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A Practical Wedding: Creative Ideas for Planning a Beautiful, Affordable, and Meaningful Celebration Paperback – December 27, 2011

by Meg Keene (Author)

762 ratings

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An Insanity-Free Wedding: It Can Happen!

Getting engaged is exhilarating...until it sets in that a wedding costs three times what you thought, and takes five to ten times the effort it reasonably should. And then there are the expectations: from calligraphy invitations to satin chair-covers, all those things that Must Be Done or everyone will be Horribly Offended. Or will they?

A Practical Wedding helps you create the wedding you want-without going broke or crazy in the process. After all, what really matters on your wedding day, what you'll remember 'til you're old and gray, is not so much how it looked as how it felt. In this refreshing guide, expert Meg Keene shares her secrets to planning a beautiful celebration that reflects your taste and your relationship. You'll discover:

The real purpose of engagement (hint: it's not just about the planning)
How to pinpoint what matters most to you and your partner
DIY-ing your wedding: brilliant or crazy?
Affording a wedding without having to cut your guest list
How to communicate decisions with your family
Why that color-coded spreadsheet is actually worth it

Wedding Zen can be yours. Meg walks you through everything from choosing a venue to writing vows, complete with stories and advice from women who have been in the trenches, the Team Practical brides. So here's to the joyful wedding, the sensible wedding, the unbelievably fun wedding! A Practical Wedding is your complete guide to getting married with grace.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Keene's wedding planning guide is a fresh, sane voice in a field of
guides pushing big budget weddings. -Library Journal

About the Author

Meg Keene is the creator of APracticalWedding.com, the ultimate wedding planning website for independent-minded brides. Her work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, CNN.com, Glamour, Chicago Tribune, Feministing.com, and more. She lives with her family in Oakland, California.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Balance
Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 27, 2011
Edition ‏ : ‎ 0002-
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 242 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0738215155
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0738215150
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8.8 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.75 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #689,238 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #5 in Wedding Budgets
- #41 in Wedding Gowns
- #26,612 in Reference (Books)

Customer Reviews:
762 ratings

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Meg Keene

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Meg Keene is the Founder and Editor-in-chief of A Practical Wedding, a position that has allowed her to turn a love of both glitter and feminism into the #1 independent wedding brand in the country. The author of A Practical Wedding and A Practical Wedding Planner, Meg's work has been referenced in publications as diverse as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Glamour, and Jezebel.com, and she is regularly interviewed on NPR. She lives in Oakland, CA with her husband and two children.

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Customers find this wedding planning book well-written and easy to read, describing it as a novel-like guide that helps calm wedding-related thoughts and stress. The book offers practical advice, with real-life examples and stories from brides and grooms, making it particularly suitable for those on a budget. Customers appreciate its realistic approach and humor, with one customer noting how it provides strategies for planning a stress-free celebration.

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Advice Value for money Wedding planning Sanity Readability Humor Budget Realistic content

265 customers mention "Advice"256 positive9 negative

Customers appreciate the book's practical and thought-provoking approach to wedding planning, with one customer noting it offers strategies for a stress-free celebration.

"...A Practical Wedding is an honest, thoughtful, and thought-provoking guide for traversing the journey of planning a wedding that is sensible yet fun...." Read more

"...The real strength and heart of the book, is that throughout the book from beginning to end, A Practical Wedding zeroes in on the real core of a..." Read more

"...I think it's mostly helpful at the very beginning because it kind of helps you think through what you really want and develop a good attitude toward..." Read more

"...wedding planning from engagement to post-honeymoon, all in a concise, smart, practical way...." Read more

163 customers mention "Value for money"157 positive6 negative

Customers find the book to be worth getting, describing it as a wonderful and enjoyable read.

"...Meg Keene is a refreshingly reasonable, calm voice in the increasingly unreasonable, frenzied genre of Wedding Planning media...." Read more

"...I'm getting married! It's a beautiful thing and the book honors that extraordinarily well." Read more

"Really good book. A lot of it is just common sense - but honestly, you NEED common sense when you're wedding planning...." Read more

"...You will learn things. Good things...." Read more

140 customers mention "Wedding planning"140 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's approach to wedding planning, which includes real stories from brides and grooms, traditional wedding chapters, and historical context.

"...It is refreshing to read a wedding book that has quotes and passages from a groom's point of view as well as inclusion of same-sex weddings...." Read more

"...into the meat of the book, I had tears in my eyes because of the heartfelt stories, and also because the advice given in the book triggered a strong..." Read more

"...how to find an affordable venue, and that it's OK to sometimes cry during the planning process, and why you should focus on your ceremony, and when..." Read more

"...It will save you some tears (though not all, because wedding-planning is bound to make even the strongest of us break down at least once)...." Read more

103 customers mention "Sanity"103 positive0 negative

Customers find the wedding planning book helpful in maintaining their sanity, as it calms overwhelming thoughts, reduces stress, and brings them back to reality.

"...Big Difficulties & Huge Conversations. Most wedding books are all flowers and table settings and pretty, pretty princess business...." Read more

"...makes you think about what kind of celebration you want, and gives supportive advice for navigating the emotional drama and frustration that can..." Read more

"...very well versed in all things wedding, and she was encouraging, and supportive, and full of great ideas. Just what I needed...." Read more

"...Meg is a wonderful balance! She encourages you to set your priorities -- and to make sure they're YOUR priorities, not ones the industry has sold you..." Read more

43 customers mention "Readability"43 positive0 negative

Customers find the book well written and easy to read, with one customer noting it reads like a novel.

"...chapter focusing on DIY projects is by far, the most in-depth and honest writing I've read on the topic...." Read more

"...through wedding planning from engagement to post-honeymoon, all in a concise, smart, practical way...." Read more

"...It's an entertaining, quick read...." Read more

"...She offers practical tips, includes wonderful essays from those with non-traditional (but amazing) weddings, and above all affirms that you are a..." Read more

33 customers mention "Humor"33 positive0 negative

Customers find the book humorous and entertaining, describing it as a fun wedding guide that makes them laugh.

"...It's becoming a community celebration, and a fantastic send off into our new little family we'll be forming...." Read more

"...It's an entertaining, quick read...." Read more

"...Keene's writing is always compassionate, humorous, and affirmative, designed to help the couple understand their dreams, translate those dreams to..." Read more

"With the same grace, wit, and no-nonsense common sense she uses on her blog, Keene guides you through the basics of wedding planning...." Read more

23 customers mention "Budget"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful for wedding planning, particularly for those on a budget, as it provides guidance on deciding where to allocate funds and offers creative alternatives.

"...A Practical Wedding: Creative Ideas for Planning a Beautiful, Affordable, and Meaningful Celebration]], if you haven't already...." Read more

"...You will learn things. Good things. Things like how to find an affordable venue, and that it's OK to sometimes cry during the planning process, and..." Read more

"...It will save you a lot of grief trying to understand and control your budget...." Read more

"...You CAN have a beautiful, affordable, and most of all MEANINGFUL day starting your new life with your husband & all your friends and family without..." Read more

23 customers mention "Realistic content"23 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's realistic approach, noting it is honest and full of real-life examples.

"...A Practical Wedding is an honest, thoughtful, and thought-provoking guide for traversing the journey of planning a wedding that is sensible yet fun...." Read more

"...I felt like Meg Keene was speaking directly to me. She keeps it real...." Read more

"...in a way that's both respectful and realistic; she addresses the budget with a tongue-in-cheek attitude and..." Read more

"...It is full of real life examples and experiences of other brides. It has a full chapter on Joy, on how the joy of your wedding day transcends it all...." Read more

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Meg
A must read survival guide for to-be-weds
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2012
Verified Purchase

As a wedding planner, I read a whole lot of wedding books. I also don't like most of them. When I find one that I LOVE, of course I have to shout it out. Here's my thoughts on why you should read A Practical Wedding: Creative Ideas for Planning a Beautiful, Affordable, and Meaningful Celebration, if you haven't already.

Meg Keene is a refreshingly reasonable, calm voice in the increasingly unreasonable, frenzied genre of Wedding Planning media. A Practical Wedding is an honest, thoughtful, and thought-provoking guide for traversing the journey of planning a wedding that is sensible yet fun. Keene's voice resonates throughout the book - she comes across as that wise, sincere friend that you turn to when you need to be talked off of a ledge.

As any good wedding book does, A Practical Wedding covers the standard items and etiquette that make up a wedding celebration - budget, vendor selection, ceremony considerations, and organization. However, there are several key features that set A Practical Wedding apart from the countless tomes heaped upon women as soon as someone `puts a ring on it' and catapult it into the elite category of great wedding books.

History and justifying what's important. Keene takes the time to give the reader a brief history of the American wedding and point out that all the "Things You Must Have to Get Married" which you've been hearing about and stressing over are, for the most part, recent inventions. What is particularly fantastic is that after explaining that some traditions are inventions by the Wedding Industry, Keene points out to her readers that if they find meaning or enjoyment in said traditions, they should, by all means embrace them to the fullest. She gives those planning a wedding permission to do what is meaningful to them and let the rest go, and sometimes, permission from an authority is exactly what a to-be-wed needs.

Gender neutrality and marriage equality. Even though the large majority of her readers will likely be brides planning to marry grooms, Keene takes great care to not alienate based upon gender or sexual preference. It is refreshing to read a wedding book that has quotes and passages from a groom's point of view as well as inclusion of same-sex weddings. To me, it's important to acknowledge that a wedding is a wedding is a wedding. A great wedding book transcends being pigeon-holed as a "straight" or "gay" wedding book. Regardless of who is marrying whom, the elements that make up a wedding do not change.

Sensible DIY (or as Keene calls it DITogether). The chapter focusing on DIY projects is by far, the most in-depth and honest writing I've read on the topic. With a plethora of style blogs, magazines, and television shows bombarding to-be-weds with images of perfect, handcrafted wedding elements, it is easy to catch DIY fever, which left untreated can lead to DYI mania. Keene discusses the various reasons people DIY, how to get it done and most importantly when to let it go.

Big Difficulties & Huge Conversations. Most wedding books are all flowers and table settings and pretty, pretty princess business. Before reading A PracticalWedding, I would have been hard pressed to think of a wedding planning book that actually discusses the really weighty topics like calling the whole thing off or planning in the midst of tragedy. Keene discusses the tough stuff - difficult aspects like strife, compromise and letting go. She also encourages her readers to have the important discussions necessary to forming the foundation of a solid marriage (faith, finances, values and intentions). It may not be pretty princess stuff, but these are the topics that you'll be dealing with long after the flowers have wilted and the tables have been cleared.

Additionally, Keene bucks wedding book tradition and lets her readers in on some secrets that many in the wedding industry don't want anyone to know - planning a wedding is not easy, there will likely be tears & arguments, things will go wrong, and ultimately it's not about doing everything under the sun to have one perfect day but doing all that you possibly can to have one gloriously imperfect life.

One of my favorite quotes from the book is: "Weddings are like most good things in life: really hard and really worth it." With all of the insight and honesty in the pages of A Practical Wedding, it just got a little easier.

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11 people found this helpful

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Hannah
An Island of sanity in the wide murky waters of wedding planning.
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2011
Verified Purchase
I love weddings, I really do. I love wedding related movies and TV shows, I've been a professional wedding photographer for the last 5 years, I read wedding blogs and I just got engaged myself.

So you would think that in the midst of this wedding love fest, I would be having the easiest time ever planning my wedding. I mean, I should be an old pro at this, right? But I wasn't. I froze, I panicked, I started getting swept up in all the things I had to do, everything I needed my wedding to be, all the things that needed to be considered. The logistics, the budget, the invite list, and non-stop questions from family and friends about when, where, and for the love of god, WHAT ARE MY COLORS???

In trying to put together a totally chilled out, relaxed, non-traditional super fun party, I ended becoming bizarrely neurotic and ridiculously stressed out and I lost sight of the things that were most important.

A Practical Wedding brought me back to my senses. Step by step, the book aims to guide you through the process of becoming engaged, all the way through to after you are married. It covers everything from figuring out the important logistical things like booking vendors and choosing a venue as well as the trickier wedding related issues such as juggling different faiths, working with families, and managing expectations.

But that's not the real strength of this book. The real strength and heart of the book, is that throughout the book from beginning to end, A Practical Wedding zeroes in on the real core of a wedding. What that means for you, and the celebration you choose to have with your loved ones. What is a wedding? That's the questions that I really considered when reading the book. Just completely forgetting all the weddings I've been to, and the way weddings are presented in the media, I had to answer that question. What is a wedding to me and my fiance and how do I want it to manifest for us? And once I answered that question, you cannot believe the sense of relief that I felt.

The book asks you, what is important to YOU? How do you want to feel on your wedding day? What traditions do YOU want to honor and why? The book prompts you to listen to what your heart is saying is right for you. APW also acknowledges the incredible range of emotions associated with wedding planning, rather than glossing over the sad, frustrated bits.

Another reviewer quoted a bit in the book about the wedding industry trying to sell the idea of a perfect wedding and all the MUST DO things that comes along with that perfect wedding. And I do agree that many times, the wedding industry can be a behemoth like beast that's hard to fight against. But I sort of wish the book had touched a little bit more (it does to a small extent) about how there are many many wedding vendors who can provide amazing products, services, and even guidance to couples getting married, without trying to sell the idea of a mythical perfect wedding. But as a wedding vendor, I do admit this is my bias showing. ;) It's my only small criticism of the book.

A Practical Wedding, both the book and the blog, tackle things that are so rarely talked about within the wedding industry. As a future bride, I loved this book, but I'd also recommend it to those who may not be getting married themselves, but family members, grooms, best friends. Because it takes too long for me to be like, "Listen! Listen to this bit, this is EXACTLY how I felt! Oh! This part is so spot on, let me read it to you..." Might as well just gift the book to everyone I know!

It's insanely practical, but also deeply moving. When I started to really get into the meat of the book, I had tears in my eyes because of the heartfelt stories, and also because the advice given in the book triggered a strong emotional reaction. I'm getting married! It's a beautiful thing and the book honors that extraordinarily well.

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6 people found this helpful

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NoName
Really good book. A lot of it is just common ...
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2017
Verified Purchase
Really good book. A lot of it is just common sense - but honestly, you NEED common sense when you're wedding planning. You need a voice of reason to cut through all the BS that you hear from every vendor/family member/website/magazine/Pinterest board. It is a calm, logical voice

Reading this book is the first thing I did after getting engaged and before really starting to plan my wedding. I think it's mostly helpful at the very beginning because it kind of helps you think through what you really want and develop a good attitude toward wedding planning. There aren't a lot of "concrete" wedding planning tips in here - it doesn't talk about the different types of napkin folds or how to calculate how much booze to buy or how to start the process of changing your name. What it does do it makes you think about what kind of celebration you want, and gives supportive advice for navigating the emotional drama and frustration that can come with planning.

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7 people found this helpful

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CharisSH
A breath of fresh air in the world of weddings
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 13, 2012
Verified Purchase

'A Practical Wedding' really strips weddings back to their roots and and encourages the bride (or groom) to think beyond the kind of details that wedding magazines tell us are all-important.
Split into categories for planning, budgeting, DIY and lots more practical advice plus lots of real-life stories and practical tips and emotional support, this book has basically saved my sanity while planning my own wedding.
If you feel worried that you aren't getting anywhere with your planning and feel overwhelmed at the enormity of the occasion then this book is definitely for you.
In fact, even if you are breezing through wedding planning buy this book anyway as it is an enjoyable read for anyone planning a wedding and makes so many valid points that you can't help but be inspired.

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Elizabeth
Perfect guide for the modern minimalist bride
Reviewed in Canada on April 8, 2019
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Easy quick read with lots of good tips to save money and have an enjoying minimalist wedding.

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Muy útil
Reviewed in Spain on May 11, 2016
Verified Purchase
Ideas prácticas . Muy util. Ejemplos entretenidos. Muy fácil de leer. Lo utilicé en su momento y ahora fue para un regalo con mucho éxito !

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F.T.
Good stuff but barely used it
Reviewed in Germany on November 2, 2014
Verified Purchase
Great book if you enjoy reading about things before you do them. Can really help you find out what is important to you, what priorities each off you have, stop you from making unnecessary mistakes, deal with each others families asf.
We just preferred figuring that stuff on our own and my husband thought it too cheesy. Better than a lot of stuff out there and definitely realistic.

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Stephanie Mitchell
Indispensable, even late in the game
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 23, 2019
Verified Purchase
This book was recommended to me at a wedding I attended last weekend, and man, I wish I had known about it from the beginning of my engagement! What a difference it could have made to the planning process! But even just two weeks out from my wedding date, I'm grateful to have it in hand, and it is proving extremely useful despite the short time frame. I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone who wants to reduce wedding stress, focus on the joy, and have a wedding that actually suits them, without breaking the bank.

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A Practical Wedding: Creative Ideas for Planning a Beautiful, Affordable, and Meaningful Celebration Paperback – December 27, 2011

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Top reviews from the United States

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5.0 out of 5 stars A must read survival guide for to-be-weds

5.0 out of 5 stars An Island of sanity in the wide murky waters of wedding planning.

4.0 out of 5 stars Really good book. A lot of it is just common ...

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars A breath of fresh air in the world of weddings

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect guide for the modern minimalist bride

5.0 out of 5 stars Muy útil

4.0 out of 5 stars Good stuff but barely used it

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable, even late in the game

A must read survival guide for to-be-weds

An Island of sanity in the wide murky waters of wedding planning.

Really good book. A lot of it is just common ...

A breath of fresh air in the world of weddings

Perfect guide for the modern minimalist bride

Muy útil

Good stuff but barely used it

Indispensable, even late in the game