Get the inside scoop on planning your wedding!
We are Edna & Jeri, real wedding professionals who have worked and planned hundreds and hundreds of weddings. As leaders in the wedding industry for over 25 years, we have a unique and comprehensive insight into planning weddings. We have real-life advice that is practical, proven and actionable so you can pull off your once-in-a-lifetime wedding with ease.
Portrait image – Allegro Photography
What’s in the Book
The Real Deal Wedding Insiders’ Guide to Smart Wedding Planning is a step-by-step guide with specific and actionable steps to give you control over your wedding. We walk you through chapters and worksheets that go from how to handle stressful family relationships, to what goes in your budget, to finding vendors and how to work with them. We break down the process from the time you call your best friend to say, “I’m engaged!” all the way to your wedding day.
Chapter Sneak Peak
Check out what we cover in each chapter. We review all the main items that you will experience as you go through the wedding planning process.
Introduction
The Engagement
The Committee
The Vision
The Budget
The Venue
The Vendors
The Big Day
Meet the Authors
Edna Dratch-Parker
Edna, founder and creative director of EFD Creative—Event Planning & Design, brings her unique blend of experience as an artist, entrepreneur, and creative director to each and every wedding she’s planned for the past decade. A graduate of the Maine College of Art, her approach to events comes from her desire to create a cohesive and visually engaging experience. She aligns her artistic sensibility with her professionalism to create a wedding experience that is memorable, distinctive, and seamless. Edna has received a number of industry honors, including “Wedding of the Year” from NACE NATIONAL – National Association of Catering and Events, “Social Event Planner of the Year” from BizBash, “Trendsetter of the Year” from Wedding Planner magazine and listed in the TOP 10 Wedding Planners, Boston from WeddingRule.com. Edna’s work has been published nationally in magazines and blogs.
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Jeri Solomon
In the Media
Book Reviews
See what people are saying about the book!
“A fantastic resource for any engaged couple! This book provides a fun, engaging and easy-to-follow process of successfully planning your wedding. Jeri and Edna are experts in the industry and this book provides their insider knowledge, advice and humor regarding all things wedding! I highly recommend purchasing a few copies to keep on hand for newly engaged couples in your life. They will certainly appreciate it!”
“As a newly engaged person, the information in this book has stayed with me and was so very needed. Especially the advice on getting clear about everybody’s (family, future in-laws, friends, etc…) role in the planning and how to navigate that! I loved having this book by my side and will share with friends when they get engaged! “
“This book is the most valuable tool I had for planning my wedding. It’s an excellent guide to manage not only the logistics, but also the mental and emotional workload of planning a wedding. I had an easy pathway to follow as I made millions of important decisions along the way. My favorite parts were the actionable templates. The authors have accomplished something truly unique here: A book that will help you navigate the most awkward and overwhelming parts of planning a wedding. “
Notables
Our Journey
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1994
New Business
Jeri opens her new floral business: Jeri Solomon Floral Design
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2009
Company Doors Open
Edna launches her wedding planning business EFD Creative – Event Planning & Design
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2009
We Meet
Jeri & Edna meet for the first time at an industry event
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2011
Working Together
Jeri and Edna work their first wedding together at the Hampshire House
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2011
Award Received
Edna received “Social Event Planner of the Year” – from BIZ BASH
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2012
Wedding Published
Edna & Jeri’s first wedding together gets published in the national Flower Magazine
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2012
Award Received
Edna receives “Trendsetter of the Year Award” – Wedding Planner Magazine
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2014
Award Received
EFD Creative – Event Planning & Design wins “Wedding of the Year” – NACE National. Jeri is the floral designer
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2015
IDEA
We wanted to share our knowledge of wedding planning with the world!
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2016
Started Writing
We started the process of writing the book
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2018
We’re Trademarked
Real Deal Wedding Insiders® is official
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2019
Award Received
Jeri Solomon Floral Design is listed as “Top Wedding Florist” on BostonMagazine.com
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2020
Award Received
EFD Creative is listed in “Top 10 Planners” Boston on Weddingrule.com
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2021
Award Received
Jeri Solomon Floral Design “Top Floral Designer” Boston on Expertise.com
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2022
The Book
Published – October 10th
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