A DUDE’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING HIS WEDDING is informative with a entertaining, relatable writing style (and a deep love of acronyms). It takes the reader step-by-step through the components of a traditional Western wedding, starting before the proposal and ending with tips for keeping the marriage happy. In between, it breaks down a budget, how much things such as venue and photographers will probably cost, and how to deal with potential conflicts (seating arrangements, balancing who does what, crazy friends, etc.). Author Tyler Cameron, a former wedding DJ, multiple wedding party member, married man, and attendant of nearly fifty weddings, supplements his advice with interviews with industry experts and merchants.
A DUDE’S GUIDE is well structured, with advice that is easy to implement and understand. Cameron’s sources are well-cited and his experts give great insider tips. He lays out real-world problems, gives practical solutions, and generally makes sure the reader goes into the engagement and wedding with their eyes open. It was especially refreshing to see the pre-engagement section, which reminds the reader to have his finances together, that relationships involve compromise, and that “Forever is Like Forever, Bro.”
It should be noted that this is, not exactly surprisingly, a very heteronormative book. It assumes the couple is straight and that certain sitcom-esque gender stereotypes will hold true: the man will have stupid friends, like sports and beer; while the woman will have probably been planning her wedding for years before she even met him, love diamonds, and her biological clock will be ticking. Though Cameron does mention other styles of wedding (ie. courthouse ceremonies, backyard weddings, non-Western weddings), the assumption is the reader is going for a fairly standard white wedding. That said, however, he does make sure the reader knows he should be involved and helping his FW (future wife) plan and execute the wedding.
A DUDE’S GUIDE TO SURVIVING HIS WEDDING, as a niche guide written by a bro, for bros, works remarkably well. It is a funny, fast, and informative read. Some of the Canadian dude-slang may be lost on American readers, but the advice is sound and useful for anyone looking to plan a wedding.
~Katta Hules for IndieReader