cover image The Artful Bride: Simple, Handmade Wedding Projects

The Artful Bride: Simple, Handmade Wedding Projects

April L. Paffrath, Laura McFadden. Quarry Books, $22 (128pp) ISBN 978-1-56496-961-3

Freelance art director McFadden and how-to writer Paffrath combine their design talents in this lighthearted, useful guide to creating wedding paraphernalia at home.""Handmade wedding elements are fun to make,"" they declare in the book's preface;""they give you greater control over the feel of your wedding, and they even provide you with some quality downtime during the preparation for the big day."" Not to mention that they can save couples loads money that might otherwise go to printers, decorators and jewelers. The authors cover all aspects of wedding design, from invitations and thank you notes to party gifts and ceremony details. Some of their ideas, like their paper and moonstone picture frame, are elegant and professional looking. Others, like their wind-up monkey and penguin name cards, are deliberately humorous--and, some might argue, a bit corny. Large color photographs help readers evaluate each project before they decide to start it, and allow them to separate the few duds from the winners.