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Hey APW!
You get a different voice today for Happy Hour. I told Meg that someone else needed to brag about her for a moment, so here I am. I might currently be the face of partnerships and media sales here at APW, but I’ve been a long-time reader, fan, and contributor too. Sometime around 2010 I became obsessed with weddings, started reading tons of wedding blogs, decided to go to school to become a wedding planner, and subsequently stuck around APW as an avid reader. I’ve been around so long, in fact, that I remember the days before there was an APW book, and when Meg wrote her first book (the first time). I know we’ve mentioned it here already, but she spent a good chunk of 2019 updating, rewriting, and generally improving on her first book: A Practical Wedding: Creative Ideas For A Beautiful, Affordable, And Stress-Free Celebration.
Back in 2011, you might remember, the world was a different place (which is to say, we’re making progress, albeit slow as molasses). At that time, when Meg was diligently writing the book all on her own, she knew that she had to tread lightly when it came to language, ideas, and guidance that was fully inclusive… so, you know, the book would actually get published. For example, she was just telling us this week, her publishers required the manuscript be submitted under the Chicago Manual of Style, so, in 2011, Meg couldn’t even use ‘they’ as a singular pronoun (it’s the 2019 word of the year, now… see, progress). She’s smart (and slightly sneaky) and still managed to create the first of its kind gender-neutral book on wedding planning. But she made sure not to mention that fact to her editor, so nobody would make her change it. Now, in this version of 2019 world, she was specifically asked by her (new to her and absolutely amazing) editor, to include whole sidebars and sections on gender nonconforming folx, slavery and the stripping of marital rights, and planning non-white weddings—all with the help of a bunch of other super-smart industry professionals—and a whole lot more.
Also in Inspiration
I’m here to tell you, this book is worth it. If someone you know just got engaged, this is the best holiday gift you could give them. If you yourself are pre-engaged, or recently engaged—buy this book, read it, and keep your head on straight while you plan this thing. Look, Hanukkah and Christmas are a mere week and a half away, and this book drops next Tuesday. Fate? I don’t know. Maybe.
Plus More Good Stuff…
Also, for those of you that are recently engaged, pre-engaged (like me), or have been married for some time—Ours is the gift to give yourself and your partner. The brilliant ladies from Ours (who are former divorce-attorneys turned brilliant education-platform-creators), are about to launch their programming… like, any day now. Keep your eyes peeled. Oh, and if somehow you haven’t done it yet, pop over to their site and answer a few questions, and they’ll provide you with a beyond useful one-page list of questions and topics that you and your beau can focus on while you sip cider this weekend. This is the good kind of list, the things we should all be talking about but maybe haven’t yet. Let Ours guide the way. (Oh, and stay tuned, answers to your burning questions are coming next week!)
And with that, here is your open thread.
XO,
Alyssa
This Happy Hour is brought to you by Ours, where power couples are born. A platform of education, action plans, and professional advice for modern couples. Ours will help you identify what’s important in your relationship, provide you with custom advice, and then turn that advice into action for. First comes love, then comes real life, then comes Ours. With the help of Ours, you can tackle the tough stuff, and keep the love alive. Be your own #relationshipgoals.
