First off, I adore used bookstores. You’ll never know what you’ll find! Yesterday I headed to Smith Family Bookstore, to take a gander around while waiting for Patrick to finish up an appointment. I decided to look at their wedding section to see what they had to offer in terms of wedding advice books, even though I already had a planner and my new bible The Anti-Bride Etiquette Guide. While there, I picked up Wedding Bell Blues: 100 Year of Our Great Romance with Marriage. The cover caught my eye because of its fabulous 1950s bride tossing her bouquet. I flipped through it to discover it was not a wedding planning guide or an advice book, but instead a wonderful book about how marriage is reflected in our pop culture…movies, books, TV, even comic books.

The book mainly focuses on the 1930s through the 1970s, and especially on celebrities – on and off screen – and the movies they starred in, such as the classic screw-ball comedies of the 40s. There are also quotes from various vintage wedding advice books. It’s a very interesting collection of ideas and images about marriage through the 20th century. It’s also filled with a great selection of vintage images and perfect for the vintage lover who is getting hitched.