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FROM THE 41 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

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EIGHT WAYS TO WIN YOUR

WIFE'S HEART FOREVER

SCOTT HALTZMAN, M.D.

WITH THERESA FOY DIGERONIMO

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Atypical
Planners

Books help
make your
wedding day
even better.

Suzi Brozman

Special to celebrate!

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ou've got the ring on your finger, the
man of your dreams in your pocket, you
have a date for the big event, and all
the plans you've been concocting
since you were 5. Now what?
Some informative books can help you crystal-
lize your wedding ideas — whether in terms of
the dress, the party and the food, or the Jewish
aspects of tradition and ceremony.
Weddings Valentine Style (with Tonya Bolden,
Atria Books, $39.95), is Diann Valentine's splashy
big picture book on how to produce the wedding
of your dreams. Valentine is a wedding producer
whose credits include the nuptials of Toni Braxton
and baseball great Gary Sheffield (no, not to
each other).
While the emphasis is on African-Americans, the
appeal is universal, with advice on everything from
save-the-date cards to staying on budget while
creating an event that makes every guest whisper
"Wow!"
It's a beautiful book, chock full of glamorous pho-
tos and good tips for every aspect of the wedding.
It's not a wedding planner as such. Don't expect
minute-by-minute advice. This book is for grand
overviews — conceptualizing the ambience you
want to create, how to use flowers, music and
accessories, ways to make the day your own. And
it's not for the modest. The photography is breath-
takingly gorgeous, but does include some scantily
clad females artfully posed with bouquets and
other accessories.
Valentine offers some great tips, like having a spa
pamper party for your bridesmaids to help allevi-
ate the pre-wedding jitters, or chucking some of
the old traditions like the white wedding gown and

traditional bouquet in favor of a gown and flowers
that express the real you. Her photos of magnificent
wedding cakes, place settings and decorations will
make you dream of new dimensions for your own
celebration. It's worth looking at.
On the spiritual side, Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer
has put together The Creative Jewish Wedding
Book: A Hands-on Guide to New & Old Traditions,
Ceremonies & Celebrations (Jewish Lights,
$19.99), a charming book that lives up to its title.
Whatever branch of Judaism informs your choices,
Kaplan-Mayer helps you choose and incorporate
the Jewish spirit into your wedding.
Aufruf? Bedecken? The Seven Blessings? She
explains these age-old traditions, making them
relevant for modern couples. Kaplan-Mayer helps
smooth the way for inter-Jewish couples, explaining
that we put so much energy into interfaith mar-
riages but ignore the issues facing couples from
different Jewish backgrounds. She also addresses
interfaith and same-sex ceremonies.
Kaplan-Mayer speaks to each aspect of the
marriage, from the invitation to the ceremony, the
prayers and the reception. She offers suggestions
and explains the whys and hows of traditions, such
as breaking the glass, ritual objects and mitzvot
associated with weddings.
It's a gracefully written, non-judgmental hand-
book that offers engaged couples the opportunity
to include as much, or as little, Jewish ritual and
flavor as they wish. It's also just plain fascinating
for anyone interested in Jewish heritage. In fact, I'd
say it belongs in every Jewish home.
From the serious to the hilarious, every bride

Atypical Planners on page 63

celebrate 2007 61