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It's come to my attention that several Offbeat Brides have started a “Sisterhood of the traveling book” project, wherein they pass a single copy of my book Offbeat Bride: Creative Alternatives for Independent Brides from newly-engaged friend to newly-engaged friend. Here's the purchaser of the book, Ellie, explaining how the tradition got established (spoiler: it was her husband's idea!)…
I bought the book sometime in 2011 from Red Tent Sisters in Toronto. The advice really clicked with me, especially since we were already planning to be as casual as possible in our plans.
My husband Isaac and I got married at his parents' house in rural Maine in July 2012. It was an outdoor BBQ, as informal as we could get away with, and we used garden flowers and homemade favours and decorations (including what seemed like miles of homemade bunting). Most of our Canadian friends camped on the property. Our friend Curtis got an internet license to marry us. I made a brooch bouquet from family jewelry, and a headpiece from silk flowers. My mother-in-law is a craft maven; we couldn't have done it without her. [Here are photos!]
When I was passing on some already secondhand bridal magazines to my friend Michelle (who got married in fall 2012), I lent her the book as well.
When Ellen got engaged (and we all knew it was coming, as she caught the bouquet at my wedding) and Michelle had already returned the book, Isaac suggested I write the first two names inside and gave it to Ellen — telling her that it was now a tradition!
I wonder how far this dog-eared copy of the book can travel? How many hands can it pass through before the cover falls off? WHO'S NEXT, LADIES OF TORONTO?!
This is awesome!
This is exactly how I ended up with my copy! I can’t wait to see who I pass it onto next 🙂
Um… and then buy them one. And buy yourself a replacement copy because you’ll miss it? ’cause I couldn’t give mine up for that very reason.
Thats what we’re doing 🙂 my sister-in-law gave it to me and I’ll pass it on when someone else gets engaged. We’ve written our names and wedding dates in the front.
Just another reason to love Offbeat Bride – how many authors encourage people to continuously gift an old copy of their book – instead of buying new
Just today I passed on my (autographed) copy on to my friend and his fiancée! I will definitely have to add names when they return it!