What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bride's Survival Guide: 150 Mistakes You Should Avoid for the Perfect Wedding
Everyone knows how overwhelming planning a wedding can be, so what's a bride-to-be to do? It's much easier to learn what not to do, and let everything fall into place for a lovely, unforgettable wedding. This guide tells you what not to do with plenty of etiquette and money-saving tips.
Included in the book is advice Mistake #11: Getting bossed into inviting too many guests; Mistake #89: Getting a cheap aisle runner; Mistake #146: Wearing troublesome undergarments; and more. Each entry is ranked with an icon, such as major catastrophe or money-waster. This book advises on entertainment, wardrobe, toasts, décor, locations, family, guests, budget, vendors, wedding party, and more.
Don' be blindsided by mistakes that plague every bride and groom. With this book, you'll figure them out ahead of time and have no regrets on your perfect day.
Included in the book is advice Mistake #11: Getting bossed into inviting too many guests; Mistake #89: Getting a cheap aisle runner; Mistake #146: Wearing troublesome undergarments; and more. Each entry is ranked with an icon, such as major catastrophe or money-waster. This book advises on entertainment, wardrobe, toasts, décor, locations, family, guests, budget, vendors, wedding party, and more.
Don' be blindsided by mistakes that plague every bride and groom. With this book, you'll figure them out ahead of time and have no regrets on your perfect day.
- GenresNonfiction
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
2 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Naylor
65 books20 followersSharon Naylor is the bestselling author of over 35 wedding books for brides, bridesmaids and the mothers of the bride and groom. Her titles have spent time in the #1 book, e-book and wishlist spots on Amazon and BN.com for their categories, and Publisher’s Weekly named three of her books among the best of the best. She is often excerpted on many of Bride Tide’s Top 100 Wedding Blogs, and she has been featured in the top bridal and honeymoon travel media.
In Magazines
Sharon has been featured in the top bridal magazines, including Bridal Guide, Brides, Southern Bride, WeddingBells, Get Married, New York Weddings, New Jersey Bride, VOWS Magazine, I Do for Brides, Destination I Do and many more. She has also appeared in Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, Self, Health, Shape, Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, and many others.
On Television
Sharon has appeared on Oprah, Good Morning America, Inside Edition, Primetime, Lifetime, ABC News, Get Married, I Do with The Knot, Fox 5 News, Better TV and more
Online
Sharon is Bridal Guide’s resident bridesmaid expert, and is also a columnist at New Jersey Bride, Southern Bride, Polka Dot Bride, Creators.com, and more, and has been featured on countless bridal blogs including Broke-Ass Bride, Best Wedding Sites, The Favour Shoppe, and Huffington Post Weddings. She has also appeared on sites for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, BBC London, TheStreet.com, Bankrate.com, Publisher’s Weekly, Writer’s Digest, The Writer, InterviewHer.com, and hundreds of other media outlets. She has also appeared multiple times on Martha Stewart Weddings satellite radio shows.
Corporate Spokesperson
Sharon has conducted corporate spokesperson campaigns for some of the top companies in the world. Her long list includes Microsoft, Schering Plough, Michaels Crafts, Kodak, Ellis Island, Omaha Steaks and others. As corporate spokesperson, Sharon has helped develop bridal products and services currently in use, conducted satellite media tours and personal appearances, as well as national giveaways and social media events.
Honeymoon Spokesperson
Sharon conducts blogging and digital media campaigns for top destination wedding and honeymoon locations around the globe, including Rosewood Jumby Bay, Caneel Bay in the USVI, Congress Hall and The Virginia Hotel in Cape May, and more. As spokesperson and contributor for these resorts, Sharon has been featured in the top travel media, helps create special wedding and honeymoon packages and special features, and has conducted national giveaways.
Charitable Work
“I was fortunate to be saved from breast cancer through early detection, surgery and radiation,” says Sharon, “So I do as much work for breast cancer charities as possible. I’m also active in the good work being done by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in memory of my father, and I support Wish Upon a Wedding, as well.”
Sharon has walked the red carpet at bridal industry launches, movie premieres, celebrity product launches, and book premiere parties. She was a featured expert at Conde Nast’s Dream House, has appeared many times at Book Expo and attends the top Bridal Market runway shows and launches. She has also attended The Wedding Salon, EPIC Summit and other top-tier bridal events.
Based outside of New York City, Sharon lives with her husband, Joe, and is at work on her upcoming wedding books and special projects.
Keep up with Sharon on her Facebook page and on her Twitter @sharonnaylorwed.
In Magazines
Sharon has been featured in the top bridal magazines, including Bridal Guide, Brides, Southern Bride, WeddingBells, Get Married, New York Weddings, New Jersey Bride, VOWS Magazine, I Do for Brides, Destination I Do and many more. She has also appeared in Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, Self, Health, Shape, Better Homes and Gardens, Family Circle, and many others.
On Television
Sharon has appeared on Oprah, Good Morning America, Inside Edition, Primetime, Lifetime, ABC News, Get Married, I Do with The Knot, Fox 5 News, Better TV and more
Online
Sharon is Bridal Guide’s resident bridesmaid expert, and is also a columnist at New Jersey Bride, Southern Bride, Polka Dot Bride, Creators.com, and more, and has been featured on countless bridal blogs including Broke-Ass Bride, Best Wedding Sites, The Favour Shoppe, and Huffington Post Weddings. She has also appeared on sites for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, BBC London, TheStreet.com, Bankrate.com, Publisher’s Weekly, Writer’s Digest, The Writer, InterviewHer.com, and hundreds of other media outlets. She has also appeared multiple times on Martha Stewart Weddings satellite radio shows.
Corporate Spokesperson
Sharon has conducted corporate spokesperson campaigns for some of the top companies in the world. Her long list includes Microsoft, Schering Plough, Michaels Crafts, Kodak, Ellis Island, Omaha Steaks and others. As corporate spokesperson, Sharon has helped develop bridal products and services currently in use, conducted satellite media tours and personal appearances, as well as national giveaways and social media events.
Honeymoon Spokesperson
Sharon conducts blogging and digital media campaigns for top destination wedding and honeymoon locations around the globe, including Rosewood Jumby Bay, Caneel Bay in the USVI, Congress Hall and The Virginia Hotel in Cape May, and more. As spokesperson and contributor for these resorts, Sharon has been featured in the top travel media, helps create special wedding and honeymoon packages and special features, and has conducted national giveaways.
Charitable Work
“I was fortunate to be saved from breast cancer through early detection, surgery and radiation,” says Sharon, “So I do as much work for breast cancer charities as possible. I’m also active in the good work being done by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in memory of my father, and I support Wish Upon a Wedding, as well.”
Sharon has walked the red carpet at bridal industry launches, movie premieres, celebrity product launches, and book premiere parties. She was a featured expert at Conde Nast’s Dream House, has appeared many times at Book Expo and attends the top Bridal Market runway shows and launches. She has also attended The Wedding Salon, EPIC Summit and other top-tier bridal events.
Based outside of New York City, Sharon lives with her husband, Joe, and is at work on her upcoming wedding books and special projects.
Keep up with Sharon on her Facebook page and on her Twitter @sharonnaylorwed.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 28, 2011
If like me you are a push over, and never had the dream of have a wedding, but have now found your prince charming, this book is a MUST READ THE MOMENT YOU ARE ENGAGED!!!
I bought this at a used bookseller halfway through planning. I wish I had had it before.
recommended for pushover, NON-BRIDEZILLA brides.
I bought this at a used bookseller halfway through planning. I wish I had had it before.
recommended for pushover, NON-BRIDEZILLA brides.
July 28, 2011
I think the book is very helpful, especially if you've really never helped plan a wedding before. Gave really good, honest advice. It covered pretty much every aspect. I'd recommend to anyone planning a wedding!
February 24, 2023
I really enjoyed this! I feel like the author did a great job of empowering brides to stand up for themselves and their wishes for their wedding planning and day, while also encouraging proper etiquette and tradition. This focuses mostly on the things to avoid but does have a lot of positives as well.
March 16, 2021
There wasn’t anything super informative for me.. kinda stuff I already knew. But I think that’s just because I work with a lot of wedding professionals. Quick and easy read, definitely recommend if you don’t know the first thing about planning a wedding!
Read
July 28, 2011This book blows. Seriously. If you haven't already paid for it, put it down, and back away slowly. Basically this is a big waste of money. I got it from the library so I didn't pay for it, but this is still valuable time spent out of my life reading this crap that I can never get back.
Basically this book can be divided into two types of advice: generic information you could have gotten somewhere - anywhere - else and advice that will make you want to chuck the book across the room. You if are untraditional, indie, queer, or crafty in the slightest all this book wants to tell you is that you MUST have favors and that homemade centerpieces are the devil. Personal details like practical jokes and anything "showy" are awful. She spends a lot of time carping on budgeting, but then also telling you not to have your friends help you put this on or to do too much yourself because that is what hiring people is for! Her word for all that is "cheap" and when you have a "cheap" wedding it shows the guests that you don't care about them. Because spending money on stupid crap and buying into the capitalist wedding industrial complex is really what this day is all about, spending time with family and friends be dammed. She promotes this idea of flawless effortlessness. It is supposed to look like you spent money on it, but not too much money of course! Basically this book is setting everyone who reads it up for a cruel and stressful double edged sword. It's like an IV of anxiety disorder being injected directly into your head. Also, its 2009 and this book was so straight it was bizarre. Apparently in the authors world, gay people don't get married or go to weddings. Ever.
For those of us who are serving pasta, not getting a spa day, and will be shlupping our own wine and centerpieces to and from our site that doesn't provide its own security gaurd, resist the urge to light this crap book on fire and instead back away slowly. Very very slowly.
Basically this book can be divided into two types of advice: generic information you could have gotten somewhere - anywhere - else and advice that will make you want to chuck the book across the room. You if are untraditional, indie, queer, or crafty in the slightest all this book wants to tell you is that you MUST have favors and that homemade centerpieces are the devil. Personal details like practical jokes and anything "showy" are awful. She spends a lot of time carping on budgeting, but then also telling you not to have your friends help you put this on or to do too much yourself because that is what hiring people is for! Her word for all that is "cheap" and when you have a "cheap" wedding it shows the guests that you don't care about them. Because spending money on stupid crap and buying into the capitalist wedding industrial complex is really what this day is all about, spending time with family and friends be dammed. She promotes this idea of flawless effortlessness. It is supposed to look like you spent money on it, but not too much money of course! Basically this book is setting everyone who reads it up for a cruel and stressful double edged sword. It's like an IV of anxiety disorder being injected directly into your head. Also, its 2009 and this book was so straight it was bizarre. Apparently in the authors world, gay people don't get married or go to weddings. Ever.
For those of us who are serving pasta, not getting a spa day, and will be shlupping our own wine and centerpieces to and from our site that doesn't provide its own security gaurd, resist the urge to light this crap book on fire and instead back away slowly. Very very slowly.
May 25, 2011
Planning a wedding can may you a little crazy, this book has perfect, common sense tips for every bride to be.
Most people have their idea of a "Dream wedding", and this book was helpful and keeping all of those dreams based in some sense of reality.
One of the better examples of common sense advice in this book talks about; Yes, every bride wants to look stunning on her wedding day and this means taking the makeup up a notch or 2. However if you have never worn false eyelashes, or do not wear them day-to-day, your wedding day is NOT the ideal day to start! Take them for a test drive to see if they work for you, how they look, how to apply them, etc. You may also want to consult an expert to apply them day of, so you don't end up having your eyelids glued shut or fingers glued together.
As a bride in her 30's I had no illusions about unrealistic expectations for the my wedding, but this did confirm a lot of things I was already aware of, and guided me along with pointer that are great in any major life event. :)
Most people have their idea of a "Dream wedding", and this book was helpful and keeping all of those dreams based in some sense of reality.
One of the better examples of common sense advice in this book talks about; Yes, every bride wants to look stunning on her wedding day and this means taking the makeup up a notch or 2. However if you have never worn false eyelashes, or do not wear them day-to-day, your wedding day is NOT the ideal day to start! Take them for a test drive to see if they work for you, how they look, how to apply them, etc. You may also want to consult an expert to apply them day of, so you don't end up having your eyelids glued shut or fingers glued together.
As a bride in her 30's I had no illusions about unrealistic expectations for the my wedding, but this did confirm a lot of things I was already aware of, and guided me along with pointer that are great in any major life event. :)
March 8, 2022
My coworker and friend got me this book when I was first engaged. I think this book helped a LOT with calming me down about "musts" and "traditions" when it came to a wedding. I had already calmed down a lot about what I expected, wanted, and desired for my big day - but this was also a gentle reminder. I feel like my wedding day was perfect and exactly what we wanted it to be - so I hope I wouldn't say I made a ton of these 15o mistakes!
January 10, 2011
This book seemed to contradict itself on more than one question of etiquette, but it did make some good points. In the end, your wedding is your day and you shouldn't feel pressured to make others happy, so I don't take books like this very seriously.
January 31, 2010
A fair bit of common sense, but also some useful pointers on dealing with tricky scenarios that aren't as obvious. Tips are clearly laid out for easy browsing.
March 25, 2013
good for wedding planning big or small. most important tip: don't forget to thank everyone and make rounds at the reception.
December 8, 2013
Some things were helpful, some things were a little obvious, but overall I think this was a good book and gets you thinking about a lot of different phases of the planning and of the big day!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews