The unfortunate reality of the bridal industry is there are plenty of vendors who will rip you off, and they provide you with the advice and know how to avoid bad vendors and their scams.


Your Wedding: Make It Real -- Make it Affordable   July 24, 2004
 41 out of 44 found this review helpful

My personal favorite tip from Bridal Bargains? Either make your own veil (buy a do-it-yourself book and fabric at WalMart or Michael's) or have your seamstress save material and make one. You save up to $200.

Inside Bridal Bargains:
From front cover to back cover (literally), this book delivers.

My original idea for this review was to include the table of contents with a short summary, however, the table of contents takes up six pages, and we just do not have that luxury. Instead, I will focus on the chapters.

The idea of this book is to teach brides (this book's target reader) to find bargains without cheapening their wedding, honeymoon or reception.

There are sections in this book that hit every aspect of your wedding:

engagement
bridal shower
wedding ceremony
wedding reception
honeymoon
Canadian bridal bargains

When you are finished reading this book (are you ever really finished?), you will be engrossed in their Seven Keys to Planning an Affordable Wedding:

1 - fighting the trends magazines and overpriced bridal saloons subject us to

2 - using the Internet for all it's worth

3 - making a deal they can't refuse (especially when you get them in writing; see number four)

4 - get everything in writing or else

5 - planning in advance (this says it all, or so you think, this book tells you how much is too far in advance as well as reminding you to not wait for the last moment)

6 - research (we and they cannot say enough about this

7 - unleashing and using your creative genius

(all this and we are not even on page one yet!)

Chapter One:
Introduction
Eleven pages delving into the author's, the goals of the book, your bridal clock time, and what is new in this particular edition.

Chapter Two:
Your Wedding
Exhausting is the best word for this almost one-hundred page chapter. Not in a bad way, it's just -- there is a TON of information to learn! This chapter seems to be most about wedding gowns than anything else. Includes advice on wedding gown scams, where to buy good gowns at better prices, information about mark ups, factory wedding gowns, catalog gowns, bridal outlets, money saving secrets, tag ripping, using your credit card, questions to ask before you buy, oversizing, bridal magazines and oh so much more! Best reason for this chapter? It highlights in detail the top forty bridal designers.

Chapter Three:
Apparel For the Wedding Party
And you thought we were finished with apparel, right? Basically, the same information as above, except this chapter focuses on the bridesmaids dresses and the tuxedos. I had no idea the groom often got his tuxedo rental free.

Chapter Four:
Ceremony Sites
Differences between civil ceremony and religious ceremonies may just be biggest in your wallet. Chapter four discusses it all, including offering just the right questions to ask when selecting an officiant.

Chapter Five:
Wedding Flowers
Whoever thought there was enough information on flowers to warrant its own chapter? Includes not only seventeen money-savers, but also a spotlight on flower types and colors and a floral dictionary.

Chapter Six:
Invitations
Invitations are the scariest part, once you pay "an arm and a leg" for printing, you cannot undo it (well, you can, but...). According to the Field's, though, you won't have to pay as much if you do your research and plan ahead.

Chapter Seven:
Reception Sites
Places you wouldn't imagine might be the perfect place for your wedding reception and at the perfect price, as well.

Chapter Eight:
Catering
Meals and deals. Caterer or loving family member? Should you save by using plastic? Frozen food? Wholesale clubs and alcohol. Also; includes alternatives to consuming alcohol.

Chapter Nine:
Photography
Drink up this chapters thirty pages worth of photograpy pitfalls and disasters, money-saving hints, camera and film information, blurred shot tricks and more.

Chapter Ten:
Cakes
Even the chapter is yummy. I love the part that told me I could actually request samples of the cake. I had no idea! Anyway, this chapter is excellent and important. Tip: Buy a simple plain white cake and spruce it up with inexpensive fresh flowers.

Chapter Eleven:
Wedding Videos
Huh? I was surprised this wasn't included in the photography chapter, but then I saw how much was in each chapter and realized, there's no room to combine them. Do you need photos and videos? In my opinion, there are two things I plan to spend the most money on, in order to get the best results: pictures and rings. Why? You have to wear your ring for the rest of your life, you may as well love it. And pictures, well, you can never repeat this day and pictures are what you need to share and relive your wedding over and over again.

Chapter Twelve:
Entertainment
I had to crack up when I read one of the subchapters within this chapter: Milli Vanilli Demo Tapes and 4 More Pitfalls. I laugh because I actually understand what it means without having read it. Anyway, wonderful entertainment ideas and money-saving strategies. DJ or musicians? Why avoid December? Do you need an agent? The chapter answers all your entertainment questions.

Chapter Thirteen:
Etcetera
Everything they did not touch on before is here. Rings (tip: buy white gold over platinum; not only is it less expensive, but it's more durable, as well), limosines, insurance, changing your name...

Chapter Fourteen:
Canada
This should speak for itself. While I would not buy this book for this lone chapter, it's still great advice. And what a surprise to me -- an American -- to read about Canada's lack of bridal bargains! Does include Canadian websites and catalogs.

Chapter Fifteen:
Last Minute Consumer Tips
Surviving wedding day emergencies. This chapter should have been read before I was a matron of honor, it would have saved us all time and energy. The authors wisely suggest having a "surrogate bad cop." Someone who will have a list or copy of everything that can go wrong on your special day and how to handle any crisis that should come up (and they will).

Chapter Sixteen:
Conclusion
Naturally, this chapter ties it all together; "After reading through all the tips and advice in this book, your first thought may be 'Let's elope!'" Told you, even the authors know it's overwhelming. But then again, this is one of the most special times of your life. Let it overwhelm.

Bridal Bargain Tips:
Tips are spread like disease throughout the book. For instance, the authors share what previous readers wrote in on certain wedding/bridal scams.

Did you know some hotel waiters would carry around an appetizer tray for the wedding guests, and when the tray was half emptied, they would take the leftover food to the employee's lounge? And of course, the couple was charged for full trays.

Wait! There's more...
Not only is every website mentioned in the book conveniently listed in the back of the book, but a tear-out check list of questions to included.

What's On the Website?

Free Newsletter:
Bridal Bargains is full of pleasant surprises, but one of my favorite's is their free newsletter. That means, though you finished the book, you are not finished with the bridal bargains.

Free book updates
New bargains
Great ideas
Links to other great sites



Go to www.BridalBargainsBook.com
Click on free newsletter
Type in your email address

Last Word:
Though after reading the extensive first chapter, I feel no need to buy a bridal dress book, the Field's also have a few other wonderful books for sale.

Your New House: the alert consumer's guide to buying and building a quality home

Baby Bargains: secrets to saving 20% to 50% on baby furniture, equipment, clothes, toys, maternity wear and much, much, much more!

The Bridal Gown Guide



Great for the not-so-fouffy bride   February 13, 1997
 32 out of 32 found this review helpful

I'm not your typical BRIDE magazine reader. I live in Las Vegas, and I would have been happy to get married at the drive-thru wedding chapel on the back of my fiance's motorcycle. Believe it or not, HE wanted a regular wedding back east, and I agreed. Having heard just enough about the shark-infested waters of the bridal industry to fill me with dread, I was very unwilling to be its victim. This book made me feel much more confident in my ability to defend myself against the rip-offs. It saved me a lot of wasted time trying to figure out (probably unsuccessfully) how to find the best bargains myself. I knew what to expect and was able to decide which items or services I felt were worth the money. I am actually starting to enjoy the whole wedding planning process thanks to this book. It was the only wedding book I found with realistic money saving advice besides the blatantly obvious suggestions like "make your own decorations." This book is to weddings what Consumer Reports' dealer cost reports are to car buying. Buy it