The Wedding Planners
Planning perfect weddings…finding happy endings!
It’s the biggest and most important day of a woman’s life—and it has to be perfect.
At least that’s what the Wedding Belles believe, and that’s why they’re Boston’s top wedding-planner agency. But amidst the beautiful bouquets, divine dresses and rose-petal confetti, these six wedding planners long to be planning their own big day!
But first they have to find Mr. Right….
This month:
Sweetheart Lost and Found
by Shirley Jump
And don’t miss the exciting wedding-planner tips and author reminiscences that accompany each book!
For more tips and bridal fun please visit the Wedding Belles at http://harlequin-theweddingplanners.blogspot.com.
Shirley tells all about her own big day:
“You seriously can’t take me anywhere without a calamity happening. I’m a walking America’s Funniest Home Video. Even my own wedding had a near-disaster. My husband got laryngitis the day of the wedding (hmm…was that a convenient way of not having to say any vows?), so his vows came out as a squeak. I forgot our toasting glasses and we had to borrow other guests’ champagne glasses when the best man made his speech.
But all of that was nothing compared to my veil catching on fire.
Let’s just say tulle and candles aren’t a good mix. When my husband and I went to blow out the unity candle, it was before he kissed me, so my veil was still down. I tried to blow through the tulle. The netting swooped forward into the flame and, whoosh, caught on fire. Not a big flame, thank goodness, but a nice little spark. So here I am, madly blowing out my veil, then trying to lift the veil and get the unity candle blown out at the same time. I have a nice round hole in my veil as a memento.
Don’t even get me started on the time I tripped and fell on the church altar in front of two hundred people at someone else’s wedding. And just don’t ask me to do a reading at your wedding—not unless you’re planning on splitting the prize money from AFHV with me.
At least in my fictional world of Sweetheart Lost and Found I can create weddings where almost nothing goes wrong!”
Catch up with Shirley’s latest news at www.shirleyjump.com.
Sweetheart Lost and Found
Shirley Jump
TORONTO • NEW YORK • LONDON
AMSTERDAM • PARIS • SYDNEY • HAMBURG
STOCKHOLM • ATHENS • TOKYO • MILAN • MADRID
PRAGUE • WARSAW • BUDAPEST • AUCKLAND
To Kathy, who has brought music and laughter
into our lives, and who graciously forgave me for
tripping on the altar in the middle of her wedding.
Planning perfect weddings…finding happy endings!
In April: Sweetheart Lost and Found by Shirley Jump
Florist: Will Callie catch a bouquet, and reunite with her childhood sweetheart?
In May: The Heir’s Convenient Wife by Myrna Mackenzie
Photographer: Regina’s wedding album is perfect. Now she needs her husband to say “I love you!”
In June: SOS Marry Me! by Melissa McClone
Designer: Serena’s already made her dress, but a rebel has won her heart….
In July: Winning the Single Mom’s Heart by Linda Goodnight
Chef: Who will Natalie cut her own wedding cake with?
In August: Millionaire Dad, Nanny Needed! by Susan Meier
Accountant: Will Audra’s budget for the big day include a millionaire groom?
In September: The Bridegroom’s Secret by Melissa James
Planner: Julie’s always been the wedding planner—will she ever be the bride?
Callie Stevens is the florist at The Wedding Belles. Here are her tips for your big day:
A little visual can go a long way toward making sure you and the florist are on the same page. So bring along pictures of floral arrangements you like, or flowers you find special, to give your florist an image of the perfect bouquet.
If you get married around a holiday, remember that the church will probably already be fully decked out with great flowers. Save some money by utilizing the beautiful arrangements already in place.
To save money, don’t go for cheap flowers—choose one striking bloom in a less expensive vase arrangement for a centerpiece, or a simple bouquet with a few colorful flowers. Sometimes less is more.
On the big day be sure someone has been designated to be in charge of distributing and pinning on the boutonnieres and corsages so you don’t have to worry about that detail.
If you want your guests to be able to see each other across the table, be sure to keep centerpieces under fourteen inches high. Also, keep highly fragrant flowers to a minimum at table settings, as some guests may have scent allergies.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER ONE
CALLIE Phillips slipped the final flower into the cheery wedding bouquet, stepped back to admire her handiwork and marveled at the irony of her career choice.
A woman who didn’t believe in happily ever after, crafting floral dreams for starry-eyed, Cinderella-was-no-fairytale brides.
Callie fingered the greenery surrounding the flowers symbolizing hope. True love. A happy ending. Her clients at Wedding Belles were paying her to act like she believed fairy tales came true. But all the while Callie created those dreams with vibrant blooming white roses and delicate pastel freesia, she hid the fact that the petals had long ago dropped from her own jaded heart.
“My goodness, will you look at that. Another beautiful creation, darlin’.” Belle Mackenzie, the owner of the Wedding Belles and Callie’s employer, breezed into the basement floral design area. She was impeccable as always in a skirt and bright red sweater set that offset her gray hair and shaved years off her fifty-plus age. “You are incredible. Whatever made you think of this combination?” Belle bent to inhale the fragrance of the burnt-orange tulips, paired with deep purple calla and crimson gloriosa lilies.
“The bride, actually,” Callie said. “Becky was just so outgoing, and this design seemed to suit her personality, not to mention the unique colors of her wedding party dresses.”
“I