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Book Categories |
| Introduction | ||
| Chapter 1 | Introduction | 1 |
| So, Who Are You Guys? | 1 | |
| The 4 Truths About Weddings You Won't Read in Etiquette Books | 2 | |
| The Goal of this Book | 5 | |
| Wow! There's No Advertising! | 5 | |
| How Much Does the Average U.S. Wedding Cost? | 5 | |
| The Five Fields' Commandments for Bridal Bargains | 8 | |
| The Bridal Clock | 9 | |
| What's New in This Edition? | 10 | |
| Bridal Bargains Hall of Fame | 11 | |
| Part I | Your Wedding | |
| Chapter 2 | Apparel for the Bride | 15 |
| The Olympics of Shopping | 15 | |
| Hidden Costs Can Add Up | 17 | |
| 6 Web Sites To Ease Gown Shopping | 19 | |
| Games that Bridal Shops Play | 22 | |
| Top 7 Best Excuses for Tag Ripping | 24 | |
| Designer Trunk Shows: Tips & Traps | 28 | |
| Why Ordering a Gown Takes So Long | 33 | |
| 17 Step-by-Step Shopping Strategies | 35 | |
| Good vs. Bad Gown Quality | 37 | |
| Questions to Ask Before You Order the Gown | 40 | |
| Special Warning: Use Your Credit Card! | 41 | |
| 25 Money-Saving Secrets | 43 | |
| Top 10 Bridal Advertisers | 44 | |
| Real Wedding Tip: eBay Success Stories | 46 | |
| No Frills Deals | 50 | |
| The Myth of Italian Satin & 5 More Myths | 53 | |
| Real Wedding Tip: Make you Own Headpiece | 54 | |
| The Running of the Brides: Filene's Sale | 56 | |
| "Over-Sizing" and 14 More Pitfalls | 59 | |
| Bridal 911: What Happens if The Shop Disappears | 60 | |
| Reviews of the Top 66 Bridal Designers | 72 | |
| Chart: Designers Compared | 74 | |
| Chart: Also Known As: Designer Aliases | 76 | |
| Looking for a Large Size | 79 | |
| Big Mark-Ups Ahead: Accessories & Extras | 92 | |
| The Catalog Chase | 101 | |
| Fake Vera's and Marshall Fields | 102 | |
| Best Buy: Save 20% to 40% by mail | 104 | |
| Best Buy: Discount Gown Web Sites | 107 | |
| Best Buy: Bridal Outlets | 113 | |
| Factory Stores New Twist on Outlets | 115 | |
| Not Recommended: David's Bridal | 118 | |
| Gown Preservation | 121 | |
| Bridal Magazines: Friend or Foe? | 123 | |
| Chapter 3 | Apparel for the Wedding Party | 125 |
| Bridesmaids' Gowns | 125 | |
| Our Buying Strategy | 126 | |
| 5 Shopping Strategies | 128 | |
| Do it by Mail and 12 More Money-Savers | 128 | |
| Chart: Bridesmaids Options | 132 | |
| Square Peg, Round Hole and 7 More Pitfalls | 135 | |
| Real Wedding Tip: Delivery, Sizing Problems | 137 | |
| Reviews of 24 Maids Designers & Manufactures | 141 | |
| "Made in America" Maids Dresses Disappearing | 142 | |
| Are Gown Knock-Offs Legal? | 144 | |
| Tuxedos: The Three Options | 152 | |
| Grooms in Cyberspace | 154 | |
| 5 Money-Saving Secrets | 155 | |
| Tux Shopping Tips & Recommendations | 157 | |
| Chapter 4 | Ceremony Sites | 159 |
| Religious vs. Civil Ceremonies | 160 | |
| 7 Sources for Ceremony Sites & Officiants | 161 | |
| Important Questions to Ask the Site Coordinator | 163 | |
| Real Wedding Tip: Church Fees Can Add Up | 163 | |
| Most/Least Popular Wedding Months by State | 164 | |
| Why Civic Sites are Best Bargains | 166 | |
| Chapter 5 | Wedding Flowers | 167 |
| Average Floral Costs | 168 | |
| Florists Come in Three Flavors | 168 | |
| Three Floral Web Sites for Advice, Bargains | 169 | |
| Florist Shopping: 9 Steps Et 11 Questions to Ask | 171 | |
| 22 Money-Savers | 174 | |
| Table Centerpieces On the Cheap | 176 | |
| Seven Floral Best Buys | 179 | |
| Go European and 7 More Helpful Tips | 181 | |
| The Mercedes Syndrome and 5 More Pitfalls | 183 | |
| Real Wedding Tip: The Surprise Consulting Fee | 185 | |
| Trends: Martha Et More | 186 | |
| Spotlight on Roses: Types Et Colors | 188 | |
| Best Buy: Buying Flowers at Wholesale on the 'Net | 189 | |
| Best Buy: Craft Stores | 192 | |
| Dictionary of Wedding Flowers | 194 | |
| Chapter 6 | Invitations | 195 |
| Why Invitations Are Priced a La Carte | 195 | |
| Where to Buy: Retail vs. Mail Order | 197 | |
| 8 Cool Invitation Web Sites | 199 | |
| 9 Steps in the Ordering Process | 201 | |
| 5 Questions to Ask A Stationer | 203 | |
| Real Wedding Tip: How Many Should You Invite? | 204 | |
| Thermography and 11 More Money-Savers | 205 | |
| Brazen Bridal Registries Et Five More Helpful Hints | 209 | |
| The "Engraved Invitation" Myth | 211 | |
| "Pet Postal Peeves" and 7 More Pitfalls | 211 | |
| 11 of the Best Stationary Printers | 216 | |
| Do It By Mail: 12 Invitation Catalogs | 220 | |
| Chart: Mail Order Invites Compared | 222 | |
| Best Buy: Wedding Invitation Kit CD-ROM | 225 | |
| Best Buy: Online Invitation Discounters | 226 | |
| Real Wedding Tip: Do-it-yourself Paper Supplies | 227 | |
| Spotlight: Wedding Favors: 9 Ideas | 228 | |
| Part II | Your Reception | |
| Chapter 7 | Reception Sites | 233 |
| The Big Trade-Off | 234 | |
| Six Surprising Sources | 234 | |
| Finding Sites on the Web | 236 | |
| 11 Questions to Ask Any Site | 238 | |
| Best Bargains: Biz Hotels, Civic Sites and More | 240 | |
| Tent Rental 101 | 241 | |
| The Marriage Mark-Up | 243 | |
| Kickbacks and 6 More Pitfalls to Avoid | 245 | |
| 6 Most Common Site Types: Good, Bad News | 249 | |
| Real Wedding Tip: Catering Insider Dishes Dirt | 250 | |
| Hotels: Never Pay the Rack Rate! | 252 | |
| The Amazing Send-Off: Fireworks | 259 | |
| Chapter 8 | Catering | 261 |
| The Big Bucks: Food, Beverages, Labor, Rentals | 261 | |
| Real Wedding Tip: Open vs. Cash Bars | 263 | |
| Average Catering Costs | 264 | |
| The Two Types of Caterers | 265 | |
| When To Book a Caterer | 266 | |
| 18 Questions to Ask | 268 | |
| The Dessert Reception Et 19 More Money-Savers | 270 | |
| Plastic Plate Myth | 275 | |
| Deals at Wholesale Clubs | 276 | |
| Real Wedding Tip: Tips on Tipping | 278 | |
| "Frozen Food" and 5 More Pitfalls | 279 | |
| How to Feed 100 for $100 | 279 | |
| Chapter 9 | Photography | 285 |
| What You're Buying: Candids, Albums, Portraits | 285 | |
| What Are Exposures, Proofs, Prints? | 287 | |
| Where NOT to Look For a Good Photographer | 288 | |
| CyberPhotos | 289 | |
| Proofless Studios Speed Album Deliveries | 290 | |
| 35mm vs. Medium Format Cameras | 291 | |
| Why Personality is Just As Important As Skill | 296 | |
| 9 Shopping Strategies | 297 | |
| Questions to Ask Any Wedding Photographer | 298 | |
| 11 Money-Savers, including the Kodak Party Pak | 301 | |
| Art Leather Albums: The Inside Story | 302 | |
| Real Wedding Tip: Mail Order Albums | 307 | |
| "Bait Et Switch" and 8 More Pitfalls | 310 | |
| The Great Before or After Controversy | 310 | |
| Odd Angles Et Blurred Shots: Latest Trends | 318 | |
| Chapter 10 | Cakes | 319 |
| Average Total Costs | 320 | |
| Nine Wedding Cake Trends | 321 | |
| The Three Types of Bakeries | 322 | |
| How Soon To Book the Baker? | 324 | |
| Taste Tests and More Shopping Strategies | 324 | |
| Five Questions to Ask | 325 | |
| Cake Slight-Of-Hand & 9 More Bargains | 326 | |
| Real Wedding Tip: That's Nuts! | 327 | |
| The "Mystery White Icing" and 4 More Pitfalls | 328 | |
| Disappearing Deposits | 330 | |
| Chapter 11 | Wedding Videos | 331 |
| "In-Camera" vs Post-Editing | 332 | |
| Average Costs | 332 | |
| How to Find a Good Videographer | 333 | |
| 5 Basics of a Good Wedding Video | 335 | |
| Videos: Good, Bad, Ugly | 338 | |
| 10 Questions to Ask | 340 | |
| Ceremony Only Packages and 11 More Bargains | 342 | |
| The Balkans of Bridal | 342 | |
| The "Director's Disease" Pitfall | 346 | |
| New trends: Webcasting, TV Themes, Retrospectives | 349 | |
| Chapter 12 | Entertainment | 351 |
| Ceremony Music: Prelude, Processional/Recessional | 351 | |
| Reception Music: Bands & DJ's | 352 | |
| Nine Surprising Sources for Musicians | 353 | |
| Finding a DJ on the 'Net | 355 | |
| Step-by-Step Shopping Strategies | 356 | |
| 11 Questions to Ask Musicians | 359 | |
| Avoiding December and 8 More Money-Savers | 360 | |
| Real Wedding Tip: Hiring Student Musicians | 362 | |
| The "Yucky DJ Myth" | 363 | |
| Canned vs. Fresh: Hire a Band or DJ? | 364 | |
| Milli Vanilli Demo Tapes and 4 More Pitfalls | 366 | |
| Agents: Helping Hand or Scum of the Earth? | 369 | |
| Chapter 13 | Etcetera | 371 |
| Limousines | 371 | |
| Shopping Strategies, Money-Savers | 373 | |
| Rent a Cadillac and 9 other money-savers | 374 | |
| Real Wedding Tip: Sleazy Limo Driver | 376 | |
| Wedding Rings | 376 | |
| Best Buy: Get Your Rings at a Discount | 380 | |
| Dubious Items: Wedding Insurance, Name Change Kits | 381 | |
| Royal Prestige Cookware Pitch Exposed | 382 | |
| Bridal Shows: Highway to Bridal Hell? | 384 | |
| Wedding Consultants | 386 | |
| Question to Ask a Bridal Planner | 387 | |
| Pitfalls to Avoid | 388 | |
| Gift Registries | 390 | |
| 16 Salt-N-Pepper Shakers and 3 More Pitfalls | 393 | |
| 6 Money-Saving Tips | 394 | |
| How to turn unwanted gifts into cash | 395 | |
| Honeymoons | 395 | |
| 15 Honeymoon Bargains | 396 | |
| Chart: When is the Off Season? | 397 | |
| Hurricane Proof Your Honeymoon | 399 | |
| Chapter 14 | Canada | 403 |
| Bridal Gowns: Designer Reviews, Money-Savers | 403 | |
| Invitations: Canadian Mail Order Catalogs | 408 | |
| A Web Site for Canada Brides | 410 | |
| Chapter 15 | Bridal 911: Last Minute Consumer Tips | 411 |
| Meet the Surrogate Bad Cop | 412 | |
| The Final Checkup | 412 | |
| Wedding Day Crises: How to Survive Them | 413 | |
| Chapter 16 | Conclusion: What Does it All Mean? | 415 |
| Appendix | Setting a Budget | 416 |
| Appendix | Phone/Web Directory | 421 |
| Index | 428 | |
| About the Authors |
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
Chris Bishop
reviewed Bridal Bargains: Secrets to Throwing A Fantastic Wedding On A Realistic Budget on November 20, 2009
Bridal Bargains
I'm updating this review from my previous "yay". Yes this book is chocked full of great info but there are some annoyances:
1.) I originally read most of the parts from a previous edition from the library. Imagine my disappointment when I saw that the coveted breakdown of dress manufacture quirks was - missing. Instead they only provide you with a quick reference chart. This was extremely disappointing to me as I gathered from a previous edition that some of the problems that give a lower rating has NOTHING to do with quality. Since I was not buying from a salon (was looking on used and sample sites) this was extremely misleading.
2.) Which brings me to point 2: little mention of sites where you can get used or sample items. Except for craigslist which they acted like was some new invention (I'll bet most brides reading this book are already very familiar with craigslist.) Sites like BravoBride.com (and MANY others) are like a gold mine for good deals.
3.) Things they alluded to having TONS OF INFO on their website were sadly sparse and hard to locate. Very few brides use the forums, making them hardly useful. Especially when you are looking for local vendor suggestions.
4.) I don't know if several of their recommendations went defunct after publishing or if they just didn't check them to begin with: very annoying. In either case, this info should have been provided in the update section of their website. It's not and there are many errors. After awhile you don't even want to keep looking to see if websites or info is accurate.
5.)They put recommendations from brides without checking on them. For example, there is a recommendation for an invitation website in India that has beautiful cards. The recommendation gave a price quote that was wrong. No the prices weren't raised, she just didn't include shipping, handling, printing, etc. - which from that website (and most Indian Invitation websites) will be well over $150.00. The $125 worth of invitations quickly jumps to $300+ when you printing with S&H. A bride could spend several hours of wasted time before figuring this out. Since this is a bridal bargain book, it really should have incorportated WAAAAAYYYYYY more DIY alternatives.
There are more, but you get my drift. It might be better just to see if your local library carries the book in a past version as most of the useful stuff has not changed (except maybe some dress purchasing items that can quickly be found out. One of their previous recemmendations went out of business.)
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Add Bridal Bargains: Secrets to Throwing A Fantastic Wedding On A Realistic Budget, Wow! Finally, a wedding book for the rest of us. With average wedding costs soaring over $25,000, you need real life solutions and creative ideas to plan a wedding without going bankrupt. Bridal Bargains is the answer! Now in its 10th edition with over 70, Bridal Bargains: Secrets to Throwing A Fantastic Wedding On A Realistic Budget to the inventory that you are selling on WonderClubX
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Add Bridal Bargains: Secrets to Throwing A Fantastic Wedding On A Realistic Budget, Wow! Finally, a wedding book for the rest of us. With average wedding costs soaring over $25,000, you need real life solutions and creative ideas to plan a wedding without going bankrupt. Bridal Bargains is the answer! Now in its 10th edition with over 70, Bridal Bargains: Secrets to Throwing A Fantastic Wedding On A Realistic Budget to your collection on WonderClub |
