Thursday, January 29, 2009

The Wedding Planner Reviews the Wedding Planner


Those who know me well know that I love books as much as I love weddings. So, why not combine my two passions and bring you my personal take on the latest wedding-themed books? Sometimes I'll be reviewing fiction with a wedding theme and sometimes the books will be the latest and greatest wedding planning guides. Just another fun way to connect you with all things bridal!


Today's review is of Fete, The Wedding Experience by Jung Lee. You might recognize the author's name from her stint on the Style Network's Whose Wedding Is It Anyway? This big coffee table book is a blend of practical advice and layouts of real weddings. I must say that I've read a million coffee table wedding books full of pretty pictures (at least it feels that way) but I really enjoyed this one. The author includes more of the nitty-gritty information than most of the glossy books do like how to calculate if you have enough space for your guest count and what to ask videographers before hiring them.


Another favorite feature of the book for me was the section on transforming a boring space into a fabulous reception. With before and after photos to really bring home the point, this was a great way to show brides who may have a hard time envisioning things just how dramatically a room can change with the right lighting, draping and decor.


The real weddings in the book cover a range of wedding styles and, while gorgeous events, they are not so far off the charts that regular brides can't take some ideas to adapt for their own weddings. I personally love having the idea of putting the guests' seating assignments on a giant black slate. This book makes me long for fabulous loft spaces that New York seems to have in spades and D.C. does not!


All in all, a nice combination of eye candy, inspiration and information. If you are a collector of wedding books, this is a good one to add to your collection.