The Military Wedding [Paperback]

Vanessa Baldwin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 7, 2008

As a wedding consultant, who specializes in military weddings, I hear brides, who are trying to plan military weddings, lament about the lack of information available about military weddings. Brides are marrying later and are better educated. Even if they are hiring a wedding consultant to plan a military wedding, the brides still want to know as much as possible. Most wedding planning and etiquette books briefly address military weddings, but not to the satisfaction of most military brides. There are situations that face the bride or groom marrying a military person that a civilian couple doesn't always have to face. In addition to embarking on a new journey as a married couple, the military wedding is the beginning of a whole new way of life and culture. A severe case of culture shock may manifest once the new military spouse arrives at the spouse's duty location. Welcome to the brave new world of military jargon, acronyms, ID cards, wives' clubs, customs and courtesies, personnel reassignments, deployments and on and on. Becoming a military spouse is also an exciting adventure--full of new and exotic places, as well as challenges that will test the foundation of your marriage. Or, it will strengthen your partnership as husband and wife, bound by the fondest memories of shared experiences, adventures and challenges conquered. It's enough to make a strong person weak in the knees. It's not a life for the faint of heart. So, this book, The Military Wedding, has been written to make the experience less harrowing and more enjoyable. This book is mainly written for the civilian bride marrying a military groom, but I will try not to overlook the civilian groom marrying a military woman and the military bride and groom. A few paragraphs, as found in most books, won't answer your questions. Consider this your military wedding planning manual or special operating instruction to supplement your main wedding planning guide. Last, but not least, keep your se

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Vanessa L. Baldwin is the President and Senior Consultant of Elegant Beginnings, a wedding consulting and planning service in Northern Virginia.Ms. Baldwin is a graduate of University of Maryland BaltimoreCounty and Howard University School of Social Work, Washington, DC.After professional experience as a social caseworker and a social science analyst, Ms. Baldwin was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force. Ms. Baldwin retired from the Air Force in 1998.The Association of Certified Wedding Consultants, Plano, Texas, certified Ms. Baldwin as a wedding consultant in 1997. Then, she established Elegant Beginnings, providing a full range of wedding planning services in the Metropolitan DC and Northern Virginia areas. Ms. Baldwin specializes in, but is not limited to, military weddings.In 2004, Ms. Baldwin developed the Wedding Coordinator Certificate Program to train wedding planning professionals. Ms. Baldwin began teaching the first series of courses at the Northern Virginia Community College, Woodbridge Campus in the Fall of 2004.Ms. Baldwin resides in Woodbridge, Virginia.

Product Details

• Paperback: 72 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (January 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1434317951
• ISBN-13: 978-1434317957
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #536,055 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not enough details, wrong information, August 18, 2009

By 

Emily R. Codieck "knitterain" (Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Military Wedding (Paperback)

This book was not at all what I was hoping it would be. As an active duty soldier marrying another soldier, I was looking for some specific information concerning military customs, traditions, and protocol regarding weddings. While this book does have some information aimed at military weddings, many of the ideas are obvious (decorate your reception with patriotic colors, or military chapels need to be reserved in advance). I was excited about the long chapter on attire, as my fiance has several specific questions about the proper way to wear his uniform for the wedding. The entire chapter was just a bunch of lists showing what level of formality each uniform is suitable for. Most dress uniforms have several options (bow tie or long tie, gloves or no gloves for example), and there is no mention of any of these details. Finally, in the section concerning the sabre arch, one of the most visible and dramatic elements of any military wedding, the author's information is flat out wrong. She states that this ceremony is for officers only. In the Army and the Marice Corps NCOs proudly wear ceremonial swords, and can form the arch. These scant 50 pages are not worth the money, all of this information is already available, either online or in regular wedding planning books. Save your money.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Umm..., December 1, 2009

By 

A. Kindred (Indiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Military Wedding (Paperback)

This is short, which is fine because it is concise, but a lot of the information is useless. I read it and the only thing that helped me was reminding me to use my father in law's title in the ivitations.

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resource for All Wedding Planners, June 27, 2010

By 

Pearlice A. Diggs - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Military Wedding (Paperback)

As a new wedding planner, military retiree and spouse, I found the book to be very informative. I was first introduced to the book and its author via an article in the Army Times dated May 18, 2009 while completing my Wedding Planner Certification course. The book is an excellent addition to a wedding planner's professional library that offers practical knowledge and advice to brides and grooms planning a military wedding. Military ceremonies are steeped in unique customs and courtesies; therefore, this book can only enhance the pageantry of the military wedding and culture.