As we search the world for information about planning weddings and special events, we come across some great readings which we want to pass on to you.

For your convenience we have opened the doors of The Bookstore so you can make your purchases directly from this site through our association with Amazon.com.

Notice the BRO Recommends sign for those books which, in our opinion, are really significant additions to your library or make particularly wonderful gifts. Check The Bookstore often, as we add titles to our shelves when a new book comes our way!

Be sure to use the BACK button to return to browsing our site!

Attire

The Wedding Dress , by Maria McBride-Mellinger
Beautiful collection of historic and contemporary wedding dresses. Photo-journal style with accompanying text.

Etiquette

Emily Post's Weddings , by Peggy Post

Emily Post's Weddings / Audio , read by Peggy Post


For those who seek advice from the experts, Emily is a must! Either of these makes a wonderful gift for a shower.



The Best Man's Handbook , by James Grace (writer, lawyer and wedding junkie)
A witty collection of facts surrounding the responsibilities of the best man. A great gift!

Groom's Survival Manual , by Michael R. Perry, Linda Morrow, ed.
Indispensable advice on everything from buying a ring and getting the marriage license to planning the perfect honeymoon. Engages the groom in the process.

Health

Mayo Clinic: Fitness for Everybody, edited by Diane Dahm, M.D. & Jay Smith, M.D.
Your guide to a life of fitness and health.

Mayo Clinic: Healthy Weight for Everybody, edited by Donald D. Hensrud, M.D.
Your guide to living healthier, and losing and maintaining weight.

Jewelry

How to Buy a Diamond , by Fred Cuellar (Top diamond expert)
No-nonsense guide to seeking the stone for your most cherished ring. Written by an adviser to AOL and Weddingpages.com.

Engagement & Wedding Rings: The Definitive Buying Guide for People in Love , by Antoinette Leonard Matlins
Well-illustrated volume covers diamonds, colored gems, and pearls. Expert advice from respected gemologists.

Love Stories / Long Marriages

BRO Recommends!
Wedding Days, When and How Great Marriages Began , by Susan J. Gordan
366 stories of how extraordinary couples met, courted and wed. A real celebration of marriage.

A More Perfect Union , ed. by Virginia Hartman & Barbara Esstman
Poems and stories about the modern wedding.

BRO Recommends!
Sacred Threshold, Rituals and Readings for a Wedding with Spirit , by Gertrud Mueller Nelson & Christopher Witt
For the bride and groom who are searching for something more for their wedding - not more as in grander or more lavish, but as in more meaningful, gracious, and sacred.

Jefferson in Love, The Love Letters Between Thomas Jefferson and Maria Cosway , by John P. Kaminski
Kaminski, a Jefferson scholar, collects and shares over 40 romantic letters between Thomas and Maria, revealing something about Jefferson as he pours out his heart in the midst of pre-revolutionary France.

Albert Einstein/Mileva Maric, The Love Letters , ed. by Jurgen Renn and Robert Schulmann
This collection of 54 love letters offer a rare glimpse into Einstein's relationship with his first wife while shedding light on his intellectual development. Informative, entertaining and often very moving, the collection captures for scientists and general readers alike a little known yet crucial period in Einstein's life.

BRO Recommends!
Love Letters, An Anthology of Passion , conceived and compiled by Michelle Lovric
This book is a beautiful gift with facsimiles of real letters and quotations from lovers' correspondence throughout the ages. It is artfully arranged around paintings and line drawings with Victorian flair. In the style of Griffin & Sabine, peak into love letters from history!

Weddings From The Heart , by Daphne Rose
Daphne Rose has been called the most spiritual writer on relationships and weddings. She writes of the meaning behind the wedding ceremony from non-traditional, spiritually-based readings.

Planning

By Recommendation Only: Party and Wedding Resource Guide to the Greater San Francisco Bay Area , Eighth Edition 2001-2002, by Johanna Kaestner and Melissa Wagner
What more can I say! You can really rely on the recommendations made in this guide. Thoughtful research provides excellent advice.

Working Woman's Wedding Planner , by Susan Tatsui-D'Arcy
Efficient planner - very complete.

Getting Hitched without a Hitch , by Dona Chernoff Eichner
Keeping stress in perspective. This makes a wonderful engagement gift. Fun to read, with good practical information.

Going to the Chapel, From Traditional to African-Inspired and Everything In Between
Ultimate wedding guide for African-American couples by the editors of Signature Bride Magazine.


Bridal Showers: 50 Great Ideas for a Perfect Shower , by Sharon E. Dlugosch
Great inspirational ideas for planning a bridal shower.

Great Wedding Tips from the Experts , by Robbi Ernst III and Cele Goldsmith Lalli
What every bride can learn from the most successful wedding planners.

Practical Matters

Love, Marriage and Money, by Gail Liberman and Alan Lavine
This book provides excellent advice. One reader termed it "a boot camp" guide for couples to treat each other as equals in all decision making. The authors blend psychological, legal, and financial information together for anyone about to say "I do!"

Relationships

The Bridal Sanity Workbook, by Claire Hatch, our Relationship Columnist
This e-book is your answer to the relationship problems that crop up when you’re engaged. You’ll find exercises that guide you to the right solutions.

The Good Marriage - How and Why Love Lasts , by Judith S. Wallerstein and Sandra Blakeslee
Celebrates couples who put effort into their marriages. The rewards are history-making. This book is "a readable study of what makes a marriage good."

The Good Marriage - How and Why Love Lasts, audio
The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work , by John M. Gottman
America's preeminent relationship expert shares the results of his revolutionary findings to show couples how to create an emotionally intelligent relationship and keep it on track.

Style

BRO Recommends!
Real Weddings , by Sally Killbridge and Mallory Samson
Photo-journal style with text by national award winning photographer, Ms. Samson, in conjunction with Bride's Magazine writer, Ms. Killbridge. Beautiful photos and stories. Great ideas to be found.

Bridal Flowers , by Maria McBride-Mellinger
Great collection of floral designs with accompanying text, including the history behind floral customs.

Offray - Glorious Weddings , by Ellie Joos
A Charming collection of wedding customs and traditions with ideas for beautiful ribbon designs to adorn your gown, your bag, or the table.

Bridal Style , Nancy Davis (asst. editor of Modern Bride Magazine)
Photo-journal style showing traditions and ideas for the bride.

Tradition and Customs

African American Wedding Readings , ed. By Tamara Nikoradse
Lovely book celebrating weddings in the African American tradition.

Weddings - Dating and Love Customs of Cultures World Wide , by Carolyn Mordecai
This book is an inspirational bride's and groom's reference guide to wedding planning, an insight into marriage customs from various countries, and a record of present day marriage customs. It is particularly helpful to those couples who are planning a mixed marriage.

A Bride’ Book of Wedding Traditions , by Arlene Hamilton Stewart (1995)
We can read Emily Post to learn "what" to do, and this book by Arlene Hamilton Stewart gives us the "why" behind wedding etiquette. This wonderful book is easy to navigate, and delightful to read.

Wedding Wonders: Tales and Traditions, Customs & Curiosities , by Kimberly Burton Allen (1996)
A wonderful gift for the wedding shower, this book provides tidbits of information about the facts behind wedding customs and traditions.

Travel

Dorling Kindersley Travel Guides Spain
A complete, colorful guide featuring regional food, wine, music, festivals, and accommodations.

Michelin The Green Guide Spain
Offers independent travelers cultural insight into the country.

Michelin The Red Guide Espana/Portugal
The Red Guides offer a range of carefully selected hotels and restaurants. We have traveled with these well-known guides all over Europe. They are easy to use.

Karen Brown's Spain
Charming inns and itineraries. Karen Brown and her team have selected outstanding accommodations for you to experience. A wonderful introduction to Spain and great itineraries make it an invaluable travel guide.

Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door
Rick is an expert on Europe. Check out all the different books that are available on Europe