models for little girls. My daughter carefully studies the details of the beautiful illustrations, and talks about Lily, Tess, and Rosie as if they are her friends.

I love this book! It's not only great for planning a wedding but gives great suggestions for honeymoon destinations or just a great vacation for any special occasion. I picked this book up in the store and couldn't put it down. It gives excellent tips and suggestions on planning your destination wedding from start to finish. It includes time charts, checklists and literally does not miss one step along the way. SO USEFUL! This book is so great! The only problem is trying to pick which amazing destination to settle on!

A 'destination wedding' is something special: an opportunity for both bride and groom to travel to another locale to wed - anywhere in the world. Use DESTINATION BRIDE: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO PLANNING YOUR WEDDING ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD as the stepping stone to achieving a smooth non-local wedding. Chapters touch upon all the basics; from communicating with guests and organizing the ceremony to choosing the right location, researching its resources, and making travel arrangements for guests and family. But there's more than generalities about weddings on the go: final sections cover the specifics of countries around the world from Africa and Asia to Europe, and include specific recommendations for places which lend to weddings and establishments which cater to them. Very highly recommended.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I wish this book would have went into more details about hiring vendors for destination weddings as many brides have a preference on the type of video or photography they want for their wedding.

Hiring wedding vendors for a destination wedding is like a box of chocolates, "You never know what you're gonna get!" After you leave the wedding location, depending on the culture, you may not receive your video for a very long time or at all. To guarantee good cinematic services, take your videographer with you. Seriously!

You can affordably do this by adding an additional room to your hotel reservations for both the photographer and videographer to share, assuming they are both the same sex. Most hotels will offer the bride and groom one additional room for every 10 rooms they book for their guests. Inquire with your hotel for this option. Most videographers will shoot your wedding for little or no additional costs as long as the couple pays for the airfare and hotel accommodations. I wish the author would have hit on this a bit more.

[...]

Have you ever opened a book only to find that only a few of its pages pertain to you? Only about 115 pages or so of this book have valuable information; the remaining 250 or so pages discuss various destinations and resort suggestions in each one. If you are planning a wedding in, for instance, the Bahamas, you'll find there are only three and a half pages which discuss the Bahamas. At the same time, none of the information is new - all of it is information the resourceful bride can glean online - for free.

Of the useful information, the author covers the planning process, but again, none of this information seemed more than common sense (make sure you have internet access and a cell plan with good international rates). As someone else noted, many of the web addresses were incorrect.

Not a bad book by any means, but not as useful as I was hoping it would be.

I was hoping this book would have more to offer. Its a fun read to look at all the various travel locations, but it didn't offer much at all in terms of helpful advice. It's more like a travel book than anything else and it actually caters more to readers in a high income bracket than to the average bride looking to plan a wedding her guests could reasonably attend.

I found this book to be a great starting point for someone like me who really needed help with the business-end of starting a wedding consulting business. However, I feel that they really glossed over a lot of things, and went on a few tangents about other topics that are common sense.

This book has some great information about taking the first business steps in getting started, such as the difference between LLC's and Corporations, etc. It also has a good cost breakdown of the different fees for applying for a home-based business and such.

However, I was really hoping for more information about how to get established in the industry as well. How much does a start-up charge customers who haven't done any wedding coordinations, but have a background is corporate event planning? Do you do some weddings pro bono? How much do you charge when you've done a few weddings for free? How much do you need to charge for different packages to stay alive? What services should you offer at first? I would have liked to have seen the wedding planners who are interviewed throughout the book been asked how they each got their start in the business, which is just as important, I think, as getting the licenses, certification and vendor relationships.

It just seemed like the book jumped from, "Okay, get a desk, some pens and a computer" to "Get certification" to "Advertise your business." But what about in between?

I would have also liked to see examples of contracts and ways to protect your business, rather than the cop-out of "Hire a lawyer, it's real important." The "necessary office supplies" section could have been completely eliminated, and more valuable information could have taken its place.

Overall, though, it was a good starting point, but I'll definitely have to read a few more books to get a grasp on starting out in the industry.

Start Your Own Wedding Consultant Business is somewhat usefull, but I found its sister publication, Start Your Own Event Planning Business by Krista Thoren Turner, to be better written and have stronger content. Almost everything covered in the Wedding edition is covered in the Event Planning one, so if you're only willing to buy one book get the Event Planning edition- I reference my copy constantly. That said, there are a few gems in the Wedding edition so it's worth skimming if you can borrow it from the library or get a cheap used copy.