Customer Reviews

Bridal Bargains: Secrets to Throwing A Fantastic Wedding On A Realistic Budget

5 star:		(94)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As an event planner since the 80's, I've been aware of Denise & Alan Field's book for quite some time. The newest edition is just as useful now as their first one was years ago.

Long, long ago ... before the Internet ... planning your wedding was a local endeavor where you were at the mercy of Bridal Show exhibitors. If you were lucky, you could get truthful information from couples who'd already gone through the process. If you were lucky.

Bridal Bargains took the secrecy out of wedding planning and exposed it to the light of common sense and economic forces.

This book is the first one I recommend to the wedding planning classes I teach, the first one I used myself, and the most comprehensive I've found to date.

Now they've added a plethora of web site addresses.

Yes, web sites come and go, but an afternoon spent flipping through the book and trying various sites (and I compared them with a few other books who provide web address information) found this book to have the highest number of 'live' addresses. When time is at a premium, this is an important factor.

I noticed that a previous reviewer wasn't happy with the amount of the book dedicated to buying a wedding dress. I can certainly understand that, but with the majority of brides purchasing from bridal shops, discounters, and major manufacturers, this information needs to be exhaustive.

In the 22 years I've been 'doing' weddings, I have had less than 15 brides have dresses specially made for them, perhaps another 12 who wore suits or a dress not designated as 'bridal', and maybe 9 who wore a dress belonging to a Mom, Grandmother, or other family member. Denise & Alan's emphasis on dress manufacturers reflects the reality of the market.

All in all, this is a book well worth the price. Use it and save yourself time, money, and stress.

I've read a lot of these books. Each one seems to have a few usable ideas. For the money, this one is the best I've found, since it offers more specifics on exactly where to shop online, etc. Any bride with an ounce of logic gets the idea before buying the book: "shop around for the best prices and service", "get it in writing down to the last detail", and "you may have to sacrifice on certain, unimportant things to stay within your budget". Not sure I needed the book to tell me that. I already know where eBay is, and know how to find creative ideas online. It's not a bad book if you're completely lost and don't know how to surf the internet.

Ok ladies. Getting married? This is pretty much the ONLY book you'll be needing. I happened upon this book at a book store one evening, and I bought it right away... one of the best wedding-related purchases I made. This book covers just about everything you'll need to know to plan a fabulous wedding that costs you a lot less. It is well laid out and easy to follow. These guys know ALL the tricks of the trade, providing insightful information regarding ways to save money, pitfalls to avoid, wedding dress directory, useful websites and much, much more! Being from Canada, I also appreciated the Canadian section that was included. My wedding turned out wonderfully, and I have to say this book saved me a TON of money!!
This book is small and compact, easily fitting inside your purse or pocketbook. Ladies, don't get caught up in the hype! You don't need to purchase dozens of planning books. In my opinion, this is all you'll really need!

I am currently reading this book for helpful tips for a less expensive wedding. I find this book to be extremely helpful and also full of knowledge from people who have actually experienced these tips. I really like that they have actual websites and names of businesses that are useful. I would highly recommend this book for those looking to cut costs for their wedding. Although I found that many of the same things are repeated in the same chapter just more in depth.

I bought several wedding planning books, and was given a couple of others. Although they all had helpful hints, this one was definitely worth my money! The hints are fantastic, and the section on scams that bridal salons try to pull is shocking! Definitely read this book before buying your wedding dress. I recommend this book to all brides-to-be!

This book was one that my fiancee and i have read through at least 3 times each. It's a super reference for those who have no idea what to expect or where to get started. I actually kicked myself a few times when I did not review a section before visiting a vendor. These tips are REALLY useful. Even the ones you don't use yourself. Of all the books I was given or bought when we got engaged, this was hands down the most helpful. Compared to this one, none of the others were even worth the paper on which they were printed.

i found i couldn't live without this book, so now as soon as i find out a friend of family member is recently engaged, i buy every one of them a copy! i can't imagine planning without it. i keep it on my bedside table and have read it at least a dozen times! i always check back for ideas to keep my memory fresh, even after i've booked all the vendors.

I am currently in the planning process. This book has given me the information I need to plan my wedding exactly the way that I want. I've been able to avoid the industry wedding invitation trap by using book tips and the internet. I found the dress that I wanted, with the help of the designer reviews section. I've been able to avoid several large additional fees from the caterer that I've hired and the reception venue, because those fees were explained very clearly in this book.

I noticed that there were several reviewers that did not like the short-cuts and money-saving tips that the authors recommended. There were a few tips that were not ethical, but most of them help the reader deal with retailers who are just out to make a buck, at your expense. I'm sure that it would be nice, in a sad, self-indulgent way, to expect your middle class parents to foot the bill for your gala, $100,000 wedding event-the one that society seems to think is necessary. But the bottom line is, most brides (and their families) can't afford to do that, don't feel the need to, or don't want that type of wedding. And this book is exactly the resource needed to have a beautiful wedding that fits your ideals and your budget. It's the only wedding book that has been useful in my planning process.

This book is packed with useful information! They really know what they are talking about, and also give you direct links to places that can save you money.

I can not reccommend this book strongly enough. I wish I hadn't wasted my money on any of the other books and only got this book. The book is a life saver.

I wasted too much money buying books with vapid or just plain insultingly stupid advice "Why not throw a picnic instead of hiring a caterer!!" etc.

Bridal Bargains is the ONLY book with tons of real advice. This book has links to online bridal shops that can save you tons of money, and loads of realistic advice.

This is the only book you need for researching bridal bargains. PERIOD.