For brides who want to dream big (with a budget to match), this book from Vogue’s favorite wedding coordinator offers many beautiful, modern and stylish ideas. Jo Gartin’s Weddings: An Inspiring Guide for the Stylish Bride is basically a portfolio of the author’s favorite work for her clients, famous and not. It offers lavish ideas for invitations, dresses, flowers, ceremony dŽcor, welcome gifts, party favors, seating arrangement displays, tiny desserts and towering cakes and rarely does Gartin suggest that any of the above isn’t necessary. There are a few tips for the budget-conscious (and sewing-savvy) bride as Gartin illustrates dress and shoe makeovers to convert an off-the-rack find to a one-of-a-kind creation, though one wonders how many brides-to-be would be willing to take a pair of scissors to their precious dresses. Sarah E. White is a freelance writer in Arkansas.
Valiant Women is a vital and engrossing attempt to correct the record and rightfully celebrate the achievements of female veterans of World War II.
