It’s Her Wedding, But I’ll Cry If I Want To

January 30, 2013

Even if you’re not old enough to remember Lesley Gore’s mid-sixties classic hit, It’s My Party (and I’ll Cry If I Want to), but are eagerly anticipating your daughter’s wedding, this little book – It’s Her Wedding, But I’ll Cry if I Want To -- might be just the book for you. Aimed at the MOB (that’s short for mother of the bride, for the uninitiated), this book by Leslie Milk will certainly serve as a humorous, though common sense, approach to all the detailed planning required. Ms. Milk is the lifestyle editor of the Washingtonian, a monthly magazine covering Washington, D.C., and has served as a columnist for several newspapers.

As a recent MOB myself, I must admit that I originally was drawn only to the book’s humorous title. However, upon reading it, I discovered that this book was filled with many helpful tips and common sense advice. This would be especially true for those of you who are first-time MOB’s and/or those who must help plan an out-of-town or out-of-state wedding.

With such humorous chapter titles as There Goes My Baby, Revenge of the Bridesmaid, Let ‘em Eat Cake, The Wedding Nazi’s Guide to Bridal Etiquette and many others, Ms. Milk covers the many aspects of wedding planning in a rather light vein. As you might expect, she writes partly from her own experience of helping a grown daughter plan her wedding, so her advice comes from the heart. After every chapter, the author inserts various "Reality Check Lists" that will have you chuckling, as well as realizing that they can be immensely helpful. One list I found especially helpful in planning our daughter’s Baltimore wedding last summer was "Reality Check #28: The Mother of the Bride’s Emergency Kit," which was a list of some 28 items it would be prudent to have on hand "just in case," or as Ms. Milk states at the end of this list: "Or just empty the contents of your medicine chest, cosmetic and toiletries shelves, and pantry into a suitcase and carry that." This book is indeed a survival guide for any mother of the bride or one who hopes to be one in the future, and it is a fun read for sure.

Ruth S.
Antioch Branch