| Introduction | 1 |
| About This Book | 1 |
| Conventions Used in This Book | 2 |
| Foolish Assumptions | 2 |
| How This Book Is Organized | 3 |
| Icons Used in This Book | 5 |
| Where to Go from Here | 6 |
| Part I | The Glass Slipper Fits - Now What? | 7 |
| Chapter 1 | First Things First | 9 |
| The "Ize" Have It | 9 |
| Working with a Wedding Planner | 18 |
| Chapter 2 | Avoiding Those Wedding-Bill Blues | 21 |
| Love Is a Money-Spender Thing | 22 |
| Start Spreadsheeting the News | 22 |
| Controlling Costs | 26 |
| Comprehending Contracts | 27 |
| Take a Tip: Calculating Gratuities | 30 |
| Bargain Hunting Online | 33 |
| Chapter 3 | Making It All Legal | 35 |
| License to Thrive | 35 |
| Drawing Up a Pre-nup | 37 |
| Playing the Name Game | 38 |
| Alerting the Media | 40 |
| Unplanning a Wedding | 43 |
| Part II | Be Our Guest | 45 |
| Chapter 4 | Space: The First Frontier | 47 |
| Looking for Love in All the Right Places | 47 |
| Do You Need More Than One Space? | 51 |
| Taking a Space Walk | 52 |
| When There's No Place Like Home | 55 |
| Planning a Destination Wedding | 59 |
| Chapter 5 | By Invitation Only | 63 |
| Preliminary Planning | 63 |
| Formalities First | 65 |
| How Else Can We Put This? | 75 |
| Rehearsal Dinner Invitations | 80 |
| Extracurricular Events | 81 |
| Typefaces and Other Technicalities | 82 |
| Addressing Traditions | 86 |
| Creating Your Own Invitations | 90 |
| It's a Mail Thing | 92 |
| Chapter 6 | The Weekend Wedding | 95 |
| A Typical Timeline | 95 |
| Asking Guests to Save the Weekend | 97 |
| Telling Guests What They Need to Know | 99 |
| Winning Welcomes | 103 |
| Chapter 7 | Creating a Foolproof Wedding-Day Schedule | 105 |
| Putting Everyone on the Same Page | 105 |
| Creating the Master Schedule | 108 |
| Receiving-Line Logistics | 112 |
| Chapter 8 | Other Creative Celebrations | 115 |
| To Leap, Perchance to Theme | 115 |
| Happy and Gay and Getting Married | 118 |
| Strategizing a Military Wedding | 121 |
| Surprising Your Spouse-to-Be | 122 |
| Private Ceremony, Public Party | 123 |
| Giving Marriage Another Try | 123 |
| Say It Again: Renewing Your Vows | 124 |
| Partying Before and After the Wedding | 125 |
| Part III | Ceremony Survival Guide | 133 |
| Chapter 9 | Attending to Your Attendants | 135 |
| Choosing Your Entourage | 135 |
| Next Stop: Wardrobe | 138 |
| Showing Your Appreciation | 149 |
| Chapter 10 | Sensational Ceremonies | 151 |
| Evaluating Prospective Officiants | 151 |
| Getting Married in a House of Worship | 153 |
| Deciding the Order of Events | 153 |
| Religious Rites and Rules | 155 |
| All Together, Vow! | 172 |
| Places, Everyone - Time to Rehearse | 175 |
| Getting with the Program | 178 |
| Chapter 11 | Flower Power | 187 |
| Finding a Fab Florist | 187 |
| Scent-sational Ceremonies | 188 |
| Redolent Receptions | 196 |
| Making Alternative Arrangements | 199 |
| Keeping the Bloom On | 200 |
| Chapter 12 | Music to Get Married By | 201 |
| They're Playing Our Song | 201 |
| Choosing Ceremony Musicians | 208 |
| Part IV | A Rousing Reception | 209 |
| Chapter 13 | Get Up and Dance | 211 |
| Setting the Tone | 211 |
| Booking the Band | 216 |
| Spinning with a DJ | 222 |
| Chapter 14 | What's on the Menu? | 225 |
| Finding and Working with the Perfect Caterer | 225 |
| The Beauty of the Feast | 229 |
| Making Menus Memorable | 234 |
| When Dinner Is Not Served | 237 |
| Chapter 15 | Let's Drink to That | 243 |
| Tending Bar | 243 |
| Avoiding Traffic Jams | 252 |
| Bar Aesthetics: Set Up and Take Notice | 253 |
| Specialty Bars: Blithe Spirits | 254 |
| Selecting Wine, Beer, and Champagne | 256 |
| A Few Words about Toasts | 259 |
| Chapter 16 | A Piece of Cake | 261 |
| Baking Away | 261 |
| Two Hearts, Two Cakes | 266 |
| Cake on Display: No Drolling, Please | 267 |
| Cutting the Cake | 268 |
| Chapter 17 | Setting the Stage | 271 |
| What to Contemplate Before You Decorate | 271 |
| Choosing a Wedding Designer | 274 |
| What's in a Room? | 275 |
| An In-Tents Experience | 292 |
| Doing Your Guests a Favor | 293 |
| Part V | Gifts, Garb, Pics, and Trips | 295 |
| Chapter 18 | Greed Expectations and Registry Realities | 297 |
| Retail Details | 298 |
| Beyond Department Stores | 299 |
| Surfing for Gifts | 301 |
| Hinting and Hoping | 301 |
| What We Really Want? Well, It Rhymes with Honey | 302 |
| Keeping Track | 303 |
| Giving Thanks | 304 |
| Problem Presents | 307 |
| Chapter 19 | And the Bride Wore | 309 |
| Sizing Up Your Style | 309 |
| Getting the Goods | 319 |
| Underneath It All | 324 |
| No Mean Feet | 325 |
| Heads Up | 327 |
| From Hair to Eternity | 330 |
| Making Your Face Wedding-Proof | 331 |
| Finishing Touches | 333 |
| Getting into the Gown | 335 |
| Caring for Your Gown after the Party | 336 |
| Chapter 20 | Rings That Rock | 339 |
| Evaluating a Diamond | 339 |
| If Diamonds Aren't Your Best Friend | 343 |
| Setting Pretty | 345 |
| Metal Matters | 346 |
| Don't Leave Out the Groom | 347 |
| Finding the Right Ring | 347 |
| Chapter 21 | For Posterity: Photos and Videos | 351 |
| Getting Focused | 351 |
| Take Your Pic | 352 |
| Videotaping Your Day | 365 |
| Safekeeping the Past for the Future | 368 |
| Chapter 22 | Handling the Honeymoon | 369 |
| Determining Your Honeymoon Style | 369 |
| Researching Destinations Online | 372 |
| Working with a Travel Agent | 373 |
| Making Your Money Travel Farther | 374 |
| Hitting the Road (Or Sky): Tips Before You Travel | 376 |
| Going Abroad | 377 |
| Part VI | The Part of Tens | 379 |
| Chapter 23 | Ten Tacky Temptations We Beg You to Resist | 381 |
| Indulging in Prewedding Debauchery | 381 |
| Broadcasting Your Registry | 382 |
| Banking the Booty | 382 |
| Playing Musical Chairs | 382 |
| Bad-Mouthing In-Laws-to-Be | 382 |
| Turning Guests into Photographers | 383 |
| Making Yours the Longest Day | 383 |
| Knocking Others' Weddings | 383 |
| Having an "Adult" Garter Grab | 383 |
| Forgetting that Those You've Invited Are Guests | 384 |
| Chapter 24 | Ten Tricks for Saving Money | 385 |
| Cut the Guest List | 385 |
| Remember the Old Wedding Adage: To Save a Cent, Rent, Rent, Rent! | 385 |
| Let's Not Do Lunch (Or Dinner) | 386 |
| Avoid Overtime | 386 |
| Limit the Liquor | 386 |
| Dress for Less | 387 |
| Skip the Fancy Details | 387 |
| Orchestra in a Box | 387 |
| Do Easy Things Yourself | 388 |
| Get Married Off-Peak | 388 |
| Index | 389 |
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