Tag: wedding

Categories
Book Challenges Book Reviews Books Special Categories

Reading Wedding Romances for my sisters wedding

Estimated Reading Time: 7min

weddings are happy events – right? sometimes they can be stressful, sometimes your crazy relatives can make things complicated, but ultimately two people are getting married! when my sister walked down the aisle a month ago, i decided to read some wedding romances to prepare and BOY were they fun!

the engagement plot by krista phillips

philliips

Funny, engaging and sometimes frustrating.
Fake fiancés, the wake of reality TV drama and coming to terms with your life, romance and faith – this book had it all. There was even a small mystery to ferret out, so nothing lacking.
The banter was fun, the characters feisty and romance cute. I hate miscommunication and there was a bit of that, I also find it frustrating when people refuse to forgive just because they feel like being mad some more, but all in all, it was pretty good.
The ending felt… missing. Stilted. It was a little unusual and left a lot of open ended questions (especially for a stand alone book). However, it was enjoyable and had me laughing aloud and close to throwing things against the wall on more than one occasion.

Grab the book Here

the enemy by sarah adams

So much fun.
Love and hate really are a thin line and I LOVED the way things play out with Junebug and Mr Darcy… 😀

Actually though, they were so cute and the way everything was developed was hilarious and heart warming.

Grab the book Here

the wedding shop by rachel hauck

hauck

I don’t usually like dual timelines, but I liked both the timeline plots – I just wished they were not the same book jumping back and forth.
Cora’s story:
Moving, interesting and heartbreakingly annoying – commit woman!
Hayley’s story:
Moving, interesting and a nice homage to traditions and vintage.

The jumping back to other earlier books didn’t feel too jarring. I know of the books but hadn’t read them, yet it felt easy to understand where they stood and where it fit with the plot of this book.
A fun and cute book about love, forgiveness and weddings.

Grab the book Here

the wedding planner by dianne steel

steel

Depressing. Best word I can think of for this book. There are too many things I want to say, so I’ll try and keep it simple.

This books theme and opinion on marriage is simple. Unless you’re in a minority of marriage goers:
Weddings = bad
Babies = bad unless you’re old and even then probably still
Not good anyway
Abuse = inevitable and unworthy of real intervention

There might be some spoilers ahead so read at own risk.
Out of the three major weddings our planner Faith handled through this book, the only one that was happy and calm was the minority one. Almost all the others were either chaos or abusive. Sometimes both.
We then had a random spin off moment where we follow an adoption… for no reason at all.
Apparently, if you’re a minority, you get it all (happy and easy wedding with not one, but TWO babies in the same period) and if you’re not you get crap (abusive husband, babies when you don’t want them, parents almost splitting up and on and on it went).

Faith – the planner – had a life she insisted over and over that she was happy in. For me it sounded sad and lonely and if you have to try and convince someone that much, it’s probably not true.

For a book about a wedding planner it has a very bleak attitude towards marriage indeed.

Grab the book Here

the groom by melissa mclone

Quick and easy to get through.
Funny and meaningful moments scattered through wounds and attraction that all parties are trying to fight. For no reason at all.
Forgiveness is hard to come by, but a slow burn romance during an across the world competition was the perfect place to be thrown together and figure it out. In front of reality tv cameras and “the world” when it airs.
I liked it, and felt the character development for well within the plot and country hopping. It was nice to see and hear about various countries and places, and characters were likeable enough – though I did find Millie more likeable overall.

Grab the book Here

the accidental bride by denise hunter

hunter

Not a lot of forgiveness and an ending that felt rushed after a particularly solid “enemies” part of the enemies to lovers trope.

While I enjoyed this book with funny moments and warming sincerity by some characters, I found it difficult to connect with a main character that held so much Unforgiveness and didn’t ever really address that side of her own heart. She got everything she wanted and needed but didn’t really assess her own shortcomings in that.

We also got hints of their lives before they came back for a second chance romance, but it was never fully explained or expounded upon.

I enjoyed this book – don’t get me wrong – but there were also a few glaring issues for me that means it can’t get any higher of a rating than 3.5 stars.

Grab the book Here

the summer of broken rules by K L walther

walther

Love this book! So cute, so funny, so moving – just adored the romance hahah.
Wit and Mer were so fun, and had such a beautiful romance in the midst of the family game.
The game itself unfolded so hilariously – I LOVED Wit’s commitment to spraying people with water guns 😂
Touching moments of grieving and moving on with life. Forgiveness and healing.
The final showdown….. the best!
A wedding thrown in the midst of all the chaos and alliances was just cherry on top.
Such a fun and easy read 🙂

Grab the book Here

hope your weddings (and mine whenever it happens) aren’t quite as dramatic as all these, but who knows!

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Book vs Movie Books Movie/Pop Culture

Father of the Bride: How the Remake Shifted the Family Story

Estimated Reading Time 5min

It is kind of surprising HOW MANY movies are actually based on novels. I had no clue that Father of the Bride was based on a book that was released in 1949! I will admit, I have only seen the Steve Martin version of the film, though the earlier make would be fun to watch also. When I realised, I decided it simply HAD to make it onto my list of Book vs Movie reviews.

It’s been a while since we’ve done one of these, and this is the first time I’m doing a more in depth blog post about it, so let’s get into things!

For a change, this book didn’t feel like it had been condensed for the movie. Normally, you get the distinct feeling of a compressed storyline for film, which is totally understandable. You don’t often get the time constraint for a novel, whereas a movie takes place in 1.5-2 hours. Even though not all the same antics take place, you don’t feel like the story missed out on several key factors. I think the main reason for this, was because the book was actually quite short. It was only 230 pages, and covered a lot of wedding aspects.

Which leads me to the next point, not every moment in the book was copied in the film/s, BUT the main points and themes were. I will admit that in the book, I missed certain film elements (which I will cover next), but for the most part the gist of the story was taken across into a film format. It’s a good example of a movie doing WELL by the book – though I have only watched the Steven Martin movie for this comparison, so I couldn’t say about the others.

One thing that I will say, is that I MISSED Franck! One of my favourite element of the film, was Martin Short’s portrayal of the difficult to understand and over the top wedding coordinator. The closest we got to this character in the book, was a snobish caterer – but he wasn’t nearly as interesting.

In terms of the characters we did still have, there were some notable changes. The names for one thing. Though the last name “Banks” was the same, all the first names (and the surname for the fiancé) were different. Not such a huge deal, but different none the less.

Also, the character of the daughter (Annie for the movie, and Kay for the book) was a lot more immature, whiny, and bratish. I didn’t like her in the book, but not because she was an unlikable person – we didn’t actually develop her character outside the wedding, so it would be hard to like or dislike her at all – just that she seemed so unsophisticated as a supposed adult.

Because this book was written in the 40s, the language is more “old world” and uptight. This is always a challenge for me to read, as it isn’t my preferred style. I also noticed that there was A LOT of italics used (somewhat like me using CAPITALS a bunch so far in this post.. but worse). The writer, Edward Streeter, seemed obsessed with italics.

A great feature in the book, were the illustrations. Almost every page or two, there was an image of Mr Banks and party in the various antics from that or the previous page. It gave the book a light and humorous feel which was quite nice.

Finally, and most important (in my view) was the theme of Fathers and Daughters in the context of weddings. This is where, I believe, the movie did a much better job than the book. The whole story is focussed on a father helping his daughter and wife put together a wedding. The character of Mr Banks, in both iterations, was somewhat frustrating. They were worried about the money, the damage, the number of guests, and making the day special for their daughter. Though they were different in many ways, that was a constant. However, I feel like the character in the book lost the heart that Steve Martin put into Banks for the film.

It really did come down to how much he loved his daughter, and wanted her to have the best in life and in her wedding day. There were a lot more comedic and neurotic moments in the film, which I think were best placed in the film with a comedic timing. Though I admit it was better for that format, I do miss that element in the book. Less prudent and sensible, and more neurotic and falling into pools is what I say!

Okay, so let’s do an overall thoughts to finish this post off. I think, though the book had some great points, the movie wins hands down. It had more heart, more humour and more Franck! I did enjoy seeing some of the different points and aspects the book take (particularly from the perspective of a 50s style wedding), but the film just had something the book did not.

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Fiction

Ready (Furious Fiction) | CGSP Short Story

Furious Fiction is a short story workout for a writer!
I hope you enjoy this CGSP Short Story that was entered in a recent FURIOUS FICTION.

All of my family were out there. I could see them through a small crack that I wedged open in the door. They’re waiting for me. Sweat trickled down the back of my neck as I paced the small back room of the large church. This event wouldn’t get started until I went out in front of all those people.

I know I shouldn’t be afraid of my own family and friends, but this wasn’t just an everyday event. It was an ending. Or a beginning, depending on how you wanted to look at it. All we knew was coming to an end; there wasn’t any way around it.

Of course, I could always leave and not deal with it all. I could Jump over the chairs, and head for the large doors at the back of the room. I shook my head, quickly discarding the idea, and turned back to my earrings on the small table. If I was going out there, I was going to look my best.

My hands shaking, I attempted to poke one through my right ear. The sweat was all over my hands now, and I tried to wipe one hand on my clothes. The earring flipped out of my hand and rolled under the table. Groaning, I shuffled onto my knees and narrowed my eyes as I searched for the small, pearl earring.

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“Aha!” I yelled out loud as I spotted it, wedged between the back, table leg, and the wall. I yanked it free and stood to my feet, slipping it into my ear.
“Susan, are you ready?” My cousin Emily asked through the door. “We’re all waiting for you to start this thing.”
I sighed. “Just a minute Emily,” I said.
Great; it was time now.

How was I going to do this? How was I going to honour the man out there? Nothing I could ever say could portray my feelings about him. I felt for the notes in my pocket, then nodded and sucked in a deep breath. I was going to do this service; no matter what.

As I got myself together, I opened the door and smiled at Emily. She cut the lights to the room behind me, and we walked closer to the doors. I listened quietly for my queue. As I walked towards the front of the church, the butterflies pounded in my chest and stomach. I wasn’t used to being in front of a crowd like this.

As I finally made my last step towards the pastor at the front, he gave me a wink. I turned and stared at the man who I wanted to honour; my groom.

Furious Fiction is a fun story competition to stretch yourself and write less than 500 words in 55 hours. This story was to take place in either a wedding, or a funeral. I wanted to try and get BOTH as a possibility as you were reading; right up until the very end.
If you want to enter Furious Fiction, check out the AWC website for all the details. 

See You in The Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Fiction

The Cake | Furious Fiction

Enjoy the Furious Fiction from April 2020! I did 😀
The lemon, wedding cake wobbled in my arms. I shifted it, then continued to walk alongside the dirt road. I was still miles from the venue, and the rain from last night was not helping as I sidestepped another puddle. That damn car had always seemed to have it in for me, always breaking down at the most important moments of my life.
I checked all three tiers of the cake and smiled; they were still tied securely with large yellow ribbons. It had been a challenge to get the same yellow pigment in the rosettes, but I was proud of the final match.

A stone on the path pierced through my thin shoe and into my foot. I yelped, and felt my masterpiece once again shifting. Desperately, I tried to balance the heavy cake, managing to gain control once again. As if in slow motion, I watched as the cake topper slid further towards the edge of the top tier. In a panic, I tried to stabilise the cake and save the bride and groom. The movements worsened my dilemma, and I watched helplessly, as the icon of happily ever after slid off the cake, landing in a nearby puddle.
The topper splashed muddy water onto the bottom of my lemon yellow dress, and I groaned. There was less than an hour until the ceremony, and my heart began to sink; I was going to miss the wedding.

A car behind me honked and I turned, still trying to maintain balance. The man behind the wheel smiled, popping the locks to the passenger seat and motioning with his head for me to get in. I smiled wide and slid the cake inside, returning to the puddle for the bride and groom topper. As I jumped into the car and we continued towards the hotel, I revealed my traumatic ordeal. The man, also a guest at the wedding, kindly stepped on the gas, rocketing towards the event.

We arrived just as the harp started to play, and the bride began her decent down the aisle. I thanked the gentleman, then sidestepped the guests, sneaking quietly towards the catering area. The apron I was wearing now had dirt and flour covering the surface, but I ignored it and shuffled backwards, pushing my ass through the swinging door to the kitchen.

Once I’d passed the cake off to the other catering staff, I sucked in a deep breath. As the panic dissipated, I peeked my head out through the door and smiled. Guests began to cheer as the bride and groom shared their wedding day kiss.
I’d done it.

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Categories
Fiction

The Wedding (Furious Fiction)

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FURIOUS FICTION

Please enjoy my Furious Fiction entry for February 2019 below – a wedding with a twist!

 

THE WEDDING

The music started.
As I walked, I counted every step carefully. The last thing I needed was to trip in this goofy white dress. The Converse shoes were keeping my feet warm, but on a 30 degree day it was the last thing I wanted.
Instead I locked my gaze on him. I was so lucky. He looked incredible in his monkey suit. The music started to fade as I watched him, a smile plastered on my face.
I glanced around at the people staring at me. Halfway. All I had to do was make it little further without falling.

He frowned and I felt my chest constricting. Was he disappointed? The minister and bridal party all shared in his expression and I stopped walking.
Sounds came back into focus as my fiancé rushed towards me, yelling. That’s when I heard it.
The gunshot.

Things blurred out of focus as I felt the impact propel me forward. I fell hard onto my stomach and my breath caught. Another shot behind me echoed and I rolled over, trying to breathe again. As I stared at the ceiling screams filled the church as people scrambled to get out unscathed.

Then I saw him hovering over me, a dark smile on his face.
“You were going to get married without me?” He tutted and aimed the gun in my direction. “I thought we meant more to each other.”
I sucked in a breath and waited.
“Hey!” My fiancé’s voice broke through the silence and I whipped my head around. “Step away.” His service revolver was aimed at my ex’s face.
“Back off, or I’ll kill her,” The intruder said. I took in a deep breath, the pain radiating through my shoulder. To my left, the aisle decorations sat just within reach. As the men faced off, I reached out and grabbed a large white candle.

Our intruder turned to see it too late, and fell backwards as it made contact with his face. He cursed and I felt a rush of wind pass by me as my fiancé reached him. I inched up to see him kick the gun away and shout at someone behind me.
As police officers moved swiftly to my ex boyfriend, my fiancé turned and dropped to my side.

He put a hand on my face and smiled softly, “You’re going to be ok.” He said, moving over for the paramedics. As I winced through the pain, I looked over and saw him smile.
“What?” I asked through laboured breaths. He shrugged, a twinkle in his eyes.
“I just always thought it would be my second wedding that would be the dramatic one.”
I laughed and shut my eyes, shaking my head softly, “Second marriage?” I asked as he chuckled.

I opened my eyes and smiled at my future husband.
He leaned in closer and lowered his voice, smiling, “Lucky for me, I get to marry you twice.”

Thanks for Reading this Furious Fiction by Christy Grace