Book Giveaway! {How I Planned Your Wedding}

Today's giveaway is so much fun! Five lucky Bridal Bubbly readers will win a copy of the new book by Susan Wiggs and Elizabeth Wiggs Maas, "How I Planned Your Wedding: The All-True Story of a Mother and Daughter Surviving the Happiest Day of Their Lives." To be one of the lucky winners, shoot us an email (laura@engagingaffairs.com) with "book giveaway" in the subject line and we'll draw 5 names on Friday!

#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs and her daughter collaborate on a funny, charming, and poignant book about the trials and tribulations of planning the daughter’s wedding together. I was lucky enough to preview this book so I can tell you that it's fun to read and full of great real-world insights from both the bride's and mother's points of view. Check out some thoughts from both authors on the planning process.  I love what they say about their wedding planner so much I may have it printed on a T-shirt!

Elizabeth, what is the single best piece of advice you can give a prospective
bride?
DON’T FREAK OUT. No matter what happens, or how much you want to stab
your mother, your wedding will be the happiest day of your life. Just keep
your eye on the prize. And the prize is not the $15,000 Oscar de la Renta
gown; it’s the man with tears in his eyes watching you walk down the aisle to
become his wife.
 

Susan, could you also share a single best piece of advice—for the mother of
the bride?
Don’t ever lose sight of the ultimate goal of this whole process–the launching
of a magnifi cent new love. If you’re doing something that doesn’t nudge you
toward that goal, like shrieking over the cost of vegan cupcakes, stop and
take a breath.
 

And above all, leave the Spanx at home. Nobody will think less of you if you
forget to put on your Spanx.

Despite having a very firm vision of the big day, you decided to use a
wedding planner. Why?

 
Elizabeth: I was planning the wedding while living in Chicago, and I needed
people on the ground in Seattle. A good wedding planner pays for herself
many times over, and that was defi nitely my experience with my team. In
the end, they managed to negotiate some amazing deals for us that saved
thousands of dollars—way more than they cost. Also, they kept me from
going all Exorcist on my mom when we were disagreeing with one another.

To win a copy of the book, just shoot us an email at laura@engagingaffairs.com or weddings@engagingaffairs.com. We'll pick a winner on Friday. Good luck!