The latest book to hit the Irish wedding market promises to guide us through "tying the knot without the rope burns!" Distinctive Weddings by Bláithín O'Reilly Murphy is a bang up-to-date guide to planning and enjoying your big day. O'Reilly Murphy condenses every possible element of wedding planning into a handbag-sized read that can be devoured in one sitting or dipped in and out of. The author writes from experience, as she runs her own wedding planning consultancy. Her book is written for the modern noughties bride, providing a refreshing change to the usual stuffy etiquette guides and cheesy speech writing books.
A warning for grooms-to-be, however, Distinctive Weddings is most definitely a girlie read! O'Reilly Murphy writes specifically for women, recognising that brides-to-be are more likely to burden the stress of wedding planning than their darling betrothed! Her practical, straightforward, yet girlie style conjures up images of über-planner Charlotte from Sex and the City. We could imagine Charlotte having a copy of Distinctive Weddings upon her bookshelves, alongside dating bible The Rules!
The book is broken down into five sections, The Meaning of Marriage, The Practicalities, The Art of Wedding Management, Delegating and Resources. Each provides a comprehensive guide to every conceivable planning issue, from picking out the engagement ring (or "the rock") to thanking guests for their wedding gifts. The Practicalities covers the planning basics, from the legal requirements for marriage to choosing a location for the ceremony and reception. The Art of Wedding Management is more fun and girlie, describing in detail options for dressing the venue and wedding party and treating your guests to an unforgettable day. The book is packed with credit-crunch busting tips like serving a children's menu to the little ones during the wedding meal or filling empty mineral water bottles with tap water to fool your guests. We thought this tip was very clever, if a little cheeky!
The highlight of the book is the extensive appendices, where the author's professional experience serves her and her readers very well. It features sample readings for the ceremony, very helpful for the happy couple who are not regular mass-goers. Suitable music is also suggested as well as a sample Mass format booklet. Templates are provided to help the happy couple design their invitations and an exhaustive check-list is included to help the couple to keep track of the wedding budget. We love the "need to ask" questions that the bride-to-be can use to get the most out of the planning process, covering venue hire, caterer hire, stationer, transport arrangements, photographer and videographer.
In its attention to the little details, reading Distinctive Weddings is like consulting your own personal wedding planner, albeit a recession-friendly one, at just €15.95! If you're looking for a pretty yet practical guide to every possible wedding quandary, it is a wise investment. -AOIFE MURRAY
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Read the interview with the author
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