The Five Love Languages
January 5th, 2007 @ 4:44 pm by Mrs. Poppy
Mr. Poppy and I are doing a premarital counseling thing with our wonderful officiant/pastor since we’ve been engaged. The first thing that was recommended was a book entitled: The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment To Your Mate by Gary Chapman. I am not one that likes reading books that are along the self help line, but I have to say that this book changed my whole outlook on relationships.
The book talks about how there are five primary love languages and that each of us has our own “language.” It explains in depth about the five languages: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service and physical touch. The interesting thing is that Chapman goes on to explain that sometimes we try to show our love in our primary love language and we wonder why our spouse doesn’t appreciate or feel loved. Unless your significant other speaks the same primary language, s/he’s not going to know.
I love how this book says that love is not a magical thing, it is a choice. You choose to love someone, you also choose to show that love. After reading this book I realize that my fiance and I do speak each other’s love language, and we feel more loved already. But this book actually really brought perspective in my other relationships with people, and made me realize that I wasn’t speaking the primary love language of some friends. While I was reading I was thinking in my head: “Oh Sarah’s love language isn’t ‘receiving gifts’ but it’s ‘words of affirmation!’” or “Oh, all this time I was spending ‘quality time’ with my mother when she really feels loved by ‘acts of service.’”
Books for the Bride
December 27th, 2006 @ 4:49 pm by Mrs. Plumeria
Lately, if you happened to bump into me at one of the local Barnes and Noble bookstores in the East Bay Area, chances are you’d find me browsing through the ¢¢â€š¬…”Bridal/Etiquette¢¢â€š¬? section. They have a pretty large selection of all books wedding-related, from cake and flower photo books, to numerous publications by The Knot, to countless different wedding planner/journal-type books. While I opted to buy a roomy expandable file box to organize my wedding notes, instead of invest in a planner, I still have made a few book purchases that I felt were really worth the money.
First pick- Bridal Bargains, by Denise and Alan Fields
[Image from http://www.bridalbargainsbook.com/]
My Favorite Wedding Books & Christmas Wish List
November 7th, 2006 @ 2:40 pm by Mrs. Raspberry
Vera Wang ¢¢â€š¬…”On Weddings¢¢â€š¬? is quite possibly the most gorgeous book for wedding inspiration. Her designs are classy and oh so exquisite!
My other wedding planning bibles include:
How To Avoid Marrying A Jerk - The Contest!
October 26th, 2006 @ 6:27 pm by Contests
Update: You still have until Friday to win a copy of How To Avoid Marrying A Jerk! Comment below to enter. 
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Mrs. Bee here.
I read How To Avoid Marrying A Jerk by Dr. John Van Epp a couple of months ago and have been meaning to blog about it for some time because I thoroughly enjoyed it. And I have 4 copies to give away!
You may be wondering how this book is relevant since most of you are either already engaged or married. Well I actually found that the lessons and exercises presented in the book help shed light on maintaining healthy relationships too.
My First Gift
August 14th, 2006 @ 2:22 pm by Mrs. Violet
My first gift from my FSIL.
I was so touched by the gift that I decided to show her my thanks for a bracelet that she’s been eyeing in my store.
I haven’t read the book yet, but it contains a nice quote I thought I’d share:
Your love is a great mystery/ It is like an eternal lake/whose waters are always still and clear like glass./Looking into it you can see/the truth about your life./
It is like a deep well/whose waters are cool and pure/Drinking from it you can be reborn./
You do not have to stir the waters/or dig the well./Merely see yourself clearly/And drink deeply.
Written by Lao Tzu
Doug Gordon Interview
August 6th, 2006 @ 11:15 am by Mrs. Bee
Check out this article and video clip of Doug Gordon’s interview with Al Roker on the Today Show.
He writes on his blog the morning after the interview: “my Amazon sales rank went from about 14,000 early this morning to an all-time best of about 550 this evening.”
Congrats Doug!
I have a confession - I have a phobia of doing interviews and public speaking! Whenever I see people doing it with such ease, I marvel just a little. But I’m really forcing myself to get out there… for the love of weddingbee. 
Doug Gordon on Today Show
August 2nd, 2006 @ 9:09 am by Mrs. Bee
Our friend Doug Gordon, author of The Engaged Groom, will be on the Today Show tomorrow between 9:30-10:00 am! Be sure to check it out if you can!
