I am working on putting together another site that documents all the information, DIY projects, ideas, and lessons learned from planning my own wedding. However, because I personally know three couples that are just recently engaged, I thought it best to post some information asap so that they may benefit.

These were the books that I bought, read, dog-eared (especially the second book), and recommend very highly for anyone planning a wedding. Erica and Jen, you’re more than welcome to borrow them any time.

Intimate Weddings by Christina Friedrichsen
This is a great what-type-of-wedding-do-I-want book that discusses the gazzillion different possibilities for a fantastic wedding that suits any budget. It is full of many great and inspiring real-life examples as well. I didn’t know what kind of wedding I wanted, initially… but this book inspired me to put together a wedding that best reflected Paul and me. I recommend reading this before you select either a venue or a date.

Bridal Bargains by Denise and Alan Fields
This book ought to be titled “The Essential Step-By-Step Wedding Planning Handbook.” It goes way beyond just finding good bargains. It offers very detailed coverage of all the ins and outs of the different parts of a wedding as well as potential scams and price gouging that you should watch out for. I found the suggested questions that you should ask the different vendors especially helpful.

Joining Hands and Heart by Susanna Stefanachi Macomb
This book helped me to put together an actual ceremony that incorporated all of our different multicultural heritages. If you are looking to incorporate traditions, quotations, etc. from other cultures into your ceremony, I would highly recommend this book.

Now, about those bridal magazines… that’s a whole other topic for another blog altogether.

[Disclosure: The links above are make-me-rich-one-penny-at-a-time Amazon Affiliate links.]