A few months ago I went to one of the nicest weddings I've been to in years.  The bride and groom were both in their seventies, and both had been married previously and lost their spouses.  (Actually, the bride was my kindergarten teacher.)  It was lovely - very simple, no fuss, just a nice ceremony and a low-key reception.  Great chicken salad sandwiches.  Punch.  Your parents dancing.  Nothing elaborate.

There were definitely cheese straws, though.  You aren't legally married without cheese straws in this state.

You will not find anything like that in any of the magazines we're about to talk about, I'm afraid.  People read bridal magazines to see gorgeous fantasy weddings, and then maybe take a few ideas and tone them down a little.  But we love to look.  Bridal magazines are one of the few publications where people actually look at the ads - those phone book sized issues of Bride's would be pamphlets without all those wedding dress ads, and nobody would buy them. 

In addition to the usual suspects like Bride's and Martha Stewart Weddings, we've got a wide selection of bridal magazines in the Periodicals Department.  (Did you know that old standbys like Modern Bride and Elegant Bride bit the dust last year?  I couldn't believe it either!)  We've got a timely display of wedding magazines right now, and you can check many of them out! 

Brides Noir focuses on brides of color, who are too often neglected in the mainstream publications.  The featured weddings run the gamut from African American to Indian and the makeup and style advice covers a wide variety of skin tones and hair textures, making this a fantastic resource for women who don't fit the mold of some of the other magazines.  (Meaning skinny and blonde and with hair down to their knees, of course.  Seriously, have you noticed none of those women even have short hair?  I looked at an article once that promised me bridal hair for every length.  Their suggestion for women with short hair like me?  Wear a hat.)

Something Blue Carolina focuses on South and North Carolina weddings, profiling local couples and offering a lot of advertisements for local providers like locations and caterers.  It's a really nice, attractive magazine you may not have see before.

Bridal Star Hairstyles is all hairstyles, all the time.  (I did spot some models with short hair, even - but they were hiding in the "Bridal Party" section.  I guess if I ever get married I'll have to buy a wig.)  They've got celebrity wedding hair, extension options, hair accessories, and everything else you'll need to think about for your hair on the big day. 

Destination Weddings & Honeymoons is for those of you who are planning on throwing up your hands and saying "Forget it - we're getting married in Bora Bora."  Which honestly isn't too bad an idea - I know a couple who spent their wedding savings fund to fly the people they really cared about to Vegas and let the Bellagio handle everything.  It was actually cheaper in the long run, and not tacky at all.  (Elvis costs extra.)  Read about popular destinations, tips for how to pull off a wedding in a far-off country, and ways to solve any etiquette problems that pop up.

Drop by the Periodicals Department and take a look at some of these great magazines.  Magazines with a green label circulate, so be sure to take some home with you!