The Island / by Elin Hildebrand

It's the event Birdie Cousins has been waiting for: her daughter Chess (Francesca) is finally getting married. Everything's been planned for the day of the wedding. All the elegant, lavish plans are set in motion for the refined ceremony and subsequent celebration to be held at the family's Nantucket island home with funds provided upfront by Chess's father/Birdie's ex-husband Grant. Then the bottom falls out. First Chess calls her mother to tell her she's broken off her engagement to heartthrob fiance Michael Morgan for no apparent reason other than prenuptual jitters. Next, Chess quits her prestigious editing job at a major lifestyle magazine, and then Michael himself dies tragically in a Rock climbing accident; the mini-vacation with his brother Nick was supposed to be a way of taking his mind off his recent heartbreak. Chess is now more than just a mess; she's become a wreck of emotional guilt and depression, pushed to drastic extremes like shaving her head and holing herself up in her apartment permanently.

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Birdie's unsure of what action should be taken--Chess has always been the responsible, got-it-together girl. Other than enlisting the aid of her second, younger daughter Tate, it's hard to think of the right thing to do. Finally Birdie decides a family retreat is what's needed. Mom and both daughters will spend a month long holiday on the same Tuckernuck Island beach house where the wedding ceremony was to take place. Birdie's sister India, an artist-socialite who's overcome the vast tragedy herself with the suicide of her celebrity sculptor husband, will complete the party.

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This is Hilderbrand's latest in a long line of successful "beach reads", all of which have been set in and around the same Cape Cod region where she and her family live year-round. The Island reads pretty much like the cover looks: everything's nice and non-threatening. Everyone is well-off and well-settled, if not downright rich and famous. Stuff happens for a reason with personal growth and lessons learned by all in the end. It's easy to get into the characters, all of whom are sympathetic in their own way, exuding warmth and positive qualities in nearly all situations. And Hilderbrand's language and prose moves things along at a pleasant pace. It's the kind of "never-never land portrait"* of life that can't help but find an audience. (FIC HILDERBRAND)

*Publisher's Weekly

Matrimony Managment: New Books on Weddings and Wedding Planning

Do I Have to Where White? Emily Post Answers America's Top Wedding Questions / written by Anna Post

The unopposed queen of etiquette and still the one to go to for answers on what to do according to the finishing school code of conduct, Emily Post has long been the defacto authority on what's proper--an all the more commendable feat seeing as she's been dead 50 years. There are already 5 published editions of Post's official wedding etiquette, but this book offers something a little different with its easy-to-follow format and accessible content. In very basic Q&A style, great-great-granddaughter Anna dishes on just what and how a proper wedding should be got off, expounding on both formal and informal wedding ceremonies with insights on outfit accessories, stationary for the programs, and just who and how many guests to invite. (395. 22 POST)

The Green Bride Guide: How to Create an Earth-Friendly Wedding on any Budget / by Kate L. Harrison

Environmentally-friendly weddings may be in vogue but most veterans of these types of ceremonies will tell you they aren't always so affordable, or easy to plan. If you're going all out and will settle for nothing but a full-fledged carbon-neutral, energy efficient, vegeterian ceremony, Harrison states that you'll almost certainly need an experienced planner, one with enough savvy to orchestrate the eco-friendly details, save money and still maintain the style you're going for. Even couples wanting a more of mainstream atmosphere but still desiring a wedding comprised of thrifty, eco-conscious attributes will need spend the appropriate amount of time researching things like catering, facilitation and energy costs. (395.22 HARRISON)

The Knot Guide to Destination Weddings: Tips, Tricks and Top Locations from Italy to the Islands / by Carley Roney w/ Joann Gregoli

The trendiest way to get married nowadays is with a destination wedding. Or so say the editors of this stylish book covering nearly every detail on getting hitched in a locale other than where you live. With advice on everything from picking out the most oppropriate setting for your celebration, legal marriage requirements in foreign countries, calculating traveling expenses and hiring caterers in your destination of choice, this is a great informative resource for anyone wanting a wedding ceremony with an exotic flare. It's also got some great charts, worksheets and templates for remembering those oh-so-important small details. (395.22 RONEY)

Wedding Rites: A Complete Guide to Traditional Vows, Music, Ceremonies, Blessings and Interfaith Services / Michael P. Foley

Frankly, this economy doesn't leave much room for loose budgeting and extravagance, especially when it comes to planning and executing your wedding day. Even the most important person involved at a traditional ceremony aside from the bride and groom--the minister--can have quite a lofty sum attached to his or her services. Understanding the necessary ceremonial rites, vows, blessings and procedures concerning all the vital details can be a key factor in determining just who to have orchestrating the most important day of your life. Fortunately, this book lets anyone and everyone (all persons of practicing judeo-christian faiths, that is) in on the exact rules and regulations for that special occasion. (265.5 FOLEY)