Getting engaged is exhilarating…until it sets in that a wedding costs three times what you thought, and takes five to ten times the effort it reasonably should. And then there are the expectations: from calligraphy invitations to satin chair-covers, all those things that Must Be Done or everyone will be Horribly Offended. Or will they?
A Practical Wedding helps you create the wedding you want—without going broke or crazy in the process. After all, what really matters on your wedding day, what you’ll remember ‘til you’re old and gray, is not so much how it looked as how it felt. In this refreshing guide, expert Meg Keene shares her secrets to planning a beautiful celebration that reflects your taste and your relationship. You’ll discover:
- The real purpose of engagement (hint: it’s not just about the planning)
- How to pinpoint what matters most to you and your partner
- DIY-ing your wedding: brilliant or crazy?
- Affording a wedding without having to cut your guest list
- How to communicate decisions with your family
- Why that color-coded spreadsheet is actually worth it
Wedding Zen can be yours. Meg walks you through everything from choosing a venue to writing vows, complete with stories and advice from women who have been in the trenches, the Team Practical brides. So here’s to the joyful wedding, the sensible wedding, the unbelievably fun wedding! A Practical Wedding is your complete guide to getting married with grace.
Editorial Reviews
“Keene's wedding planning guide is a fresh, sane voice in a field of guides pushing big budget weddings…Keene’s book stands out as she empowers brides to find the elements of wedding planning that are meaningful to them and to let go of the rest without regrets or apology. Verdict: Recommended and required reading for all newly engaged couples.” -Library Journal
“Keene offers couples of all faiths, ages, budgets and sexual orientation a wise and well-written hands-on guide for navigating the complexities of etiquette and cultural expectation. (Five Stars)” Portland Book Review
“This book gives you dozens and dozens if ideas for having a beautiful, uniquely special day without compromising your dream, your plans, or your wallets. Bonus: your guests will never forget your anniversary if you utilize some of the ideas in this book.” Savannah Morning News
“Getting married with grace, joy, and even fun without breaking the bank is what Meg Keene offers the marrying couple with this handy guide book. It's small and short enough to read in one sitting as well as filled with myriad details to refer to when you're ready to plan the various aspects of your upcoming wedding.” BizIndia.net
“This book will be a touchstone of sanity. When you get derailed by something judgmental your Aunt Muriel said, or you feel inadequate because your wedding doesn’t look like something perfectly styled on the pages of a magazine or wedding blog, and you start to reevaluate and question your choices, this book will set you back on the path to stability and reason.” ElissaRPhotography.com
“Every bride could learn something—and cut her stress level—just by reading it.” PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com
“Expect a big-hearted, broad-minded, super smart low-down on the indispensable practicalities of getting married.” BookPage (“top pick”)
“For all the brides out there going through some wedding madness, I highly recommend Meg Keene's A Practical Wedding.” Huffington Post
“This book strips away the excess to help you hone in on what’s really important to planning your wedding, while offering a bevy of tips and tricks to a lovely and practical celebration along the way. A Practical Wedding takes on the myth of perceived wedding “traditions” to set you on a path to a more stress-free big day that still represents the bride and groom in a beautiful way.” Pensacola
About the Author
Meg Keene is the creator of APracticalWedding.com, the ultimate wedding
planning website for independent-minded brides. Her blog has been featured in
The Wall Street Journal, CNN.com, Glamour, Chicago Tribune, Feministing.com, and
more. She lives with her husband in San Francisco.