Nell Hill's enterprising entrepreneur Mary Carol Garrity delivers practical yet elegant tips on creating lavish weddings without expending huge amounts of time, money, and energy.

• Garrity puts forth shower, wedding, and gift ideas and presents readers with a call to action to spend wisely and create memorable experiences with maximum impact. The centerpiece of the book is Garrity's own daughter's wedding held at the Garritys' Atchison home. Garrity takes readers step by step through the planning of this summer event, with food, flowers, and friends gathered for the evening gala. Readers also learn tips from weddings that Garrity has attended and helped plan, including inventive ways to involve friends and family and creative touches that combine old family traditions with newfound keepsakes.
• The Wall Street Journal has hailed Garrity as a "one-person economic-development force" in her hometown of Atchison, Kans. Garrity's stores have become landmarks in the decorating world. The Mary Carol Home Collection, an extensive line of home decor products, is distributed nationwide by the Gerson Companies.

Author's web site: www.nellhills.com/