GUEST POST - LAURA CHAPMAN

To celebrate the launch of my new novel, The Marrying Type, I recently “planned” my dream wedding. Of course, because I can’t make my own decisions, I had to rely on the assistance of various Internet quizzes to help me pick out the appropriate theme, dress, ring, and so on. When Tracie invited me to share an interview with Elliot Lynch, the main character of my book, I figured I’d extend my character the same courtesy I gave myself. Elliot is a wedding planner for some of the splashiest events in Charleston, South Carolina, which means she is far too busy to coordinate her own special day, should she ever have one.

I channeled my inner-Elliot to take these quizzes and make the accompanying sketches of what she actually had in mind for the answers to the questions. (She assures me the images she uses to create wedding vision boards is much more than my attempts, but she gave me an “A” for effort and enthusiasm.)

Question 1: What Kind of Wedding Should You Have? (Source: BuzzFeed)
Answer: A very traditional wedding in a church

According to BuzzFeed: “Whether your style is glamorous or modest, you like to keep things traditional and by the book. You’ve always had a very clear idea of what you wanted your wedding to look like ever since you were ~this big~, and you won’t be straying from that one bit.”

Elliot’s Take: Umm… I don’t know about this. I mean, I could definitely pull off this kind of a wedding. It’s what I do, after all. But when I’ve thought about getting married--not that I have often, mind you--I always figured it would be something small and intimate with just a couple of guests to watch my future husband and I tie the knot. Then again, that little idea of mine hasn’t changed much in the past decade, so maybe BuzzFeed gets me. Except for the super traditional part.

It doesn't take much to make a South Carolina
beach wedding ready.

Question 2: What’s Your Wedding Floral Style? (Source: Better Homes and Gardens)
Answer: 20 percent Simple Style, 40 percent Natural Style, 40 percent Romantic Style

According to Better Homes and Gardens: This was too long to share, but suffice it to say, Elliot will have this area covered. She knows all the best florists in the area, what flowers will be in season, and how to effectively incorporate arrangements into her day.

Elliot’s Take: I’m a romantic at heart--that probably comes from a lifetime of living around and working in the wedding industry--so I could definitely see having a bouquet full of gardenias, hydrangeas, and such. Still… the best bouquet of flowers I ever received were more natural in style picked from a garden, and I loved them. If my wedding day ever comes, the flowers will be lovely, but I won’t care if they’re daisies or roses as long as the person I’m marrying gets me.

Simple but lovely is all I ask.

Question 3: Which Disney Character’s Wedding Dress Should You Wear? (Source: Disney Blogs)
Answer: Maid Marian

According to Disney Blogs: “You’ve always had a sense that you weren’t born in the right decade, which is why Maid Marian’s wedding dress is the one for you. The high collar and long sleeves might seem a bit old fashioned, but you know that this gown was made for your timeless sense of style. Now that you have the perfect dress, find out which Disney hairstyle you should try!”

Elliot’s Take: Not exactly what I had in mind for my wedding (you don’t work in weddings as long as I have without having a pretty good idea of what looks would be most flattering), but the sentiment probably fits. Much as I appreciate some of the flashy bridal styles, I’ve always liked classic dresses--think Kate Middleton at the Royal Wedding a few years ago. That’s what every bride should look like: elegant and timeless.

I imagined something more like this: light lace, small
train and a little bow. Perfect for an intimate wedding.

Question 4: What type of wedding cake fits your personality? (Source: SomethingBlueBook)
Answer: White Cake

According to SomethingBlueBook: “Just like white cake, you are very conventional. You like traditions and sticking to the norm. You are a classic bride!”

Elliot’s Take: If I had one splurge at my wedding, it would be with the cake. Maybe something with custard or ganache in it. But… I’ll admit. If we’re picking the cake based on my personality, I’m pretty vanilla. There’s nothing wrong with that, though, is there? Oh gosh, that means I’m boring. I hate when I take quizzes and they confirm that I’m boring. I swear I have the potential to be way more interesting if given the chance.

I'm a girl who loves her sweets. A wedding seems like
the perfect opportunity to skip calorie counting.

Question 5: What Song is Perfect for Your Wedding? (Source: PlayBuzz)
Answer: “At Last” by Ella Fitzgerald 

According to PlayBuzz: “The lyrics that make 'At Last' your perfect wedding song: 'And here we are in heaven/ For you are mine/ At last' -- The soulful song is about patiently waiting for true love and discovering it was worth the wait. It's just the right song for people who are getting married late in life or are starting their second marriage and believed there was someone special for them.”

Elliot’s Take: Okay, this gave me chills. I’m not even kidding, this is the exact song we--I mean, I imagined I’d want to dance to at our--or rather my future wedding. If I ever have one. I’m not that old, and I’ve never been married before, but I have… a bit of a romantic history. I’ve known great love. I’ve known how wonderful it is to have and how terrible it is when it goes away. I’m sure I won’t ever find myself walking down the aisle unless I’m totally sure my partner is the one. It might be hard to come across again. If it does, I’ll know that I’ve found the person who makes my heart whole at long last. (See, I told you I’m a total romantic.)

Just me, him, and some beautiful music.

Thanks so much to Tracie for having Elliot and I by today. If you pick up a copy of The Marrying Type, I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. Be sure to enter this Rafflecopter for your chance to win one of three novel-inspired prize packages.

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About the Book

Always the wedding planner, never a bride, Elliot Lynch is famous for orchestrating the splashiest weddings in Charleston, South Carolina. When her father’s sloppy management practices leave them on the brink of bankruptcy, Elliot will do whatever it takes to save the family business. When asked to appear on “The Marrying Type,” a reality TV show about the people behind the scenes as couples exchange I dos, she says yes to the invasion of privacy (and the hefty paycheck that comes with it).

With a camera crew capturing every detail of her life, Elliot faces her most challenging contract yet: planning a wedding where her ex is involved in every part of the process. Add in a lazy assistant, liquor-loving bridesmaid, and rival planner encroaching on her turf, and Elliot’s wedding season goes from high-end to high-stress.

Forced to confront her past, Elliot must live out her troubled present on national TV if she has any hope of saving her future.


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About the Author

Laura Chapman is the author of The Marrying Type, Hard Hats and Doormats, and the Autumn and Tuck series, which appear in Merry & Bright and A Kind of Mad Courage. A native Nebraskan, she loves football, Netflix marathons, and her cats, Jane and Bingley. Until she fulfills her dream of landing a British husband or becoming a Disney princess, you can find her in a bar penning her next novel.


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