There are tons of wedding-related books out there- they are full of ideas and insipration, but sometimes they can be a bit costly and do you really need one more expense on your wedding checklist? For my own personal wedding library, I buy all of my books at either Half Price Books or Homegoods. They both have wedding, event and style books regularly in stock in new or almost-new condition, at a much better price! I recently picked up Preston Bailey’s “Fantasy Weddings” for only $15 ; that’s $30 off the cover price. Half Price Books also carries wedding magazines; at 50¢ to $1, it’s a lot easier on your wallet than picking up new copies. Even if it’s an older issue, it might still have the ideas and advice you are looking for.

Also, Real Simple (a favorite magazine of mine) has just come out with a wedding planning guide, aptly titled “Real Simple Weddings”. It is filled with good advice and non-overwhelming checklists and timelines. It has a lot less ‘fluff’ than some of the other wedding guides but still has the pictures and inspiration you’re looking for. To top it all off, it’s only $12.95.

Finally, if you want to take a peek at these for free, head to your local library or call your wedding coordinator. Both have plenty to share and are happy to do so- just don’t rip out the pages to show your florist!