This is a great book for a bride who has never given a moment's thought to planning a wedding. This book covers the super-duper basics of venue selection, clothing, invitations, pre-wedding parties, etc. If you fall into this category, this book will be very useful starting point and, as such, a good investment.

If, however, you are a bride who has already purchased a few wedding books or are a regular on wedding Web sites, this book will likely repeat a lot of information you have already read, without adding any new insights.

Here are a few notes:

- The section on gown selection is quite good. It has easy-to-understand descriptions and line drawings. (If you ever wondered what the heck a "basque waist" is, you'll find it here.)

- Many of the vendors listed in this book are located in California. This can be helpful to California brides.

- The book is very aesthetically pleasing. (The translucent book jacket is an elegant touch.)

- The information on pre-wedding parties (e.g. showers, engagement parties) is pretty simplistic. If you are planning a pre-wedding event, I would suggest looking elsewhere for information.

- This is geared to a bride who would like to have a *very traditional* wedding. If this is not your style, this book will likely not be helpful to you.


For the budget-savvy, but classy bride  Jul 05, 2011 By L-Diva Bride
I am marrying for the first time and have more class than cash. My main goal is to have the wedding of my dreams without spending my life savings to achieve it. I also wanted to have a unique experience that not only my husband-to-be and I would enjoy, but have it be a day that our guests would talk about for months to come. This book is a great resource to find unique venues, save money on photographers, flowers, wedding attire, and music. It lists great websites to look at to get ideas to tailor your wedding specifically for your taste and personality. When you don't know what to ask a vendor to get the best deal, this book gives insight and direction so that you can get the most bang for your buck. I look forward to using this throughout my wedding planning and to help other friends when they start to plan their big day.