One of the things I find most fun when writing Christian romance is planning a beautiful wedding at the end of a book. Of the five books out so far in my Abundance series, three of them end in weddings, including the most recent books I’ve written, Love and Roses and Love, Lies, and Homemade Pie. Along the way in writing these books, I’ve learned that two things are incredibly helpful when planning a fictional wedding—advice from my readers and Pinterest.
With each book I’ve written, I’ve used Pinterest more and more. While I’m writing the book, I make a secret board and add photos to it to use as inspiration. Once the book is published, I make the secret board visible to everyone.
When I was writing my most recent book, Love, Lies, and Homemade Pie, which ends in a wedding at Thanksgiving, I wasn’t quite sure what a fall wedding would look like. I got married in the summer, and oddly enough, I think I’ve only attended one fall wedding. Pinterest was full of beautiful ideas. I’ll never plan a fictional wedding without it again! I found images for everything—the bridesmaid dresses, the cake, the decorations, and even ideas about wedding gowns when the wedding takes place, in 1981. I checked my math carefully to be sure that the hero and heroine got married after Princess Diana, whose dress inspired the predominant style of the 1980s, which I mention in the story.
You can see the pins that that I ended up using as inspiration on my Pinterest board for Love, Lies, and Homemade Pie.
The other thing that is a huge help to me is input from my readers. I like to post bouquet photos and dress photos on Facebook to get opinions. I find that I especially need help with bouquets. For one thing, I tend to pick out bouquets that include flowers that I don’t know the names of. Thankfully, my readers can tell me what the flowers are and can also help me pick flowers that are in season and fit my bride’s budget.
If you’d like to see more of my inspiration boards or my other boards, please follow me on Pinterest. I’ve already started a secret board for my next book, which includes lots of pins for a Christmas wedding. I’ll be sharing it with everyone once the book is published in the spring of 2020.
And if you like to plan weddings or just want to keep in touch, I’d love to have you join my Facebook reader group. I have a Facebook page (Sally Bayless) and a Facebook reader group (Sally Bayless Book Chat).
I’ve recently begun asking more people to join the group because I learned that in the group I can set up a poll to let people vote for the prettiest dress or bouquet! That’s especially helpful! To join the group, just click here, then click the button that says “Join Group.”
What about you? Do you have a favorite season for a wedding? Is there a special reason, like a type of decorations that you really love?
I’ll be giving away a free Kindle copy of Love, Lies, and Homemade Pie (one Kindle copy, available worldwide) to someone who comments.
If you’d like to be included in the drawing, please comment by Wednesday evening, Nov. 6, 2019. One person who comments on this post will be chosen at random, notified by email, and announced in a Sunday edition.
*Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.*
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About Love, Lies, and Homemade Pie
When a woman who’s keeping secrets falls for a journalist who’s digging for the truth, does the attraction between them stand a chance?
Cara Smith has a whole new life planned—a new name, a new look, and a new hometown in Abundance, Missouri. If she can just avoid questions from that intriguing guy at the newspaper, no one will ever find out about her past.
Will Hamlin, editor of the local paper, can’t help but wonder about the mayor’s new secretary. She’s clearly hiding something—something that could be the big story the newspaper desperately needs to stay afloat. But after Will’s initial inquiries fail to turn up anything, he grows less interested in Cara’s past and more interested in winning her heart with slices of pie and stolen kisses.
When a crime is uncovered at city hall just as Will unearths Cara’s dark secret, the repercussions shatter their romance. Has Cara really left her past behind? Can Will finally find a way to save the paper? And can they each place their trust in God and together find freedom in the truth and overcome the obstacles to their love?
Love, Lies, and Homemade Pie is a stand-alone contemporary Christian romance novel and is the prequel to the Abundance Series by Sally Bayless.
Sally Bayless writes contemporary Christian romance that features compelling characters, real-world problems, and uplifting endings filled with the power of love. She lives in the beautiful hills of Appalachian Ohio and has two grown children. When not working on her next book, she enjoys reading, watching BBC television with her husband, doing Bible studies, kayaking, and shopping for cute shoes. For updates on her writing and a free insider’s guide to her books, subscribe to her newsletter by clicking the newsletter icon below or visiting http://bit.ly/NewsfromSally.
Hi Sally, how fun- to be able to plan lots of different weddings:) I was married in Summer also- here in Australia that is over Christmas. I think that Autumn and Summer make a great season for a wedding- in Autumn the weather is pretty stable, it is not quite as hot but not cold either.
Blessings:)
Oh, wow, this story sounds lovely! I enjoy Winter weddings…I like the cooler weather, spring is nice too!
Hi Wemble,
I bet your Christmas wedding was beautiful! There are so many lovely flowers in summer! Thanks for commenting!
Sally
Thanks, Paula Marie!
I like winter weddings too! I think one of the prettiest weddings I’ve ever attended was at Christmas. The bridesmaids wore dark green dresses, and the candles in the church seemed so warm and beautiful compared to the cold, gray winter outside.
Thanks for stopping by!
Sally
Hi Sally! No need to include me in the drawing, since I have read your inspiring story Love, Lies and Homemade Pie. Hubby and I got married in June – at the end of the school year. My oldest son celebrated his 19th Anniversary Monday – they had a fall wedding. In the Midwest – spring, fall, and winter weddings can be unpredictable. Thunderstorms, power outages and blizzards. Weddings are unique regardless of season. Best wishes. Stay dry and warm and enjoy your weekend.
Your book sounds like a fun story. I’ve never been to a fall wedding either. We were married in the summer. My daughters were married a day and 10 years apart from each other in July, by the same pastor and the same church and the same wedding coordinator. That was fun. (They are 12 years apart in age. )
Sounds like you get a lot of experience in planning weddings from the research you do! Thanks for sharing about the process.
Hi Renate! Thanks for stopping by! Good point about the weather–it can definitely make a wedding tricky. I remember a wedding where I was a bridesmaid in late September that was held outside in Missouri. It should have been perfect but it was cold! Brrrrr! Have a great weekend!
Hi Diana! What a COOL story about your daughters! I hope they got some similar photos taken! Have great weekend!
Hi Megan! It is very fun. If either of my kids ever gets married, I’m ready to offer ideas! Thanks for stopping by!
Your book sounds good!! One of my sister’s got married in December. She partially picked that time of year as the church would already be decorated, and she’d get to use those decorations and not have to do it all!!! Mom actually made her wedding dress, using white velvet.
Hi Trudy! Your sister sounds smart! And a white velvet wedding dress sounds absolutely gorgeous! Thanks for stopping by!
I was trying to think about Autumn weddings. I have been to a few mostly around Easter or Anzac day. (April mostly) then thought when is Thanksgiving. End of Nov which is the end of Autumn which equates to end of May for me. I don’t think I have been to any at this time but then we don’t have Thanksgiving. I have been to a few June weddings. (Winter).
I think Thanksgiving makes for a totally different Autumn wedding as its around an event and its a time people travel to spend time with family and have time of work. Long weekends are always popular for weddings.
I have been to several Nov weddings but that’s Spring for us and normally more stable weather if there is such a thing. I have been to lots of January weddings with the last one looking like being in the 90’s to finally having a change come and being around 60 it was quite chilly as it was an outside wedding and reception.
I don’t have a “favorite” season for a wedding…..I just love them anytime! I think if I were to pick a season, it would be fall. You can use so many autumn props and colors to add a touch of whimsy :-) Even the fall colored leaves on the trees could add to an outdoor wedding, wouldn’t that be pretty?? And the temperature would be just right…not too hot, not too cold.
I just joined your reader group on Facebook Sally. These are some of my favorite because you can interact with the authors & get the “inside scoop” if you will on future books, inspirations and the like. Please add my name for a chance to win the ebook “Love, Lies and Homemade Pies”, thank you!
I’m going to check out your Pinterest boards!
I think a fall wedding would be beautiful! I love the colors of Autumn. I had a summer end of June wedding. I now live in Missouri, so am anxious to read this book!
I was married in August because between both our work schedules and my hubby to be’s college classes, it was the only time available. I *really* wanted Lily of the Valleys in my bouquet, but they are Spring flowers, so had to go with artificial ones which my mom incorporated into a cross stitch wedding sampler. I would have picked Spring otherwise (and had real Lily of the Valleys). I’m in the preliminary stages of planning a (double) wedding for my current WIP (well current until I set it aside to do NaNo) and using Pinterest also.
I love weddings in all seasons. I love watching Say Yes To The Dress and reading books about weddings. I think all seasons are beautiful.
My own wedding was in spring in the Cook Islands so warm but not too hot. On the beach under coconut palms with a beautiful arch of leaves, hibiscus and fangapani flowers. It was beautiful.
I haven’t read any of your books, always nice to find a new author :).
Good point about long weekends being nice for weddings! They seem like the ideal time if family is going to be together anyway and the guests are mostly family.
And my goodness, I feel for the couple –and the guests– at the last wedding you attended! I bet that temperature around 60 was a shock!
I guess that’s like a marriage–you have to be ready to roll with the changes!
Hi Trixi! I was delighted with all the fall props I found when I planned the fictional fall wedding, especially things like pumpkins that seemed sturdier than flowers and not too expensive.
I’m looking forward to getting to know you better in my reader group on Facebook! Thanks for joining!
Good luck in the drawing!
You are so right–the colors of autumn are gorgeous!
And yay for Missouri! I’m originally from Rolla and lived for years in Columbia.
Hope you enjoy the story!
Hi Becky,
Oh, Lily of the Valley is such a beautiful flower! How sweet and creative of your mom to find a way to give them to you in the fall!
Good luck on NaNo! I’m not doing it this year because I have to get my next book to the editor. Every day I feel like I should be writing!
Carolyn, your wedding sounds like a dream! Wow!
I like Say Yes To The Dress too. It’s one of those shows that can keep me on the treadmill or elliptical!
So nice to meet you. Thanks for stopping by!
I was staying at where the wedding was to be for a couple of days and ended up buying a pashmina to help keep me warmer. Also the place provided heaps of blankets for the guests. It was still a really lovely day.
Carolyn, your wedding sounds like a dream! Wow!
I like Say Yes To The Dress too. It’s one of those shows that can keep me on the treadmill or elliptical!
So nice to meet you. Thanks for stopping by!
And now you have a stylish keepsake! How perfect!