Wedding Books

Jungian analyst Bud Harris's fifth book focus on the intersection of spirituality and sexuality -- two forces which are often viewed as opposites. Harris encourages a harmonious marriage of the two, leading to consciousness expansion, the discovery of the true self, and spiritual transformation.

The Fire and the Rose is a four-part work reminiscent of a journey. In I. "The Power of Desire," Harris describes our thirst for spirituality, which is often not met by rigid, mainstream religion. The author teaches the reader to know thyself in Part II. "The Depth of the Soul," and then expounds upon the societal benefits of self-knowledge in Part III, "Transforming Lead into Gold." The conclusion of the journey, "The Wedding of Spirituality and Sexuality," demonstrates how all of life's energies can become grounded and magnified.

The text draws on mythologuy, history, psychological research, and anecdotal experience to describe the union of spirituality and sexuality. The appendix includes practical advice for journaling, listening to others, reflecting, and questioning. Includes an index and bibliography.

While this was a good book, I would definitely *not* categorize it as a romantic comedy. So if you are looking for something light and funny, there are plenty of (other) authors to try. I would categorize this book, rather, as an issue-based contemporary romance - sort of women's fiction, if you will.

I liked this book. I like Ms. Carr's writing style, it's light, easy to read, and she has the gift of making her characters seem real. But while the writing is light, the issues she explores are not. So this is a hard-to-categorize book - light reading because of the easy-to-read style, but heavy reading because of the many characters and heavy issues that they are dealing with.

I found that while I didn't particularly like the heroine, Charlene, I found myself liking her a lot more at the end, when she finally gets all the pieces of her life together and realizes where she went wrong in the way she was living her life, and looking back, says to herself - I know I made a lot of mistakes, but they were inevitable at the time - and I think that that's very, very realistic. Yes, that's real life - most of us haven't figured everything out at twenty (like some Regency heroines seem to do), but rather, we figure things out slowly, bumblingly, just like the heroine did.

I happened to have really liked Grant, her daughter Stephanie's boyfriend. I know that we don't get to know him too well, because we don't get to see him too much - but isn't that just the point, isn't that what Stephanie is upset about as well. But I do like the way he's sure of himself, knows where he's going and what he's planning on doing with his life, unlike Stephanie? And Grant is a hero through and through, even to the end - when he said good-bye, it was a classy good-bye (I'll pay your rent until you figure out what you want to do), I thought he was very mature, and I liked him. (By the way, don't you think it's funny the way they keep on insisting what a *wonderful* job they did raising their daughter when it's so obvious she's a little screwed up?)

I also really liked Jake - I sometimes felt like shaking Charlene at how she was treating him, isn't it great to have someone so in love with you that he stays around even after the divorce - and she treats him like dirt, and he still loves her...

I wouldn't give this book five stars, it wasn't great riveting reading, but on the other hand I did enjoy it, and I really liked the ending, I think it wrapped things up very well. I would even say that the ending bumped up this book from being a three-star pleasant read, to a four star, better than average read.

If you enjoy ensemble comedy with a wide cast of characters, you will find a lot to appreciate in this riotous book. Charlene, the 45-year-old heroine, finds a host of obstacles in the way when she attempts a long-avoided walk down the aisle with her boyfriend of five years, including: her mom going off the deep end, her daughter angsting about growing old and ending up alone like her mom, her fiancé hanging out far too much with the wedding planner, and the her sexy ex husband stepping forward with the craziest behavior of all, a demand for another chance.

Robyn Carr keeps a lot of balls in the air with this story, but all the colorful characters and their competing needs add excellently to the frenetic pace which is a main source of the book's humor. The various story lines leap and skitter, ultimately feeding into each other for a strong climax. In addition, the romance with Charlene's ex husband is sexy and adds a lot to the humor as well. I also really appreciated encountering a well-lived-in older heroine for a change.

Unlike a couple of these negative reviewers, I actually read the book. From cover to cover. In two days. And Charlene's daughter is named Stephanie. And her boyfriend is a physician's assistant, not a doctor. But maybe I'm just used to reading nice, long books and keeping a variety of characters straight--Carr's special gift. Obviously not a gift shared by some of these reviewers...

This might be my favorite Robyn Carr book yet; it's certainly a bit lighter than some of the others (no domestic violence, for one thing). Charlene decides to get married, but to the wrong man. Charlene's mother is losing her mind, and her daughter is a spoiled brat. The men in this book are virtually all heroes; they just need to be matched up with the right women. Which, of course, takes 377 entertaining pages to work out. The only problem with Carr's books is that I keep finishing them!

My title is basically my review. I didn't like Charlene. There are strong women and then there are self absorbed whiny people, Charlene fits the latter. Why the author describes Dennis as being loyal and wonderful is beyond me. He didn't have the gumption to break off his "engagement" before he starts an affair with the wedding coordinator. Charlene needs some snappy dialog and some female friends to get her on the right track but then that would be a Jennifer Crusie novel.....the premise for this book showed promise it just wasn't well executed.

I was so excited to read this book that I started reading it as soon as I got it and then began to frown a little, then more, then realized I was frowning so much because the heroine was not only irritating, but she was flaky and cold. I got about 100 pages in and was wondering when it was going to pick up finally and the again realized that the book was 377 pages. It should've been very involved at this point, but all I got was bored and confused.
Confused because the jumbled plot was filled with too many people all talking at once and information into their lives when they had nothing to do with the story, or, the 'wedding party'. What party? There was no funny and quirky wedding party with crazy characters that will make me laugh until I ache or touching moments where I sigh and shake my head. Too much insight into the main character Charlene's friend's life, Pam and Charlene's 25 year old daughter Samantha. Also more looks into the lives of a single mother's life whom Charlene is representing in court, a couple that is divorcing, her ex-husband, her elderly mother,her present boyfriend and future husband Dennis-with whom we're supposed to see in the wedding party as the groom, ha!, Dennis's dead wife, his sister...I can go on. My point is, is it too confusing. Too many plot developments that lead nowhere.
In short, this story was supposed to be about, and I stress the word 'supposed' because it came nowhere near it; a 45 year old woman who is sucessful at being a family lawyer and is happy with every part of her life, even with the long-term relationship she has with her boyfriend who is a doctor. The problem comes in when her daughter says she doesn't want to end up like her, single and alone and then her mother seems to be losing her mind when she gets lost in a grocery store parking lot and to top things off her ex still loves her and says she can't commit. To fix the problem she decides she wants to marry Dennis,(the doctor boyfriend).

This is where we're supposed to have the wedding party, but we don't. The entire book is a mix of her life's setbacks and letdowns and how she hated her father and how he caused her to shrug off relationships. How her fiance is her 'rock' and her staunchest supporter, but he starts an affair with the wedding cordinater. She doesn't seem to care either way. Her spoiled daughter gets way too much time in the book and we were introduced to her boyfriend Grant too late.
All in all, we are faced with a flaky 45 year old heroine who is having some sort of mid-life crisis and it definately isn't funny, lol, a spoiled 25 year old daughter who is just as flaky, a quirky ex husband whom we never really understand, a cheating doctor fiance and an elderly mother who keeps upsetting Charlene. I am still waiting for the 'hysterical wedding fiasco' that I was promised on the jacket back... save your money on this one....

Tracy Talley~@

Its a bit long in the tooth and needs to be updated. Very easy reading. Gives some good pointers. But, don't think its the only book you'll need to start your business.

This book does a good job of explaining how to start and what it takes to run a Wedding Photography business. There are a few minor typos, but still easy to read. Don't expect it to show you how to take better pictures. You need educated and experienced for that.

I've ordered several how-to-do wedding photography books from Amazon, but this one really has a lot of behind-the-scenes legwork and good advice on how to set up your own wedding photography business.

Scott Harris describes in his book:
" wedding Photography 101 " Four customers types:
The reasonable, The over-expectant, The never happy
and the Insane! Some of these characters can be
discovered only until after the wedding.
As can be seen from the above situation, Scott
delivers a very realistic picture of the life of
the Wedding Photographer. He conveys his field experience
and explains about the photo gear he works with and why
not to go for the very tempting cheep cameras (because
that can put you in equal terms with Uncle Vinnie...)
This is a step by step book I highly recommend.

Let's face it, Chekhov is odd. But this compilation gathers his 7 most famous farces together in one book. Each play is a gem in its own right.
A must-have for up-and-coming actors or directors, or veterans who don't already own this.

Anton Chekhov's 7 Short Farces, is a book of seven Russian plays. The first play (The Bear) is his most famous of the plays in this book. It is an entertaining story of a man collecting debts to pay his mortgage. He travels all around, but nobody can or is willing to pay their debts. So at the last house owned by a recently widowed lady refuses to pay they argue and it breaks into chaos. The rest of the plays follow this pattern. They start of with a normal somewhat comical situation that ends up in utter chaos than just ends. Most of the plays have something to do with irony. I think that Chekhov wrote these as a symbol of the Russian government at this time. Its supposed to show how chaotic and ironic Russia's politics are. After the third play this book becomes somewhat tidies. I think it would be more interesting if these were acted like they were intended to be. Individually the plays are interesting, but when read one after another they are boring. Overall I would not suggest these plays to be read but I would suggest them to be acted for a better understanding of Russian literature.

This is my favorite Danielle Steel book. Modern, zippy and fun. Multi-generational relationships help make it even more interesting.

I usually read right before im going to bed, and i just couldnt get into this book, the information was the same and it was all very predictable. Im sure that if i wouldve finished it, then i would have loved it, because i love almost all of danielle steel's books. If you havent read most of them, then your missing out, so stop reading this boring passage, and get into a book of hers.

What a waste of time, you knew all along what was going to happen and the characters are all just a little too perfect to be normal and believable.

Some things are totally out there... for exapmle, Allegra is woken up in the middle of the night to bail her client out of jail? Come on! Lawyers are not ethically permited to post bail for their clients. Do some research Danielle, like the rest of the authors do... don't rely on what you see on television. No lawyer would ever give out their home number, let alone answer calls in the middle of the night.

And I am sick and tired of this obsession this author has with thinness. A size 10 is fat? Women like to read about characters who they can relate to and are like themselves... not the ideal woman created by the male world.

Don't waste time on this book, unless you are still in high school.

I've been a Steel fan for over 10 years, I've read every single one of her books...and I have to say I am most pleased with The Wedding!

Many of her recent books are missing something, there's no denying that, however, The Wedding has that old spark, it's not missin' a thing!

If you love Danielle Steel, you'll absolutely love this book. It's in a league with some of her earlier works like Star, Changes and Message from Nam. I really enjoyed this book, cover to cover! I'm hoping that she keeps up the great work.

This book was boring; it was a chore to finish. It takes place in Glamorous Hollywood, a bit too glamorous for me. The main character, a lawyer, has a boyfriend she's not too happy with. This book has too many boring pages. This is definitely the last book by this author that I will ever read.

This book is a wonderful, much-needed reminder that yes, you can have a beautiful wedding without spending exorbitant amounts of money while also offering practical advice for managing your finances before and after the big day. Highly recommended for every bride.

This has been a great tool throughout my engagement for planning my wedding! I plan to pass it along to another engaged friend.
For girls (and guys!) looking to plan a wedding that is more meaningful than elaborate, this is your book. I'm a fan of anything that helps me organize, and this book's checklists and budget sheets were extremely useful. The other books (and magazines) I'd considered were more about including every possible tradition and fad into my wedding, whereas this one helped me take a look at what would mean something to my now-spouse and myself.

I'm really glad this book exists -- it does have some smart suggestions for how to avoid the vortex of spending encountered any time one comes remotely near the wedding industry. Davis does a good job cutting through some of the haze that bridal magazines create around what you "have to do" to have a happy wedding day. That said, pay attention to the subtitle: a church wedding. The author's game plan is all centered around having your wedding at a church, using the church's fellowship hall for your reception, and enlisting the assistance of fellow parishoners to pull the event off. If you're a less traditional couple, trying to plan a wedding outside a church, and don't belong to some kind of club with comparable facilities, there are no other suggestions for alternative venues. If you're looking for some planning tools, there is stuff included here, but most it is pretty common sense.

This book has some great ideas and tips for having a budget-conscious wedding. I like that the author gives the 'bargain', 'budget', and 'bling' ideas for each category depending on how much you want to spend. It has good advice about talking to vendors and even alternatives to the traditional things. Using the suggestions in this book, you can have a fabulous wedding with exactly what you want for $5000 instead of $30,000. Excellent!

My husband and I got married last year and our wedding cost under $4000. I thought we were an oddity until I read this book. I believe the most important idea in this book is that big, expensive weddings are a fairly modern invention and are not necessary to have a meaningful wedding. Cara Davis presents three different "levels" of wedding planning, in both cost and logistics: bargain, budget, and bling. She encourages brides-to-be to choose carefully the wedding elements most important to them and their grooms and offers suggestions and tips for how to plan for each element according to their level of importance.

I believe this book will be most useful to brides who are feeling the pressure from mainstream wedding periodicals full of advertisements for the biggest and most expensive everything. "Cheap Ways to Tie the Knot" offers refreshing alternatives, and even peace, for wedding planning.

I agree with Michelle above, that if you've never been a bridesmaid it's a great place to get the basics, or find a jumping off point. But if you're looking for clever ideas or anything contemporary, you won't find it here. I was surprised by the out-dated and cliché information, especially when I checked the copyright date and saw it was 2005! I was especially surprised to read particular notes on etiquette that have gone by the way side in the last few years, and for good reason. If you like cheesy party games from the '50s, then this is definitely the book for you! If you have no idea where to start, you'll find a modicum of helpful hints, and some really GREAT checklists - my favorite part of this book. But if you're looking for more creativity, contemporary info, and unique twists on traditions, my advice is a whole-hearted and resounding LOOK ELSEWHERE!

During my first Bridesmaid experience, I didn't have a clue what to do...but I read this book and it made my duties as a bridesmaid so much clearer. I have used it several times since then and every time it even more helpful! My favorite are the stress-relieving coupons in the back. Now I'm getting married and I bought this book as a gift to each of my bridesmaids...hopefully they'll have as much fun readying it as I did. I would suggest this to any Bridesmaid!

You know what for a minute i was debating wether to finish reading this book but i'm glad i did, it was a good book the ending for me with both of them suffering was emotional he was turly a great guy.....

Wedding Vow of Revenge by Lucy Monroe
Harlequin Presents # 2526 - March 2006
Bedded by Blackmail theme

Angelo's been plotting revenge for ten years on the man who drove his mother to suicide and stole his family business. Finally he's found the perfect revenge and the opportunity is now. Tara's a former supermodel who had a disastrous affair with a wealthy tycoon, the very same tycoon that ruined Angelo's mother. Now she's earned her MBA and is working for a company that Angelo owns, and when he seeks her out to praise her abilities, she's wary of his intentions.

At first Angelo pursues Tara only as a means of vengeance against his enemy. The attraction between them is intense and leads to marriage. And when his enemy tries to find Tara and tell Tara about her husband's deceit, Angelo fears he'll lose her. Angelo is definitely one of those alpha males and he's got a definite ruthless streak, however, Ms. Monroe made sure that Angelo had a strong sense of fairness and admiration for strength in others. Tara and Angelo make a wonderful couple and I'm very glad I got to read their story.

After the media circus she had been through Tara Peters decided that it will never happen again. She focused on a business career and worked hard to get where she was. Angelo Gordon was looking for revenge against the man that had taken away from him his parents. It so happen that this man was the same that got Tara in a vulnerable place. Angelo decided that he would do anything to get his revenge and protect Tara at the same time, only problem is Tara doesn't see it that way. Lucy has once again weaved a story where the characters have spunk and chemistry. Every time Angelo and Tara are in the same room the heat is enough to trigger the smoke alarm. This is a story about, betrayal, trust and love and how to conquer all the barriers that can come between a couple even if the odds are against them. It's a beautiful story of learning and conquering. Like all her books, this is a keeper.

Wedding Vow Of Revenge is another compelling, sensual tale by Lucy Monroe.

Angelo Gordon is driven to even the score with the man that destroyed his late father's company and drove his mother to take her own life. The perfect plan falls into his lap when his enemy's former lover works at one of Angelo's companies.

Tara Peters has left her life of modeling and disastrous affair behind her when she went to work for Primo Tech. Tara is currently in the management-training program and is floored when the owner Angelo Gordon asks to meet with her. What starts as an all out seduction of Tara gets complicated when Angelo gets to know Tara. Tara didn't want to fall for another powerful businessman but Angelo knocks down all her defenses. Will her love hold when she finds out the truth?

Wedding Vow Of Revenge is a wonderful story of revenge, redemption and the power of love. Lucy Monroe should be on any romance reader's auto buy list.

From the back: The instant Angelo Gordon sees model Tara Peters he's certain she will share his bed. But her beauty isn't the only attraction - he wants vengeance! Tara is not an easy conquest. When she pushes Angelo away he realizes he can only win her over by playing a different game. Angelo will raise the stakes and take the ultimate revenge: marriage!
Very sweet love story by Lucy Monroe with very likeable characters and sizzling chemistry.

I thought the book would be extremely funny. I mean a wedding photographer writing about the weddings they did. The book had its moments. There was more than a few times I laughed aloud. Try & buy the book used. I read many books, so maybe I am too fussy.
I give 2 & 1/2 stars. My opinion only.

Not a bad book, although it seemed as though the author almost had nothing positive to say about shooting weddings and I began to wonder why she does them in the first place. There were a lot of humorous stories from weddings she has shot though that made it more readable.

Anyone who has ever gotten married and hired a wedding photographer - anyone who has ever been in the hospitality business and catered to bridal couples - anyone who just enjoys a good fun read (that will make them cry in a few places)... that's who this book is for. I read it in one sitting and laughed out loud the whole way through.

You might think this is a book exclusively for women, brides-to-be in particular. Wrong. Men will get more out of this entertaining and insightful book because we just don't know this stuff, and Claire Lewis has done us a big favor by revealing the inner emotional landscape of a bride. It's treacherous territory indeed, but Claire is a very able guide. EXPOSED is a must read for grooms-to-be and former grooms who want to figure out why they were so clueless on their wedding day(s).

How special to find and read a behind the scenes book about weddings and photography! Being a diehard people watcher I thoroughly enjoyed riding along with Claire and her assistant Sarah... They brought me to each wedding and each adventure making sure I didn't miss the laughs and the heart tugging relationship struggles. Very fun read, great picture painting for my mind...I laughed out loud, groaned in disappointment and had at least one sorrowful tear for sure! I was entertained, enlightened and encouraged. Being a photographer who loves to capture what I see to share with the world, I enjoyed hearing Claire's thoughts on her job and the world of cameras and film in our digital age.
This book is about photography, people and their quirky ways, weddings and much much more! Claire you are a delightful writer and I cannot wait to read your next book! More Claire Lewis is my cry!!

I really enjoyed her points of view and all of her thoughts on having a wedding. I think it reminds a guest of what an honour it is to be invited to a wedding. It is a quick read and I would recommend this book to anyone.

My mother-in-law gave me this book prior to our wedding 27 years ago, and because of the timeless information it provides we found it very helpful in doing our part in planning for the 2007 wedding of one of our daughter's best friends! My daughter, husband, and I were responsible for writing, printing, & addressing the invitations & reply cards, and this was invaluable for sample invitations, correct forms of address, and lists of the appropriate way(s) to do things. (Remember, if in doubt err on the side of properness & tradition to keep those wagging tongues silent - for some reason everyone thinks your wedding is about THEM.) My husband was the official wedding photographer (with me as his assistant) and it was a godsend to have Miss Manners' suggested lists of photographs to be taken. Not only did it help us think of everything the bride and groom might want but it made us much more confident that we were not neglecting relatives, special friends, parents of special friends, etc.

What can I add to the glowing reviews left by other readers, except to say that I am so glad I read this before I even started planning my own wedding? It is a thoroughly enjoyable book, with plenty of laugh-out-loud bits that had me reading aloud to my roommates. Miss Manners is now helping me to maintain my sanity through the planning of my own wedding. Every time someone tells me something I "must" do, I have her to fall back on rather than panicking about the expectations of others. I've already bought a copy for my sister, and I'm thinking of buying more for my and my fiance's parents. I really cannot recommend this book highly enough.

In her signature acerbic style, Miss Manners offers suggestions for wedding etiquette that will be entertaining and useful for anyone planning, or enduring, a wedding. She disparages such popular myths as My Perfect Day and required registries and gives the engaged couple and their families a guide for having a charming, meaningful wedding without exhausting themselves or treading on too many toes in the process. Reading this book should be a prerequisite for getting engaged.

Love, love, LOVE this book and Miss Manners! Lots of the basic questions that came up in planning my wedding were covered, but more important is the philosophy she espouses. After you read this book you will find it hard to flip through all those bridal magazines without rolling your eyes at the fuss they make over trivial topics. Miss Manners reminds you what's truly important. We had a lovely wedding that was universally described as "perfect" and no stress whatsoever in planning it. I give this book to all my friends as soon as they get engaged.