We could be a little bit biased here, and I acknowledge that. But also, I really believe that APW is the best place on the internet (and in print) to get wedding advice that is real, honest, and not just one big price tag. (I mean, there is a reason I had APW on my always wishlist of places I wanted to work⌠and jumped hard on a job the second I could.)
Thereâs tons of wedding info out there. You already know that⌠youâve googled. Especially right now in the midst of so much extra stress. Are you canceling your wedding? Postponing? Want to plan, but canât? Feeling guilty for even thinking about it? All of that is valid and real and we feel you, and we wish we could give you an in-person hug. But we canât. Because even if we were in person, weâd have to give that hug from six feet away.
So, if what you need is to come back down to earth, receive practical advice and help, plus lots of emotional guidance on the hard stuff (and the happy stuff⌠but there is so much hard stuff right now) then youâre in the right place. And, the website isnât the only place to get it. Megâs book, aptly named, A Practical Wedding: Creative Ideas for a Beautiful, Affordable, and Stress-free Celebration, is the one book that should be on your bedside during crisis planning. This book is good for normal wedding planning anxieties and concerns, and pandemic-emergency planning struggles. Itâs full of easy to absorb, useful, and calming knowledge and guidelines. Not getting married? I buy it for all my friends when they get engaged. Seriously. Iâm not just saying that because I work here.
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Maybe reading a wedding planning book isnât what you want right now. (WE GET IT.) But if you, or someone you love, is in the midst of wedding planning right now, they very likely need a hug and good emotional advice. But theyâre also, uh, stuck at home. Meg does a stellar job of covering a lot of elements of wedding planningâgrief, stress, joy, celebration⌠and while she didnât think to touch on pandemic wedding planning, the lessons still apply. Donât take my word for it, though. We asked some of the best of the industry to read the book and give their honest thoughts, and the proof is in the pudding cake⌠itâs the book we all need before we lose our minds in the wild world of wedding planning. (Fun fact: Amazon has the kindle version of both of Megâs books for $9.99 each, which a treat while online shipping is delayed everwhere!)
P.S. We asked these folx to review this book pre-pandemic, so⌠well⌠the whole world felt different a few weeks ago. Here is their wisdom:
Itâs a really fucking practical book. Couples turn to A Practical Weddingâboth the website and the bookâbecause youâre looking for a way to remain down-to-earth while planning your wedding. I know this because most of my couples are APW couples (and you are the best). At the end of the day, no matter what, you still have to plan a damn wedding. So, you might be wondering whether this new edition reads like a rambling self-help diary, when youâre pretty certain that what you need is a really good set of to-do lists. Good news! Itâs STILL PRACTICAL! Yes, Meg is going to address your emotions and experiences, but sheâs also going to begin and close each chapter with actionable, specific steps. While every chapter has got great anecdotes, examples, and insight to help guide you, youâll always draw to a close with specifics that ultimately distill the chapter down to the TL;DR: What questions should you ask? What decisions should you make? What are your next steps? âMeera Graham, Photographer
A Practical Wedding (the book) is beautifully written and incredibly touching, I did not think a book about Wedding Planning would have me in tears on the subway. This book was honest in a way I had never experienced while sifting through Wedding Blogs and Pinterest pages (thanks WIC). I am an event planner by trade but conferences and trade shows are far less emotionally charged than weddings and this book handles all the hard things (read: feelings) weddings tend to bring up in such an honest and realistic way.
Anytime anyone has asked me for advice since about wedding planning since reading this book has been strongly encouraged to read it. And every question about how I came up with that idea is always credited with âI read about it in A Practical Wedding.â Even my fiancĂŠ who is strictly an audiobooks only kind of person is reading this book, itâs that good! âTarah Silva, Regular Person
It is no secret the modern American wedding industry is a sea of madness. Meg Keeneâs refreshing (and realistic) perspective feels like an island of sanity in a sea of listicles, Pinterest fatigue and unrealistic expectations. As a professional wedding planner, it is one of the ONLY sources I recommend couples read before jumping into the planning process.
Being engaged should be a celebration of the love story you built together as it enters a new phase that brings families together for a new chapter. A Practical Wedding really helps couples keep their eye on the prize, each other. There are ample tips and tricks to navigate the necessary logistics of a wedding; like how to pick a venue and where is the best place to save money in your budget. Unlike other planning books this feels like a friend giving actually good advise that will not only save your money, but sanity in the wedding planning process. There are a million top 10 lists out there of how to plan your wedding, but very few sources that take all that information floating around and bring it back down to earth. Logistics are important, but the most stressful part of wedding planning is honestly navigating the emotional minefield that is family expectations. Meg helps your laugh through the stress and reminds you to focus on whatâs actually important.
Planning your wedding can feel like climbing Everest, and Meg makes the perfect Sherpa to get you to the summit. This book reminds you that the wedding is just the beginning of the journey and not the destination, which can so often get lost in the process. APW has always been the North Star for those trying to navigate the wedding planning waters, and that has never been more true than with this new edition. âJessica Rutherford, The Sentimental Fools
dO YOU NEED ALL THE PLANNING ADVICE YOU CAN GET AND YOUâRE READY FOR a copy of the book for yourself? Or your partner or mom? gET YOURS here. (While Amazon is limiting shipping right now, you can get the kindle version for only $9.99!)
