Overview

The days of leisurely planning are long gone. Few brides can afford to stroll from bridal boutique to bridal boutique. Most of us have to sneak our wedding planning into those tiny slivers of free time between work, play, food, and sleep. Lucky for us, however, there's one friend who will never let us down: the Internet. From venues to videographers, from bouquets to boutonnieres, Christa Terry has put together a treasure trove of resources that give you the freedom to plan a wedding from anywhere, at any time, using your computer. This guide is much more than a list of links, though. Christa Terry also shows the bride-to-be: Where to find wedding software and downloadable worksheets that do more than just calculate costs Why creating a personal wedding website is one of the best gifts she can give her guests When to order invitations, favors, and, yes, even gowns to avoid crunch-time stress How to keep the MOB (mother of the bride) and the MOG (mother of the groom) happy...and still speaking to each other! With all the choices out there, planning a wedding has never been more complicated. Let iDo be your guide to simplifying your wedding with just a click of the mouse. Have the wedding of your dreams...all you lose is the stress.

Full Product Details

Author:   Christa Terry
Publisher:   Simon & Schuster
Imprint:   Gallery
Dimensions:   Width: 19.10cm , Height: 2.30cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   0.690kg
ISBN:  

9781416578543

ISBN 10:   1416578544
Pages:   400
Publication Date:   10 June 2008
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In stock  
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Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE: LUNCH-HOUR WEDDING PLANNING discusses the myriad ways the explosion of online wedding retailers has changed the way women-and men- participate in the wedding planning process, why those not using online tools to plan their weddings are missing out, how planning online can save relationships, popular wedding stereotypes (think bridezilla or the evil mother-in-law), and the experiences of three wired brides who, in each chapter, will share the tips and tricks they used when planning their weddings. CHAPTER TWO: THE BASICS explains the fundamentals of traditional Western nuptials and where to go for information regarding other cultural traditions, why timeliness is such an important part of planning a wedding, and what brides- and grooms-to-be can and can't do with the Internet, while highlighting the major players in the world of wedding web sites, the best and most useful downloadable wedding checklists and calendars, and the go-to sites for couples who are still shopping for an engagement ring. CHAPTER THREE: A SITE TO REMEMBER outlines the reasons why every engaged couple needs a personal wedding web site to supplement paper announcements, spread ceremony and reception details, track RSVPs, keep their vendor list up-to-date, and shine some light on the wedding party, while pointing brides- and grooms-to-be toward those companies that provide free and for-pay personalized and customizable wedding web sites. CHAPTER FOUR: MATRIMONIAL VIPS discusses the traditional duties undertaken by family members, maids of honor, best men, bridesmaids, and groomsmen; ways couples can involve step-children, uncles, aunts, grandparents, and more in the ceremony and reception; fun sites that first time bridal party participants can visit to bone up on their nuptial knowledge; and keeping all the wedding VIPs in the loop using an e-mail list or group blog. CHAPTER FIVE: YOUR WEDDING, YOUR WAY helps brides- and grooms-to-be find easy-to-navigate online resources that show examples of everything from table settings to cakes to gowns; decide on color schemes and themes that show off their individual tastes; organize their wedding day wish lists using simple desktop folder layouts or their Internet browser bookmarks; create and stick to a thoughtful budget-even when it means compromising; and deal with the influx of wedding spam and too-good-to-be true offers that invariably flood both mail boxes and e-mail inboxes. CHAPTER SIX: FOR RICHER OR FOR POORER outlines who traditionally pays for what, easy methods of creating a flexible wedding budget using the spreadsheet programs on almost every computer, the pros and cons of a variety of online budgeting tools and worksheets, ways brides- and grooms-to-be can get what they want without breaking the bank using eBay and other auction sites, and simple cost-cutting tips and tricks that can save budget-conscious couples a lot of headaches. CHAPTER SEVEN: WITH THIS CLICK shows brides- and grooms-to-be how to maximize their online shopping time and minimize the money they spend using structured keyword searches, discount retailers, and consignment sites, while also highlighting some of the best comprehensive online wedding gear stores and methods couples can use to protect themselves from scammers by virtually guaranteeing that they are in a position to obtain a refund. CHAPTER EIGHT: DON'T LEAVE THEM GUESSING shows couples the registry faux pas they should avoid and outlines the many online registry options available to today's couples, including traditional registries, charitable registries, honeymoon registries, mortgage registries, male-oriented registries, money registries, and create-a-gift registries that allow multiple guests to contribute to one large gift like a honeymoon or house. CHAPTER NINE: FASHION, FOR LADIES explains why nearly every bridal salon and designer wants to make it hard for brides-to-be and their bridesmaids to buy online and how they can thwart these efforts to save a bundle when purchasing gowns and dresses; highlights some of the best sites for researching and buying gorgeous wedding gowns, beautiful bridesmaid and flower girl dresses, un-matronly mother-of-the-bride dresses, and perfect accessories; and helps brides find the right fit before committing to a dress, choose a seamstress for alteration, and, most importantly, cope when mail-order gown emergencies occur. CHAPTER TEN: FASHION, FOR THE GENTS discusses the basics of formalwear for men from collars to cuffs, the best online resources for guys who want to know more about the wide variety of men's wedding fashions, dressing the ring bearer, how to outfit the father of the bride, and the go-to sites for grooms-to-be as well as their attendants. CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE BIGGEST PARTY YOU'LL EVER HOST shows couples how they can use their budgets, personalities, and their computers to determine the appropriate reception size and type; points them toward the sites with the best explanations of the ins and outs of daytime, afternoon, evening, and destination weddings; outlines the questions they should ask prospective reception site hosts; and reminds stressed out brides- and grooms-to-be that planning a party for 200 people can be a lot like planning a party for 20 people. CHAPTER TWELVE: THAT'S GOOD EATIN' outlines the best menu planning web sites and how to use them, the art of building a memorable menu from scratch, methods of finding a great caterer effortlessly using online reviews and the major wedding web sites, questions to ask potential caterers, the benefits of the buffet, online planning resources that deal specifically with food and drink budgets, how to gauge the formality of a meal, and the real story behind confusing catering contracts. CHAPTER THIRTEEN: HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT helps couples decide the size, type, and style of cake they will serve by pointing them toward sites chock full of mouth-watering examples; design, bake, and decorate their own cake using easy-to-follow online tutorials; choose between traditional cakes, cupcakes, and other deserts; find cool and unique cake toppers that are sure to impress guests; and cut through hard-to-swallow baker's contracts. CHAPTER FOURTEEN: PICTURE (AND VIDEO) PERFECT guides couples to eye-opening sites that allow photographers' and videographers' previous clients to give glowing reviews or to lodge their grievances, outlines the questions brides- and grooms-to-be need to ask photographers and videographers, helps couples compose lists of must-have shots and scenes, and clarifies the main points of indistinct photographer and videographer contracts. CHAPTER FIFTEEN: PLAY THAT FUNKY MUSIC discusses the pros and cons of wedding bands versus wedding DJs, finding the perfect songs for father-daughter and mother-son dances using web sites that feature audio samples, saving money and expressing individuality with an MP3 player, speakers, and a homemade playlist; how brides- and grooms-to-be can unravel complicated band and DJ contracts; and the songs that should never be played at any wedding, ever. CHAPTER SIXTEEN: SAY IT WITH FLOWERS explains the meaning behind the blooms and features online resources for floral novices; clarifies the oftentimes confusing terminology used by florists to describe everything from bouquets to boutonnieres; points couples toward sites that can help them design and build their own floral arrangements; discusses the pros and cons of faux and dried flowers; and helps brides- and grooms-to-be understand the ins and outs of florist contracts. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: PAPER GOODS highlights some of the best online paper goods vendors and explains the traditional wedding correspondence etiquette rules that modern couples may not know, how save-the-date cards can safeguard relationships (particularly for those having destination weddings), which online services let couples create and send personalized save-the-date postcards with the click of a mouse, the basics of invitation formatting and design, and why (real, not virtual) thank you cards are so important. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: FOUR WHEELS AND A DREAM aids brides- and grooms-to-be as they research the most popular forms of wedding day transportation, examine cars and limos inside and out from the comfort of their desk chairs, wade through sometimes conflicting limousine company reviews, book their car online, and, finally, tip the driver. CHAPTER NINETEEN: WADING THROUGH THE LEGALESE helps couples get past the jargon in order to determine exactly what they will need to do to obtain a marriage license, find the best online resources that explain marriage license requirements by state, understand pre-nuptial agreements, wade through the complicated steps of the post-marital name change, and switch snail-mail addresses effortlessly on the Internet. CHAPTER TWENTY: THINGS TO REMEMBER ALONG THE WAY reminds brides- and grooms-to-be that no matter how much the wedding preparations threaten to take over their lives, they should always try to find a little time to pamper themselves and each other, and highlights sites that offer relief from pre-wedding jitters. CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: THE FINAL COUNTDOWN transports couples to the week before the wedding and outlines all of the last-minute details that need to be taken care of (via e-mail, when possible), including confirming all reservations, submitting guest counts, picking up gowns and tuxes, creating emergency kits for the bride and groom, reminding bridal party members of their wedding day duties, holding the rehearsal and dinner, mailing thank you gifts to parents, and packing for the honeymoon.

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Author Information

Christa Terry is the editor of the popular nuptial fashion, wedding etiquette, and bridal accessory website, Manolo for the Brides at www.manolobrides.com. Christa lives, works, and spends inordinate amounts of time thinking about other people's weddings in Beverly, Massachusetts.

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