"Fine chick lit tale"

WOW Weddings provides the $100,000 funding for each of two marriage ceremonies if the brides agree to being videotaped, keep journals, and accept the type of ceremony offered. Thinking she will receive a free wedding, co- workers Eloise and Philippa agree to the terms. Eloise will have a modern ceremony while Phyl will be more of a traditional bride.

Rather quickly, the two brides learn that there is no such thing as a free lunch as the cost of freedom is high. Eloise hates her modern wedding that emphasize a yellow wedding dress with bird feathers out of Sesame Street and a hall that looks like Dracula was the interior decorator; Phyl detests her traditional setting that reminds her of her grandmother. Both would like to swap roles, but neither wants to say anything that might jinx their nuptials as both have relationship issues to contend with even as they step closer to the first step down the aisle.

Though this chick lit tale sounds like an inane reality show and contains some silliness, Melissa Senate injects several deep issues on relationships within the amusing story line. Eloise and Phyl are strong centers to the dual plot while the support cast provides depth either to the wedding scenarios or the brides. Sub-genre fans will want to attend the galas while agreeing with the two women as to WHOSE WEDDING IS IT?

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted November 29, 2004

Summary

Eloise Manfred just sold her soul to the wedding devil. In exchange for a free $100,000 dream wedding, she'll be featured in a trendy magazine as "Today's Modern Bride." So what if the advertisers dictate what she wears, eats, and registers for? From the gown (it has yellow feathers) to the reception hall (vampire chic) to the rings (what metal is that?) to the prime rib (tofu!), Eloise knows that what really matters is the groom (cold feet?). All she has to do is keep a wedding-planning diary (heavily edited) and have her friends and family ooh and ahh over her leather veil in photo shoots. Friends, Eloise has: bridesmaids Jane, Natasha, Amanda and oddball co-worker Philippa, the magazine's "traditional (ha!) Bride." Family, she doesn't have. Eloise's mother passed away, her father took off years ago, her too-cool- for-words brother is either climbing Mount Everest or scamming a rich older woman in Beverly Hills and her fiancé's family is certifiable. So between choosing rubber bridesmaid dresses and worrying about the photo shoots, Eloise finally asks the question: Hey--whose wedding is it anyway?