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Weddingbee Blog
Wedding magazine rehab, that is. Or Wedding Magazine Buyers Anonymous. WMBA.
The first step is admitting I have a problem, right?
In the past 13 months of being engaged, I have bought over 24 magazines. (I don’t know the exact count, because I know there are some stashed away somewhere.) For the purpose of this analysis of my crazy, let’s just say I’ve bought 24.
Let’s break it down, cost-wise.
First, dear Martha Stewart Weddings.
Grand total for my Martha spending? $23.80 before tax, $25.70 post 8% Georgia sales tax.
Next, InStyle Weddings—I am actually sad about their closing. I know so much of it is unattainable, but it’s got some great eye-candy in it. But I digress.
Grand total for InStyle Weddings? $23.96 pre-tax, $25.88 post-tax.
Next, Brides.
Grand total for Brides magazine? $29.95 pre-tax, $32.35 post-tax.
Now onto Modern Bride, which I really don’t like. I don’t even know why I buy it, I really don’t. It just calls out to me, and before I know it, I’ve had a bridal-blackout and I’m sitting at home with the magazine in my lap wondering how I got home.
Apparently I haven’t bought as many of these as I’ve thought. I think that I might have some of these hidden. Anyway, the grand total for Modern Bride is $17.97 pre-tax, and $19.41 post-tax.
Next, The Knot. [Insert shudder here.]
Grand total to the man? $24.97 pre-tax, $26.97 post-tax.
Now, Elegant Bride, which is just… bad, in my opinion. I glaze over. I know for sure I have more of these tiny monsters, but truth be told, I’ve probably trashed them. I have 2 in my possession at present, so we’ll just go with that.
Grand total? $11.98 pre-tax, $12.94 post-tax.
Next, my dear love, Southern Weddings. True, this magazine mainly has stuff that is already on the website, and it’s mostly just eye-candy, but I still love it. Mr. Scissors ordered its premiere issue immediately for me as a surprise, because he knew that I was chomping at the bit for its release. It came in a lovely package, along with a hand-written note by Lara Casey herself. I have no regret for these magazines, only love.
Grand total? $11.90 pre-tax, $12.85 post-tax.
Lastly, a random magazine that I only bought 1 of. Weddings Unveiled. Pretty, but not useful. I still look at some of the design candy in it, however.
Grand total? $4.95 (obviously) pre-tax, $5.35 post-tax.
So, to date, I have spent a whopping $161.45 on 24 magazines, including tax. I’m speechless, which rarely happens. I don’t even want to get started on the random books I’ve bought…
Why do I buy them? Why am I drawn like a moth to the flame? Maybe it’s because this is one of the only times in my life when it’s socially acceptable to buy these magazines. There’s a “GOING, GOING, GONE!” sign in my head that won’t go away. Also, and it embarrasses me to admit this, I think there’s probably a little part inside of me that craves the validation that buying these magazines gives. LOOK! I’M BUYING THESE BECAUSE I’M WORTH MARRYING! SEE? SOMEBODY LOVES ME. I’m insecure, what can I say. Anyway, that’s enough delving into my fragile psyche for today.
How much have you spent on wedding magazines? Add it all up if you haven’t already, and please share! Was it worth it? Are these necessary objects, or a bride’s prerogative? Or are they just a waste of trees and money? Why do you give into buying them, or why not?
Even though I’m not engaged, I treat myself to Bride or Martha Stewart weddings 1 or 2 times a year!
P.S. I love the graphics that you use in your posts. Tutorial please?!
haha you aren’t doing too bad! I’ve probably spent about $500+. I’m super addicted. I was engaged before for about a year (to another guy) and I was so addicted I was buying back issues on EBAY (which is a great way to get a deal)! And then when him and I broke up I always got super sad when I saw a wedding magazine and “couldnt” buy it… Well that only lasted a little while, I’m not even engaged yet and I still buy them all the time.
I spent $50 AT ONE TIME at barnes and noble once, just on magazines. haha oh well, I love them!
Ok, if the first step is admitting you have a problem, what’s the 2nd step? 
Whatever it is, I’m sure you’re making great progress!
When I was visiting my parents for Christmas, my dad, who is sort of shy and nerdy (in a good way), presented me with the last issue of InStyle weddings with a story about how he had heard they were closing and went to 5 different stores to get the last issue. I don’t think either of us had ever looked at a wedding magazine before, but it was so sweet of him and he seemed so excited about it. And then I forgot to take it back home with me (an 8 hour drive away). D’oh!!
I’m right there with you…but here’s a good thing (I think?) there’s no more Modern Bride or Elegant Bride. “Brides” is now one magazine that will come out every month, combining all 3. So I guess that will save some money, right?
Ooooh I have 30 wedding mags… I think it’s over $350!
Hahahaha, SOOO right there with you! I keep waiting for a friend or colleague to get engaged so I can gift them all to her and therefore feel better about buying them all, since more than 1 person will be getting use out of them…However, that hasn’t happened yet so right now I just feel guilty about spending $100+ on wedding mags!
I probably have about 10? I toss them as I no longer use them. Though if you don’t have it, I highly recommend real simple weddings. It was the first one I bought at the airport the day after we got engaged and the one I use most to this day. Lots of practical, simple, advice, without all the ‘man, I can never do this’ guilt of Martha.
I’ve bought quite a few… two of the giant Knot mags (at $9.99 a pop!), an issue of Real Simple Weddings (which turned out to be around $12.99, didn’t realize that till I got home), two Knot Regional Mags for MD/VA/DC around $4.99 a piece, A copy of Modern Brides $5.99, a copy of Martha Destination Weddings and Honeymoons $5.99, and a copy of Brides Magazine at $5.99…. and I’m sure I’m missing at least one more magazine, but I can’t remember. So that’s a total of $60.92 for 8 magazines, before tax! And that’s just within three months of being engaged…. Lately I’ve been able to resist buying magazines, but they’re so much fun to look through.
You crack me up. I dont know why either, but I love them too. When my sis was getting married years ago I even used that as an excuse to buy some, you know MOH research and all. I get one in the mail to curb my buying on the spot impluse. Plus is is so much cheaper that way!!! like $10/year or something for some
Teehee. I’m obsessed with MSW, but could never bring myself to buy the other mags. I think that puts me at $50 bucks or so.
I was the same way back then…I should have just subscribed, but I kept telling myself, “I don’t need any more wedding magazines…” Hahah! Weird how we all bought so many, and still they are shuttering them.
Well, to make you feel better you could give them (if you can part with them) to a bride that could totally use them but maybe can’t spend $161.45 on magazines. Although I was surprised I didn’t see real simple wedding in there. Those are SO expensive, though!
Oh my! I don’t want to think about what I have spent of Bridal Magazines over the years… I actually started buying Martha Stewart Weddings years and years ago (for the pretty layouts, I swear!) way before I was engaged, let alone had ever met my fiance! I carefully filed away each issue in a special box to keep them away from the prying eyes of whatever boyfriend I had at the time… Over time I had collected a full box of my pretty wedding dreams— which I even moved with me from the east to the west coast! When it came time for me to relocate once again to the east coast, I FINALLY said goodbye to my little secret box… into the recylcling bin they went! That was 3 years ago… and now I am wishing that I had my precious magazines again! I started collecting them again last February when I knew that Mr. Savannah might be proposing soon… (he finally did July 2nd!) and have been holding them close! Mr. Savannah doesn’t understand why I keep the ones I have collected in the past year… he thinks that if you have looked at them you can purge the house of the ‘clutter’ they create… THE NERVE! LOL My stack moved with me from Georgia to Iowa a few months ago (where future hubby’s job took him) and I am finally seeing that I CAN let them go… I actually started clipping-out the pictures, articles, etc that I couldn’t be without last night! I figure some paper clippings are better in an idea folder than the ‘overwhelming wedding clutter’ they add to in our already crazy diningroom. (I like to call that room: Wedding Central. hehehe I have no idea what I have spent on bridal magazines over the years, but in my opinion, the delight that have given me is priceless!
Ohh it’s a bad idea to start totaling up how much I’ve spent on magazines let- alone the wonderful world of wedding magazines! I’m sure I’ve spent over $200. I just love them, glossy covers, beautiful colors beckoning you “buy me, open me, I’ll inspire you”. What venerable bride-to-be can resist??? I did have the exact same feeling though about this being the only socially acceptable time to buy them. I just picked one up last week and got sad for a moment….it’s like the end to a beautiful chapter in your life…but hey, it’s the beginning to another
i started buying wedding magazines 3 years before i got engaged. i was convinced that he would ask me after dating for 2.5 years and i wanted to be prepared… well that and the fact that i love the smell and feel of magazines and i was getting sick of the regular martha mags and real simple.
You made me think and I actually don’t think I bought any of mine. Some were hand me downs from an engaged friend, my mom bought me a few, my aunt bought one, my caterer gave me a local one and then I went to a bridal show and got a bunch. I recently moved and used the pages from an old one to wrap glass things - recycled and pretty to unpack. My favorite is New England Weddings because it highlights vendors I can actually use but it’s also mostly eye candy.
Haha! I haven’t bought any personally…but my mother keeps sending them to me. She would buy them for herself, then buy a copy to send to me so that I could look at the things she would fall in love with. Although I didn’t get as caught up in them as her (I honestly find wedding blogs more helpful than the magazines for planning), the 30+ magazines taking up space on my bookshelf are worth it for one thing - I found my wedding dress while haphazardly flipping through pages! I saw an Aire Barcelona spread, fell in LOVE, and found a shop 3 hours away that carried them. I never would have driven that far if I hadn’t seen the ad, and my gown is PERFECT for me.
Omg I’m already married and I’m still addicted to wedding mags!
Oh and not to further enable your habit but you are missing 3 essentials in your collection:
-Grace Ormonde Wedding Style
-Bride and 8loom
-Town and Country Weddings
They are more expensive than your typical bridal mag but their content is far more sophisticated, unique and original. And oh sooo fabulous!
Ugh, I’m right there with you. I have TONS of them, and I’ve already thrown a bunch away!
I’ve managed to avoid the magazine hubub for the most part. I did buy Real Simple Weddings with a drugstore giftcard, and I got a subscription to Martha for Christmas… my issue has been all the books. I think I already have a dozen or more wedding and marriage books stacked up just waiting for me to find the time to read them.
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Mrs. Scissors, LaGrange, GA Age and Occupation: 25, Photography & Graphic Design Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Engineering Grad Student Engagement Date: January 1, 2009 Wedding Date: June 2010 Venue: Ceremony - First United Methodist Church; Reception - My parents' house! About Me: I’m a six-foot-three bride with a fifty-foot personality! I love great art, fabulous design, intense color, tons of music, indie photography, watching movies on repeat, and being really awesome. This super-tall, Southern, loud, quirky, neurotic artist is marrying a German, quiet, silly, super-amazing roboticist in an eclectic, funky, fun, snazzy, technicolored June wedding. Anything is game for this shindig, for it is all about us! We’re bringing giant paper cranes, six-foot-tall portraits, fortune cookies, a photo booth, a club-circuit DJ, handcuffs, and possibly a kidnapping to this small Southern town. Watch out, y’all, and try to keep up!
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