Rating: 
Summary: Great ideas, but mostly style over substance
Review: While I enjoyed reading Colin Cowie's book, and found much of the photography breathtakingly beautiful and somewhat addictive, there does not seem to be very much real, practical advice for today's bride (unless she has [$$}0 or more to spend on her wedding and can guarantee perfect weather on the wedding day!). Cowie has a section for "Planning Your Own Wedding," where he suggests that the bride and, if possible, the groom, answer some personality questions (included in the book) that will help the couple personalize their wedding and truly make it their own -- and this is probably my favorite part of the book (other than the stunning photographs). While Cowie has some terrific ideas, I do not think they are feasible for real brides who work full-time jobs and don't wish to take out a second mortgage on their home to finance the day. But I did get some good ideas from the book, and Cowie truly encourages brides to really, really, REALLY think outside the box when planning the wedding and reception (the brunch idea, complete with Mimosas, was great, as was the idea for using flower-bedecked baskets full of ripe fruit as centerpieces). I found this one at my library, and did enjoy it. Sadly, I don't think I'll ever be able to hire Colin & his brilliance for my own wedding!
Rating: 
Summary: Not a good value
Review: While it is true that the weddings in this book are almost incomprehensibly extravagent, there are still many ideas that can be translated into a smaller wedding with a realistic budget. The ceremonies and receptions in the book run the gamut of wedding styles, and the absolutely gorgeous pictures will get your creative juices flowing! (Plus, I must admit it is a guilty pleasure to read about the amazing weddings of the rich and famous) This book is a useful tool with which a bride can communicate ideas to her florist, caterer, etc. As one who often caters weddings, I have found that showing pictures from this book to brides can help me determine the overall mood they are trying to invoke for their wedding. It is expensive, true, but you will enjoy reading it even after your wedding is over, and will want to lend it to anyone you know who is getting married. For those whose work is in any way connected to the wedding industry, it is a helpful and inspiring reference.
Rating:
Summary: Buy this book for the pictures - get inspired!
Review: While it is true that the weddings in this book are almost incomprehensibly extravagent, there are still many ideas that can be translated into a smaller wedding with a realistic budget. The ceremonies and receptions in the book run the gamut of wedding styles, and the absolutely gorgeous pictures will get your creative juices flowing! (Plus, I must admit it is a guilty pleasure to read about the amazing weddings of the rich and famous) This book is a useful tool with which a bride can communicate ideas to her florist, caterer, etc. As one who often caters weddings, I have found that showing pictures from this book to brides can help me determine the overall mood they are trying to invoke for their wedding. It is expensive, true, but you will enjoy reading it even after your wedding is over, and will want to lend it to anyone you know who is getting married. For those whose work is in any way connected to the wedding industry, it is a helpful and inspiring reference.
Rating: 
Summary: A terrific source of inspiration...
Review: While the weddings presented are opulent (and absolutely gorgeous!), there are practical ideas in this book for all budgets that every bride can cull from. From the small city wedding to the ranch-style weddings featured, all have wonderful suggestions to pick up on. There's also a great section on the right questions to ask vendors and suppliers... and even more valuable is the template for setting up a schedule for the event day (timing is everything!). Colin Cowie is a fantastic event planner and I'm looking forward to using some of these ideas to make my special day elegant and memorable.
Rating:
Summary: A terrific source of inspiration...
Review: While the weddings presented are opulent (and absolutely gorgeous!), there are practical ideas in this book for all budgets that every bride can cull from. From the small city wedding to the ranch-style weddings featured, all have wonderful suggestions to pick up on. There's also a great section on the right questions to ask vendors and suppliers... and even more valuable is the template for setting up a schedule for the event day (timing is everything!). Colin Cowie is a fantastic event planner and I'm looking forward to using some of these ideas to make my special day elegant and memorable.
Rating:
Summary: I got this book for a different reason
Review: While this book is a FANTASTIC book for those who want inspiration for those starting a wedding... I bought this book for an entirely different reason. I am an artist and I am always looking for books with fantastic photography to help inspire my drawings and paintings. This book has some AMAZING photography and has some absolutely sensual moments. The mood is set throughout the book, very full of life and sensuality and unbelievably fresh. The array of flowers, the silkiness of the dresses, the ambience of the swagging fabrics, the smoothness of the linen tablecloths, it is all eye candy.
Even if you aren't planning a wedding (like me), this is a fine book for your collection and a must have for photography enthusiasts who like wedding photos.
I highly recommend it!
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