I Crashed my Co-Worker’s Wedding … |

My delightful, hard working co-worker Drew and his charmingly lovely fiance Traci had a winter wedding recently.

Traci and Drew first dance at their wedding

Not only does Drew work at the Toronto Reference Library, but he also got married here! Did you know you can rent out Library space for your wedding or other events?

I crashed their wedding for the dancing (and the dessert table) and it was totally worth it.

The bride looked really beautiful in her wedding dress and special Doc Marten retro inspired mid heel shoes. Here's Traci getting her groove on.

Traci looking really beautiful in her wedding dress and special shoes, getting funky on the dance floor.

Wedding Dresses

Are you interested in wedding dresses? We may be able to help you out with that.

The Wedding Dress: The 50 Designs that Changed the Course of Bridal Fashion:

"This fascinating look at nearly two centuries of bridal fashion presents 50 of history's most famous dresses, revealing why and how they continue to inspire brides and designers today. Lavishly illustrated spreads lay bare the anatomy of each show-stopping ensemble: silhouette, fabrics, construction techniques, embellishments, and even hidden details. From the white wedding dress worn by Queen Victoria in 1840 to couture creations by Karl Lagerfeld, Alexander McQueen, Vera Wang, and Vivienne Westwood, The Wedding Dress examines the features of each and every design in chronological sequence."

Vogue Weddings: Brides, Dresses, Designers:

"The wedding is a ritual that – in the last 20 years – has taken on a life of its own to become a main area of focus for stylists, event planners and designers alike. Vogue Weddings presents an unprecedented range of high-end wedding dresses and some of the most exotic and glamorous wedding destinations in the world."

The Wedding Dress: 300 Years of Bridal Fashions:

"This book draws on wedding garments in the V&A's renowned collection along with photographs, letters, memoirs, and newspaper accounts to explore the history of the white wedding dress and the traditions that have developed around it from 1700 to today, when designers from Vera Wang to Vivienne Westwood continue to challenge the aesthetic. Paintings, drawings, and wedding photos depict queens, princesses, celebrities, and everyday women- including Kate Middleton – in their gowns. The text considers the dress in the context of the commercialization of weddings that began in the Victorian era"

Wedding Etiquette

Did you know that according to formal wedding etiquette you say "best wishes" to the bride but "congratulations" to the groom? If you need some help with wedding etiquette give one of these books a try:

Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette:

"Today's weddings are more complicated than ever, with new traditions replacing old, and new relationships to consider as family life grows more complex. Emily Post's Wedding Etiquette has everything a bride will ever need to know to have the perfect wedding."

Martha Stewart Weddings: Ideas and Inspiration:

"Martha Stewart Weddings will cover every detail of planning to the day itself, from coming up with the theme and color palette to finding a dress, registering for gifts, showers and bachelor/ette celebrations, hiring photographers and caterers, and choosing the flowers and cake. To augment the 20th anniversary, the book will include quotes and advice from the experts who have contributed to the magazine through the years"

Wedding Vows and Toasts

And if you're interested in wedding toasts or vows you might benefit from the following:

The Knot Guide to Wedding Vows and Traditions: Readings, Rituals, Music, Dances, and Toasts:

"Covering ceremonies for couples who envision a traditional wedding as well as those who want a modern twist; unique nuptial rituals; toasting etiquette and tips; readings–popular or unexpectedly perfect; and music selections from the processional to the last dance, VOWS AND TRADITIONS allows brides and grooms to customize the day to speak directly to them and the loved ones who join in their celebration."

Lucky in Love: Traditions, Rituals, and Symbols to Personalize Your Wedding:

"Every engaged couple wants two things: a meaningful wedding and a lifetime of happiness. This great gift book is a cross-cultural collection of marriage folklore that will help you achieve both. Create your own lucky traditions with nods to each other's heritage, customs from places you've visited together, and auspicious rituals that just feel special."

Wedding Toasts & Speeches: Finding the Perfect Words:

"It isn’t easy to find the right words when toasting the bride and groom, but this collection can help even the most tongue-tied rise to the memorable occasion. There’s wisdom, humor, and comfort in these proverbs and sayings, which come from both the famous (Kahlil Gibran, Mark Twain, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Gloria Steinem) and the not-so-famous, and cover a wide range of subjects. Different chapters offer suggestions focusing on best wishes, dreams, love, passion, and the past, present, and future."

Same Sex LBGTQ Weddings

I know Drew and Traci would want to give a shout out to same sex couples thinking of tying the knot so for those of you who love Marlon Bundo, here you go:

Equally Wed: The Ultimate Guide to Planning Your LGBTQ+ Wedding:

"Author Palladino's expertise as the founder and editorial director of the world's leading online resource for LGBTQ wedding planning to the page. Palladino walks readers through every step of the notoriously costly and arduous planning process with wisdom and accessibility. From how to incorporate hot trends among LGBTQ couples to advice on how to incorporate children into a ceremony to more serious hurdles like dealing with homophobia among family members, Equally Wed has it all."

2brides 2be: A Same-Sex Guide for the Modern Bride:

"Planning a two-bride wedding can mean twice the beauty and twice the stress, and with a shortage of inspiration and guidance for the modern lesbian bride, this is the book for the next generation of women planning a same-sex wedding. 2Brides 2Be is a wedding guide for the bride who exudes youth and style no matter what her age, who is inspired by innovation, and who wants to marry the woman of her dreams and do it her way."

The New Art of Capturing Love: The Essential Guide to Lesbian and Gay Wedding Photography:

"This first guide to posing and sensitively capturing same-sex couples on their wedding days equips semi-pro and professional wedding photographers to serve the exciting LGBT wedding photography market"

Wedding Flowers

Drew and Traci had a bookish theme – the bouquet, corsages and boutonnieres were made from pages of recycled books. Here are some traditional and non-traditional wedding flower books.

Paula Pryke Weddings Flowers:

"An essential book packed with exquisite photographs and amazing floral displays for planning every aspect of the wedding day and beyond, from London’s leading floral designer. Paula Pryke taps into the desire of every bride to make her wedding day special, and the choice of flower color, fragrance, and display is one of the most effective and fun ways to do so. She gives the bride the confidence and ability to design her own floral theme and work with a florist to execute it, or perhaps even undertake some of the arrangements herself for a truly personal touch"

Wedding bouquets and flowers:

"This new book gives brides and florists a hands-on guide to floral designs to celebrate the happiest and most special of days. Packed with tips and tricks, it explains how to plan, prepare and transport the flowers, as well as advising on colour scheme and displays. Detailed instruction to techniques and demonstrations are supported by over 400 step-by-step photographs and there is also a complete guide to four seasonal weddings set in a church, a castle, a hotel and a garden."

Wedding Planning and Crafts

Both Drew and Traci are salt of the earth, kind and generous people and they're both catches. Their wedding details were all home done and crafty but really super fun and book based. If you're looking to be individual, unique, creative (and frugal!) at your own wedding you might like some of these books.

Mollie Makes Weddings: Making, Thrifting, Collecting, Crafting:

"With ideas for handmade lino-cut stationery, adorable cake-toppers, a felt-flowered ring pillow, vintage fabric and paper flowers and banners, a button bouquet, and glamorous-yet-thrifty decorations and favors, Mollie Makes Weddings will have brides walking down the aisle in style. From those who fancy putting their sewing machine to work to those who prefer making rubber stamps and setting up their very own invitation production line, there is something for everyone. This book is perfect for brides-to-be and innovative wedding planners."

The Knot's Yours Truly: Inspiration and Ideas to Personalize your Wedding:

"Now more than ever before, couples are focused on having a unique wedding–details no one has seen before that are custom tailored. Whether it's giving handmade favors based on a favorite hobby, creating a viral video in lieu of a save-the-date mailer … couples are making their own rules and seeking out innovative ways to spotlight their personalities and passions."

Wedding Papercrafts: Add Handmade Charm to Your Celebration.

"Created by top designers, 20 exquisitely unique projects provide a creative outlet for brides during the hustle and bustle of the planning process. Mostly beginner-friendly, these handmade accessories and add charm to any ceremony and reception."

The Knot: Outdoor Weddings: Fresh Ideas for Events in Gardens, Vineyards, Beaches, Mountains and More:

"Curates transporting, inspiring photos of real outdoor celebrations coupled with the best style tips, tricks, and ideas for the bride and groom's special day. And with problem-solving tips on how to deal with inclement weather, fashion emergencies, and other types of wedding-day issues, this guide is as practical as it is beautiful." See also Green Wedding: Planning Your Eco-Friendly Celebration.

My Handmade Wedding: A Crafter's Guide to Making your Big Day Perfect:

"Ideal for creative, budget-savvy brides and grooms to be, this practical, friendly guide will help couples plan and personalize their big day."

A Practical Wedding Planner: A Step-by-step Guide to Creating the Wedding you Want with the Budget you've Got (Without Losing your Mind in the Process):

"Meg Keene walks couples through planning, from the big picture down to the nitty-gritty details. In her characteristic seasoned, sassy style, Keene offers no-nonsense guidance for planning a dream wedding on a real budget. "

Destination Weddings

And for something a bit more exotic …

Weddings Away: The New Destination Wedding and Getaway Wedding Celebrations Guide:

"Whether you're planning an island wedding, overseas nuptials, or an intimate gathering in a beloved beach house or a charming village close to home, this invaluable guide from go-to wedding expert Sharon Naylor gives you all the information you need to make your magical day meaningful, memorable, and carefree."

Wedding Photography

So you can likely tell that while I am really fond of the newly married couple I am a lousy photographer – so just to avoid that issue yourselves either go professional (see below) or consider looking at some of these books:

Photograph Wedding Details: A Guide to Documenting Jewelry, Cakes, Flowers, Décor, and More:

"The aesthetic details that the couple selects when they dream up their perfect wedding help to tell their love story. Savvy photographers know the importance of artistically capturing the wedding details-from the lace or beading of the dress, to the invitations and menus, to the cake toppers and more. In this book, Wayne presents 180 creative captures plus generalized tips designed to help you create a technically perfect, fluid, storytelling chronicle of the day."

500 Poses for Photographing Brides: A Visual Source Book for Digital Portrait Photographers:

"Determining the best way to pose a subject-a way that is simultaneously flattering, appropriate, and visually appealing-can be one of the biggest challenges in designing a successful portrait. This is especially true when creating portraits of brides, where the photographer may be called on to create anything from a very traditional head-and-shoulders pose to a more adventurous full-length look straight out of the pages of a fashion magazine. This collection is a visual source book designed to address exactly that problem."

Profitable Album Design and Sales: The Essential Guide to Professional Photography Albums:

"Andrew Funderburg discusses how to build a richer experience for clients and your business by creating an experience through storytelling across a sequence of images, rather than in isolated portraits. He shows you how to find the heart of each client's story and how to shoot for the story. He writes about shooting in a way that will enable you to tell a cohesive and compelling story that will deeply resonate with your clients. He discusses pricing and presenting albums so that it makes sense to clients and then shows you how to create a design consultation to present to clients."

Shot in the Dark: Low-Light Techniques for Wedding & Portrait Photography:

"A leading wedding and portrait photographer shares his techniques to create memorable shots in low-light environments. The reader will learn how to balance the subject/background exposure; perfect color and focus; add flash, LED, or portable strobe lighting; and create intriguing special effects."

One Wedding: How to Photograph a Wedding from Start to Finish:

"Brett Florens walks you step-by-step through one real wedding (the celebration of Claire and Chris), revealing his go-to shooting techniques and time-management strategies. Florens begins by customizing image concepts to suit the clients' personalities and style. On the engagement shoot, he takes you through setups with Claire and Chris that begin with natural light then escalate to multi-strobe approaches."

You may also be interested in these more specialized books:

Here are a couple of professional photos taken at Traci and Drew's wedding by our co-worker Clive Sewell. You may recognize the Toronto Reference Library location.

Wedding Cakes

Drew and Traci had a really tasty cake and also a dessert table. This is the kind of lovely people that they are … they provided baggies in various sizes so you could take stuff home.

Simply Modern Wedding Cakes:

"Bestselling cake decorating author and world-renown sugarcraft teacher, Lindy Smith shows you how to create remarkable wedding cakes with the minimum of fuss."

Wedding Music

They had a really funky DJ at the reception and I danced up a storm. But in case you're looking for wedding music for the church/venue or for the reception afterwards you'll find some of these titles handy.