Best wedding books according to redditors

We found 78 Reddit comments discussing the best wedding books. We ranked the 34 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.

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Subcategories:

Wedding ceremony & toasts books
Wedding gowns books
Wedding planner books
Wedding showers & receptions books
Honeymoon travel guides books
Wedding etiquette books
Wedding photography books
Wedding budget books

Top Reddit comments about Weddings:

u/BeebopMcGee · 18 pointsr/weddingplanning

Headcount is the #1 driver of wedding expenses, so the first approach is to chop that guest list down. It's not always a popular decision, but one thing you can do is cut kids. Cut +1s. Consider having just immediate family only (parents, siblings). Or cut down on extended family (we're doing siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts + uncles, and cousins. If my dad were paying, we'd be inviting all of my great aunts/uncles and their kids as well.). You're going to have to make some tough decisions here, but since you're paying for the wedding, stick to your guns.

After that, food and booze are going to be your next biggest expense. Scrap the evening full dinner reception. What about brunch with mimosas instead of a full bar? Or a backyard picnic, as /u/waffleandbear suggests? City parks are also great places for picnics.

Finally, I really liked this book - http://www.amazon.com/Bridal-Bargains-9th-Edition-Fantastic/dp/1889392294/ref=cm_lmf_tit_17 and thought it was helpful in coming up with ideas about how to save.

u/AmeriqanTreeSparrow · 13 pointsr/weddingplanning

So, there's nothing wrong with getting a book if you're a pen/paper kind of organized (I am too, I HAVE to write things down). Yes there are tons of online resources but some people just need to write things down and that's totally fine. But that book is from 2004 which is 12 years old, and just looking at the cover I can tell it's probably a veryyyyy traditional book. Yes I judge books by their covers.

If you want something a little more modern I would suggest getting one of these:

u/sneakyysam · 7 pointsr/weddingplanning

The Knot wedding planner has 2 checklists and one is for a 6 month planning period! I'm not sure if they also have it on their website but here is the planner!

u/[deleted] · 6 pointsr/weddingplanning

Mandy Weiss says to order the dresses 4-6 months before the wedding. I highly recommend her book: The Wedding Book. It literally goes over absolutely everything, and has a whole chapter on how to dress your ladies.

u/LordAndLadyNeon · 5 pointsr/JUSTNOMIL

TYVM

We've only been officially engaged for a few months now. We haven't even bought the 3inch wedding planning binder yet, let alone seriously talked about if we're going to have a summer wedding or not. Why? are? they? so? expensive?

<SARCASM>Thank you for reminding me about the most joyous and least stressful part of the wedding planning process: the guest list.</SARCASM>

u/sorrythankyouno · 5 pointsr/weddingplanning

We purchased this book when we first got engaged. It was immensely helpful in figuring things out!

u/GingerDryad · 5 pointsr/pagan

I recommend Handfasting and Wedding Rituals. It has lots of great ideas and sample fusion wedding including a Pagan-Catholic wedding.

u/sharkbaitooaha · 5 pointsr/weddingplanning

Congrats on your engagement! Non religious ceremonies are common and popular. You will need a justice of the peace or officiant to marry you, and you will still need to carry out the procedure of getting a marriage license, the rules of which vary depending on which state you live in. Otherwise, you don't need to do anything official besides getting your marriage license and showing up for your wedding.

Regarding who pays, it was long ago a tradition that the bride's parents pay, but that is honestly an old tradition that isn't really followed anymore. In my experience, usually the bride and groom pay and plan, but sometimes the parents will offer to contribute (they are not asked however). If they do offer to pay for all or part of your wedding, it is good courtesy to ask if there are certain people they would like to invite, or things they would like to see at the wedding.

Wedding party: totally optional. You can have 8 bridesmaids, or 1 maid of honor, or no one. If your fiance is having 5 groomsmen, you do not need to have 5 bridesmaids. It's really a "do whatever you want" kind of thing. If you do choose to have a bridal party, just remember that they are not responsible for anything such as planning a bridal shower or bachelorette party, or helping you DIY centerpieces and stamp invitations. A lot of American wedding movies make it look like bridesmaids are slaves to the bride, but this is actually really frowned upon. If your bridesmaid offer to plan a shower or help you with invitations, that's a different story.

Some other American things are registering for household items, maybe sending out save-the-dates 9-12 months before the wedding (this is optional), sending invitations out 6-8 weeks before the wedding, having a cocktail party after the ceremony that leads right into the reception, having a first dance with your husband, possibly doing mother/son and father/daughter dances (also optional), getting a DJ, cutting cake, and maybe doing an after-party somewhere.

I'm the oldest in my family and first to get married, so I didn't have a ton of help planning my wedding. I read this book which was helpful (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003DYGO0K/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1#nav-subnav) and also perused wedding websites such as The Knot. Feel free to PM me for any other questions!!

u/Karnivore · 4 pointsr/wedding

You can totally do it, it'll just be fast paced from the get go. You'll have to prioritize to get things done in the right time frames.
This planner helped me, it has great tips and timelines, but it has way more stuff than any sane bride is actually going to use. If you get it, just throw away the pages that you don't care so much about.
Pointers from me personally would be to set your budget and guest list as soon as possible as they dictate almost all of the decisions that follow. Then find a venue and photographer, as they book up fast. And finally, if you want a wedding gown done the traditional way (made to your specific measurements, instead of trying to find something that is already the right style/size) you should start looking now.
You will definitely be able to get it done! Hope it's not too stressful!

u/dmorin · 4 pointsr/shakespeare

Nobody gets married on stage. Marriage is a holy sacrament, and they would not depict one in something so sacreligious as the theatre. That's why all weddings are either interrupted, offstage, or "fake". It's confusing because some movies will depict a wedding scene (Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet) but in the original text that's not how it went.

I wrote a whole book about Shakespeare and weddings, if you're curious. It's 90% quotes to use before, during and after the wedding, but there's context in there as well.

u/Izaet · 4 pointsr/Wicca

This book really gave me a lot of really good information.

u/rebeckys · 3 pointsr/etiquette

I agree with the above comment that as long as you wife is not actually writing the notes, maybe she can help with addressing, etc. Although, I personally think that is out of the scope of her duties. Maybe your wife should get the bride this book; it helped me a lot during my wedding. Miss Manners Wedding Book

u/dithbot · 3 pointsr/weddingplanning

I really liked The Wedding Book. Lots of lists and even stickers in the back to use as tabs!

u/_lesterburnham · 3 pointsr/weddingplanning

The Knot has a great book to walk you through all the stages of wedding planning and answered a lot of my questions. I've found it to be super helpful!

https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Wedding-Planner-Organizer-binder/dp/0770433367

u/bmoreirish · 3 pointsr/wedding

People or physical planners? I’ve been recommended the one from The Knot:

The Knot Planner

u/katieshineh · 3 pointsr/weddingplanning

hi! i am all about planning as well. i have two wedding planning books at home. 1 my sister gave me so i cant really give that one away but the other... im PRETTY SURE is this one: https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Wedding-Planner-Organizer-binder/dp/0770433367/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=38MC6XSKE7A1A6S3Q5RG

if you like it (and it was the one i can give away - i can check tonight) you can have it. just pay for shipping.

u/facepizza · 3 pointsr/weddingplanning

Can commiserate about mom being overbearing.

My advice to you (based on your description of your mom maybe this isn't a good idea—but it's what I wish I had done about six months ago) is to have a "boundaries" conversation with your mother. Tell her that you appreciate her input, but that you are going to be making final decisions on things, and she's going to have to deal with it. Nicer than that, but you know. Something along the lines of "all you want is for me to happy, right? Okay, well, I will be much happier if you let me make my own decisions like an adult."

It also might be worth mentioning that weddings are just DIFFERENT now than they were whenever she got married. Trends, and "traditions" come and go, but none of it really MATTERS other than what you want to do, as long as you can afford it.

I also recommend reading A Practical Wedding, and for further reading, One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding. These books cover the topics of how when people talk about wedding "traditions", they're really only talking about things that have happened specifically in the Western world, mostly in the last 50 years. Brides didn't even wear white until about 100 years ago. The most historically "traditional" wedding you could have would be in the best dress you already own, with some flowers picked from your front garden, and it would take place in your living room.

I can't tell you how many times my mom pulled the "tradition" card during my planning and I called bullshit. It's liberating—try it!

P.S. Sorry for the wall of text...got carried away.

u/jaspysmom · 3 pointsr/weddingplanning

Check this out! I’m a huge list person and this has been really helpful for me.

u/Warschaw · 2 pointsr/druidism

I used this book when I first got started doing handfasting and year and a day ceremonies.

Handfasting and Wedding Rituals: Welcoming Hera's Blessing https://www.amazon.com/dp/0738704709/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ug4ZDb141J9FZ

And I am ordained through the ULC. The credentials are good for all of the US. Not sure about anywhere else.

https://ulc.net/

u/gildedbat · 2 pointsr/Awwducational

I ADORE pygmy goats! Lucky you! What sort of degree/program are you looking at for grad school?

Also, congrats on the pending nuptials! I got married 3 years ago and miss the wedding planning. It was so much fun! I highly recommend Miss Manners' Guide to a Surprisingly Dignified Wedding. It will help you keep things in perspective and keep you from being distracted by all the wedding-related BS that is so prevalent today.

u/Jenesaispas86 · 2 pointsr/weddingplanning

I have The Knot Wedding Planner and Organizer binder. It's amazing. It has checklists, to do lists, questions to ask each vendor, timelines, etc. Best money that I spent.

u/cyraenica · 2 pointsr/Judaism

As someone else mentioned, Telushkin's books are very good.

For wedding specific books, when I was planning my wedding, I read both Anita Diamant's The New Jewish Wedding and The Creative Jewish Wedding Book. Both were very helpful.

The Reform movement's publishing arm has just published a new book about Jewish weddings called Beyond Breaking the Glass, and the one amazon review on it so far says it is very user friendly. I have also seen Meeting at the Well recommended for engaged couples.

I have not read it yet, since I just found out about it, but apparently Robert Alter's translation of the Torah is very poetic.

You should take a look at r/judaism's book list as well.

u/a_stitch_in_lime · 2 pointsr/weddingplanning

The knot used to send out binders like that but I think as they got more popular that went away. Maybe they still have the papers on the site you could print?

Edit: Looks like they're out at theknot.com but amazon has some! http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0770433367

u/corcar86 · 2 pointsr/weddingplanning

My sister-in-law sent me this when I got engaged and I found it helpful :)

u/ashlifires · 2 pointsr/weddingplanning

Was it this one?

u/MizMarbs · 2 pointsr/weddingplanning

Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas! :) Here are a couple things I liked in my planning:

  1. Wedding Planning for the Busy Feminist - Practical and funny and very useful day-of timelines. Also a great appendix of vendors, designers, etc. https://www.amazon.com/Wedding-Planning-Feminist-Amanda-Pendolino/dp/1980821887

  2. The Knot's Planning Binder - Great for organizing contracts and business cards, I liked their color swatches for choosing coordinating colors. https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Wedding-Planner-Organizer-binder/dp/0770433367

  3. Budget Savvy Bride Wedding Planner & Organizer https://www.amazon.com/Budget-Savvy-Wedding-Planner-Organizer-Checklists/dp/1623159857

  4. K Company Smash Book - My sister in law gave me this - a great place to collect all sorts of mementos as you're planning your special day! https://www.amazon.com/K-Company-30-659391-CompanySMASH-Wedding/dp/B007HONAV8/

    ​
u/SlothMold · 2 pointsr/AskReddit

So far, I've found Budget Weddings for Dummies to contain the most reasonable advice. It was the only one I could find that didn't start off assuming that you'd want matching, hand-dyed napkins, etc. Pretty good glossary and diagrams of different tuxedos, necklines, and things like that as well.

u/Fabianzzz · 2 pointsr/Hellenism

Handfasting and Wedding Rituals has some Greek weddings, and some specifically gay Pagan weddings. Hellenic Polytheism: Household Worship also contains a wedding ritual as well.

Are there deities you feel exceptionally close to? They should be a part of it. If not, Hera, Aphrodite, Eros and Hymen are certainly important, as they are deities of love, and you may also wish to call upon gods of gay love (Aphrodite again, Dionysus, Antinous).

As a gay man who also hopes to one day get married (At the theatre of Dionysus, if it works), please feel free to share your ideas!

u/kittykittystack · 2 pointsr/wedding

Also, invest in a wedding planning book (or find a website). I have "Easy Wedding Planning Plus" http://www.amazon.com/Easy-Wedding-Planning-Plus-Comprehensive/dp/1887169369. It is extremely helpful and includes checklists, a budget outline, money saving tips, ideas, instructions, etc. It has everything. It's the only thing that has helped me really figure out what's going on and where to start. Congrats and good luck with everything!

u/leafy_green_ · 2 pointsr/weddingplanning

I have an ebook of this, not the hard copy, but I am finding http://www.amazon.com/The-Wedding-Book-Big-Your/dp/0761139605 to be very, very thorough. The reviews about it not being helpful for small weddings are a bit off-base, too, so even if your wedding is smaller/more affordable I think it's still helpful. You'll just have some sections to skip if your wedding is less complex.

I actually find it overwhelmingly comprehensive at the moment, but it has brought up things that wouldn't have occurred to me. There are two pretty detailed timelines, one for a year-long engagement and one for shorter engagements, and for each vendor there's a checklist of things you should ask them about. I guess there's a companion ring-bound organizer, too, if you're into that. I haven't personally bought it so I don't know how helpful it is, but based on having read some of the book I like the author's approach and she knows her stuff.

u/sncastor · 2 pointsr/weddingplanning

I purchased the Knot's binder. Though it's been supremely helpful at keeping me organized, make sure she takes some of the info it includes with a grain of salt. For example, it has wonderful budget guides. However, it accounts for expenses that don't gel with everyone's vision for their wedding day...she should feel free to edit the tools it provides, or not use the ones she doesn't need.

Also, A Practical Wedding has been a wonderful resource to keep me grounded and focused on what matters to my FH and I.

u/egjg · 1 pointr/wedding

Try books!

I haven't read this one, but it looks promising: The Wedding Officiant's Guide: How to Write and Conduct a Perfect Ceremony.

I bought this one because FH & I are writing our own ceremony for our aunt to officiate and it's been really helpful so far: The Wedding Ceremony Planner: The Essential Guide to the Most Important Part of Your Wedding Day. Head's up, she does recommend at the beginning that you don't have non-pro officiants, but we just disregarded that. There's tons of details in there about planning a ceremony I had never thought of, and a ton of ceremony examples.

EDIT: Oh shit just realized you're 48 hours out from the wedding??? You can read those in browser or on a Kindle if you have one... good luck!

u/MedicSBK · 1 pointr/weddingplanning

First: Congratulations!

Second: There's a binder that The Knot has released. Here is the link. You won't be sorry!

u/katiejoh · 1 pointr/weddingplanning

I was anti-DB before (thanks to a fantastic article in this book) but as I got carried away with other projects I realized the only place that could get my bridesmaid dresses in time was...DB. I walked in and found my dream dress right in front, so I was screwed. Ladies, the good thing is that once your wedding day has passed the mail stops. I don't get any more calls, mail, or e-mail. It sucked for a while there though...

u/Satiah · 1 pointr/paganism

http://www.amazon.ca/Handfasting-Wedding-Rituals-Welcoming-Blessing/dp/0738704709

I used this one for my hand-fasting. it's really good.

u/hillarymac · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

Hello, I am Jewish as well..since your getting married I found you some essentials you didn't have on you list This gorgeousmezuzah and this awesome

and this awesome book
"You can't pick your friends nose"

u/SpicyLikePepper · 1 pointr/pics

I found mine at a salon. It's an Alfred Angelo, so the quality is slightly better than David's. You should try finding cheaper designers first, and then the salons that carry them. I bought this book, and it helped me so much! Try googling these: Anjolique, Bonny, Casablanca bridal, Group USA, J Crew (all in the book listed as cheap dresses of good quality). They have so many tips too, to make sure you don't get swindled.

u/tenkayu · 1 pointr/magick

I was looking at this https://www.amazon.com/Grimoire-Apprentice-Wizard-Oberon-Zell-Ravenheart/product-reviews/1564147118/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_summary?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=helpful the other day, it seemed to have a plethora of useful info, all gathered in one place, and I was really excited, but then I read the reviews and it seems to be loaded with misinformation (he (well, the "grey council") gets certain things wrong, such as alphabets (heiroglyphic and runic specifically), and other technical details wrong), which pretty much makes it useless. Supposedly they're making (have made?) A revised edition, but im not sure if they fixed all the errors.

Theres also this media server, which has a ton of pdfs and podcasts, theres a whole folder of grimoires, you should definitely give it a look, it may give you some ideas for books to purchase, if that is what your goal is.
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/z7x8kec9jidn2/Occult

u/heyyysarah · 1 pointr/weddingplanning

I can't seem to find our questionnaire, but it included the basics about how we met, why we're getting married, goals for the future, etc. We've settled on hiring an officiant, but I did buy this book at one point, just to get ideas: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1452119015/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

u/BestofBoston12 · 1 pointr/weddingplanning

I just posted this on a different thread but theknot.com has an awesome binder with a timelines and super helpful guidelines on what a typical wedding would include. I would be lost without it. Right now it's only $18!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0770433367/ref=sxts1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483151154&sr=1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65

u/TinyJelly · 1 pointr/weddingplanning

I got this planner and it is huge! There are spaces for interviewing 5 vendors of each type with suggested questions. If you have no idea where to start, it's a great and very inexpensive resource for how detailed it is!

u/Af84 · 1 pointr/weddingplanning

I bought this one: http://www.amazon.ca/The-Ultimate-Wedding-Planner-Organizer/dp/1934386405

It's meh. Some parts are helpful, but I really just ended up putting a lot of looseleaf into it to make lists and used the pockets to keep my contracts and receipts.

If I went back in time, I would probably forget buying a book altogether. Get a binder and some paper and use the internet for resources.

u/mweatherall988 · 1 pointr/LGBTWeddings

My friend bought me and my partner this book for our engagement, I haven't read through it all, but it does have a lot of useful and interesting advice/tips:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ooh-Yes-Do-Ultimate-Lesbian/dp/1491255854

u/CandidCallalily · 1 pointr/wedding

Seconded! I read this and Budget Weddings for Dummies and meshed principles of APW with the practicals of the Dummies book.

u/canoodle_gouda · 1 pointr/weddingplanning

Buy this book! It was my favorite resource. I was able to plan my wedding in less than 6 months.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Wedding-Book-Big-Your/dp/0761139605

First, parents, then I asked my only sister to be my MOH, called my best friends and bridesmaids... then told the world on facebook.

u/KatieBSH · 1 pointr/TwoXChromosomes

Maybe I'm a wet blanket, but I wish I could give this book to all of my engaged friends: http://www.amazon.com/Manners-Guide-Surprisingly-Dignified-Wedding/dp/0393069141

u/hardcorelove711 · 1 pointr/weddingplanning

Go to amazon and buy this book. My co-worker bought it for me and it has helped me so much in my planning. Also, pinterest works wonders for organizing all of your ideas and your bridal party can look there and learn what you are envisioning for your special day! :) I hope this helps!

u/AlohaBird · 1 pointr/weddingplanning

We use/used "The Bride's Essential Wedding Planner Deluxe Edition" I bought it on amazon for about $15.

It was really helpful for guest list creating, though I made sure to photocopy the guest pages because there wasn't enough for our less than 100 invites. It's spiral bound, which I like but the spiral came off the back. Looking back, we realized we're not really "hard book" types when it comes to planning, but I am really impressed with all the space it has for organizing and comparing options for each aspect of the wedding and all the tips and timelines. I think it might have had too many - which is probably perfect for some planners.

u/PadaWINE · 1 pointr/weddingplanning

I got the little purple one by uh...Weddings or something. Barnes and Noble, it fit in my purse, took it everywhere with me!

JK foundsies: https://www.amazon.com/Brides-Essential-Wedding-Planner-Deluxe/dp/1454908459/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=C3MNG7R48AW5RV4QNWQN

u/Readdator · 1 pointr/wedding

I looked at a bunch-- this one was best imo-- especially if your lady is a nofrills, straightforward, solid information kind of girl.

u/AuntChiladas · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

I'm hoping it is. The first time I did keto it all came off like magic. Now, meh. I mean. I'm in a lot better shape in general than when I first started. My BF is way lower and I have much more muscle now. But still. GRRR. BTW do you have a wedding DIY planner yet? The Knot one is on super sale today!