In putting together The New American Wedding, I talked to hundreds of couples, parents, siblings, friends, attendants, florists, planners, designers and even a few brilliant bakers! It was enough to show me that my original idea was right. – There was, indeed, a vast majority of weddings happening in the United States that passed beneath the radar of the Bridal Media, which were just beginning to stand up and proudly celebrate the fact that though they were not the iconic brides and grooms, plastic and placed within rigid rules on the tops of cakes, they knew about who and what they were and they were very much in love and filled with delight. Celebration was being had, unexplored and unsanctioned by the books and magazines.
What I found was even beyond my original hopes. I found a spirit of delight, profound joy in having the chance to face real-life challenges, concerns and pleasures with someone who saw the truth in their partner and loved what they saw. What better reason for celebration.
Please join us in sharing some of what you see, out there in the world, as couples unite and commit to one another in authentic and wonderful ceremonies and the creation of new ritual to mark the truth of their lives and the growth of our culture.
How refreshing! Luckily I stumbled upon your website and now I can't wait to buy the book. We are both getting married for the second time, and I so want it to be about us and who we are. I feel like I've been empowered to do the unconventional, and coming from a strict Catholic background that speaks volumes!!
Posted by: Claire | April 04, 2006 at 10:05 PM
How I wish I had discovered NAW six months ago! My husband proposed at the beginning of November and we got married on the 10th December of the same year.
We were keen to create a memorable, laid back wedding for a small crowd of immediate family and close friends. We too looked to the media and magazines for inspiration but were stunned to discover that nothing the media offered could actually meet our brief.
We spent a very intense month wondering whether we were completely on our own when we decided that we didn't want the voluminous white dress, chocolate fountain and sugared almond gifts.
From our experience, I could contribute to every category of this weblog!
It was so reassuring to come across a book that looked at the alternatives to Brides magazine's glossy coverage where every element of the day conforms to the same wedding day formula.
Posted by: louise muzio | May 22, 2006 at 01:59 PM