Customer Reviews

Colin Cowie Wedding Chic: 1,001 Ideas for Every Moment of Your Celebration

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Any who dream of weddings or organize them will find this a fine guide to the decisions involved in making wedding plans - and there are numerous such choices here, broken down into step-by-step chapters. From choosing a style and theme to weaving it through all these choices, the decisions fall into place: photos and tips accompany everything from guest lists and setting to cutting and serving the cake, making for an outstanding public library acquisition.

I checked this book out from the library, suspecting that I would flip through many pages of photos, scout out some things I like and be done with it. I figured most of the information would be for weddings well beyond my budget.

I was wrong on both counts.

While it's true that Colin Cowie's weddings are spectacular, luxurious affairs that often exceed a minimal budget, this book isn't really about how to create your over-the-top wedding. Instead, it's a nice tutorial on choosing details that will both tie an event together visually and provide an exceptional experience for guests. There certainly are lavish ideas in here, such as installing French doors and a sunken dance floor in an outdoor tent, but there's also a wealth of information for those of us trying to keep the numbers low: little things, such as vary the centerpieces and table coverings so that the reception seems thought out instead of mass-produced. (Maybe some of you are saying, "Well, duh," but I didn't think of it.)

The book is divided into several sections, covering everything from attire to reception decor to food and beverage. Each section offers a few pages of Cowie's advice, followed by several photos, each of which is annotated with a description of what makes that particular element work. You're probably not going to find an answer to every design question here, but there are enough gorgeous photos (with commentary) to get your creative gears turning.

Granted, if you have experience planning events, much of this book might be old hat, but if you're just someone trying to throw a wedding that your guests will remember, don't overlook this book. It's a great start.

One of the great joys found perusing books such as this - is devouring the fabulous photographs. The lushness of the initial photographic impression draws the reader into the detail of the design - which then leads one to the descriptive text. It is this sequence that channels and transforms top-designer ideas into ones adapted to the reader's life. That process is a difficult challenge with this volume.

My criticism of this book has virtually nothing to do with the content; it's the presentation. The very size of the book is not consistent with most in this genre. It's small. That, in and of itself, could be fine if executed correctly. But most of the photographs are small - many of them not much larger than thumbnails on a page. This reader found it impossible to discern any detail in many of the smaller photographs. Even reading the accompanying text, then trying to find the detail it described in the picture, was often just not possible. Rather than inspiration, there was just frustration.

With so many books of this kind on the market, the reader doesn't have to settle for skimpy presentation. The publisher could have done better.

I find the book beautiful and full of interesting ideas to work with. Colin Cowie shares his knowledge and expertise in a simple, direct way. I wish the pictures were bigger, though.

Colin Cowie is an amazing planner and designer. Even if you can't afford a Colin Cowie wedding there are great tips in this book.

I've seen alot of Collin Cowie's work especially on Oprah, and love his styling, however the book didn't do alot for me.
I got a few ideas but felt I got the same ideas from his website, a little dissapointed with this one, I thought I would have gotten alot more out of his book.

As an Event and Wedding Planner, I find this book to be one of the favorites I share with my brides-to-be. They always come back with pages tabbed (I give them peel and sticks) and they create a vision for me of their dream wedding. It is all a matter of re-creating on the initial vision that Colin Cowie presents. Love it!

Colin Cowie's new book has a lot of ideas to make a wedding different from "the ordinary." As other reviewers have stated, many of the ideas would be financially extravagant, but he also has a lot of very common sense recommendations that would add to the success of any wedding. I have a "library" of wedding books, and this one is one of my favorites so far.

After watching Colin Cowie host Get Married (www.getmarried.com), his <a href="http://www.getmarried.com">wedding planning</a> tips are incredibly easy to follow and pull off and they will give your reception incredible dazzle.

This book was very well put together. There was an abundance of pictures, and I was able to walk away with a few ideas and tips. I loved the font, the colors, just about everything! It was very nicely done. It felt like the author put careful thought into how he wanted to present the information.