Whether the arrival of a save-the-date announcement in your mailbox makes you grin or cringe, few would contest the fact that wedding season can be overwhelming. Sure, it's mostly fun, but we all inevitably deal with at least some degree of worry caused by these high-stress events. There’s pressure to look perfect, you have to worry about very specific wedding etiquette, and costs add up like you wouldn’t believe. From the couple tying the knot to the bridal party to the guests, no one is immune.
When your wedding season panic kicks in — be it for a fleeting moment or for the entire multi-month period — your sanity doesn’t have to leave you. We’ve partnered with Oyster to provide you some relief this wedding season; instead of getting caught up in the stress, lose yourself in a book that will distract, entertain, and maybe even teach you. You’ll hopefully even remember that there’s a lot to like about summer weddings, even if the top item on your list is just the possibility of an open bar.
If your calendar is already jam-packed with summer nuptials, below are nine books to help you keep a tight grip on your sanity this wedding season.
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Bad Bridesmaid by Siri Agrell
After being kicked out of a friend’s wedding party for writing an article questioning the role of bridesmaids, Siri Agrell had ample material for Bad Bridesmaid . Her book shares stories of crazy weddings, along with offering bridesmaids practical advice (like don’t publish your thoughts about the duty in a national newspaper, perhaps?). Whether or not you’ll be standing alongside a friend during a ceremony or just show up as a guest, you'll want Agrell’s funny and enjoyable book as your trusty companion.
Wedding Belles by Haywood Smith
Wedding Belles by New York Times-bestselling author Haywood Smith is a hilarious novel about long-time friends whose excitement about one of their daughters' engagement is put on hold because her groom is a man they went to school with. Instead of planning the perfect Southern wedding, the ladies get hung up on "Wild Man Wade" and his not-so-innocent past antics. Any wedding you’re headed to this summer should be less tense than this one. (Let’s hope, anyway!)
How to Sew a Button by Erin Bried
If being busy helps you stay calm and carry on, How to Sew a Button by Erin Bried will introduce you to all-new tasks to fill your time. Not only will you learn skills that will save you money, you’ll be able to take pride in your ability to do chores on your own rather than outsourcing them. As a bonus, you’ll be a huge hit with fellow wedding attendees if you can repair wardrobe malfunctions that arise on the big day.
Ladies in Waiting by Laura Sullivan
Today’s bridesmaids are kind of like the queen’s helpers in Ladies in Waiting by Laura Sullivan. The YA novel focuses on three Elizabeths (Zabby, Beth, and Eliza), who each come to court for a very specific reason and find themselves surrounded by scandals. Most bridal parties aren’t quite so shocking, but they do often bring together girls who have little in common aside from the wedding duty they’ve agreed to do.
Wedding Season by Darcy Cosper
If attending a rash of summer weddings makes you start to panic over your own unmarried state, you’ll want to pick up Wedding Season by Darcy Cosper. While telling the story of Joy and her boyfriend’s insanely busy wedding season (17 in six months!), the clever social comedy examines how our attitudes about marriage are formed. Not only is it full of great dialogue, it's very relatable.
Never Have I Ever by Katie Heaney
Never Have I Ever by Katie Heaney details the years she spent perpetually single despite being open to finding love. With or without a boyfriend, she had a strong support system, and their presence in the memoir adds a lot of humor to an already very funny book. Those who are sitting at the singles' table may appreciate the reminder that being single doesn’t mean being alone.
Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll
If you’re over all things weddings, New York Times-bestseller Jessica Knoll’s Luckiest Girl Alive might be the book for you. The twist-filled mystery centers on Ani FaNelli, who has secrets in her past that might derail the nearly perfect life she desperately wants to have. Just try not to laugh if the bride says she’s the “luckiest girl alive.”
Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot
Meg Cabot adds her first adult installment to the bestselling Princess Diaries series with Royal Wedding , which should make your teenage self cheer. Princess Mia has been out of college for five years, and she and her long-time boyfriend, Michael, are ready to become husband and wife. Of course, since Murphy’s Law should actually be called Mia’s, you know there will be all kinds of speed bumps along the way. The comical and lighthearted fare is a great choice for those needing to destress.
Champagne Cocktails by A.J. Rathbun
Champagne Cocktails by mixologist A.J. Rathbun will get you in the wedding spirit, because cake is the only thing more essential to a wedding than champagne (and that’s debatable). His book provides 50 recipes that may be key to getting you ready for — or getting you through — wedding season with your sanity intact. You’ll also be the MVP of any shower or bachelorette party with your sparkling new drink ideas.
Images: VisitSormland/flickr; Henry Holt and Co.; St. Martin’s Press; Random House Publishing Group; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Crown/Archetype; Grand Central Publishing; Simon & Schuster; HarperCollins; Harvard Common Press
