Being a bridesmaid is all I've ever dreamed of . . . Tilly can’t believe it when her best friend Matty is asked to be a bridesmaid. In Tilly’s favourite daydream, she’s wearing the most beautiful bridesmaid dress and walking down the aisle behind a bride. The one wedding she’d really love to attend is her own mum and dad’s - but it seems like that's never going to happen. So Tilly decides to make her own dream come true, and puts a notice in the local shop, advertising her services as a bridesmaid. And to her amazement, she gets a reply . . . A fabulous, funny and moving story about finding family and friendship in all sorts of places, from the mega-bestselling author of Tracy Beaker, Hetty Feather and Katy.

In the tradition of Sloane Crosley, Mindy Kaling, and Katie Heaney, a hilarious and insightful memoir about one New York City Millennial’s journey to find herself, her dream career, and true love, all while juggling a truly unique job as the world's only professional bridesmaid. *Previously published as Always a Bridesmaid (for Hire) After moving to New York City in her mid-twenties to pursue her dream of writing—and not living on the “Upper East Side” of her parents’ house anymore—Jen Glantz looked forward to a future of happy hours and Sunday brunches with her besties. What she got instead were a string of phone calls that began with, "Jen, I have something exciting to tell you!" and ended with, "I'd be honored if you would be my bridesmaid." At first she was delighted, but it wasn’t long before she realized two things: all of her assets were tied up in bridesmaid dresses, and she herself was no closer to finding The One. She couldn't do much about the second thing (though her mother would beg to differ), but she could about the first. One (slightly tipsy) night, Jen posted an ad on Craigslist advertising her services as a professional bridesmaid. When she woke up the next morning, it had gone viral. What began as a half-joke suddenly turned into a lifetime of adventure for Jen–and more insight into the meaning of love than she was getting from OKCupid—as she walked down the aisle at stranger after stranger's wedding. Fresh, funny, and surprisingly sweet, Always a Bridesmaid (For Hire) is an entertaining reminder that even if you don't have everything together, you can still be a total boss—or, at the very least, a BFF to another girl in need.

Being a fabulous bridesmaid these days calls for much more than dyeing your heels to match your dress, especially now that the Internet is the bride's best friend. Fortunately, this all-new edition from bridesmaid expert Kate Chynoweth shares how to be the very best bridesmaid possible. Learn how to host the loveliest bridal shower, throw an unforgettable bachelorette party, use social networking, and support the bride on her big day. Fully updated and with templates for invitations, party games, and more, this illustrated and informative guide is the perfect resource.

Bridesmaids today face an average expense of more than $3,000 when they accept the invitation to be in a bridal party. Add in the cost of travel and lodging—which is increasingly becoming necessary, with the growing popularity of destination weddings—and that $3,000 climbs to an even higher price tag. It’s hard to say no when a friend asks you to be a part of their wedding, but in this economy, most bridesmaids just don't have the money to participate—not without ending up with a handful of maxed-out credit cards and a whole lot of resentment, anyway. In Bridesmaid on a Budget, Sharon Naylor—the author of multiple best-selling budgeting books for brides—offers women advice on how to beat the system. Naylor gives tips on where to find the best, most affordable dresses and accessories; planning fantastic (but low-cost) showers and bachelorette parties; giving a great wedding gift without emptying your pocketbook; minimizing the extra expenses of a destination wedding; and more. For the almost 10 million women per year who become one, Bridesmaid on a Budget is an indispensable guide to being a brilliant bridesmaid—without breaking the bank.

Contemporary popular culture stereotypes Filipina women as sex workers, domestic laborers, mail order brides, and caregivers. These figures embody the gendered and sexual politics of representing the Philippine nation in the Filipina/o diaspora. Gina K. Velasco explores the tensions within Filipina/o American cultural production between feminist and queer critiques of the nation and popular nationalism as a form of resistance to neoimperialism and globalization. Using a queer diasporic analysis, Velasco examines the politics of nationalism within Filipina/o American cultural production to consider an essential question: can a queer and feminist imagining of the diaspora reconcile with gendered tropes of the Philippine nation? Integrating a transnational feminist analysis of globalized gendered labor with a consideration of queer cultural politics, Velasco envisions forms of feminist and queer diasporic belonging, while simultaneously foregrounding nationalist movements as vital instruments of struggle.

Smart, helpful, and honest, THE BRIDESMAID HANDBOOK lets you be your most brilliant bridesmaid self with lots of tips, advice, interactive materials, and a healthy dose of self-care strategies. There's nothing quite like being a bridesmaid. From throwing love-filled celebrations to wearing fabulous outfits, it can be one of the most unique and rewarding experience of your life. Just as important, it is a beautiful expression of your commitment and love for your bestie. But let's not kid ourselves: It can also be a lot of work. But with this practical guide by your side, you'll be ready for anything. From tips on finding the best outfit (jumpsuits are the new power suit) to advice on sticky situations (it's OK, you can say no), THE BRIDESMAID HANDBOOK has got you covered. THE BRIDESMAID HANDBOOK is the ultimate go-to for all of your bridal party needs, including: • A Bridesmaid Bill of Rights (#2: You have the right to look and feel good on the wedding day) • Bridal shower and bachelorette ideas and activities • Handy budget breakdowns (and where you can save) • Tips for navigating each wedding event, including the big day • Checklists, worksheets, and more! MODERN ADVICE: Author Heather Lee, managing editor at Minted.com and experienced bridesmaid, offers honest, authentic advice and lots of self-care-focused ways to navigate through all sorts of situations. THE PERFECT BRIDESMAID GIFT: Filled with charming illustrations and with a beautiful cover, this is perfect to gift to your prospective bridesmaids, along with other bridesmaid goodies. Perfect for: brides; bridesmaids; mother-of-the-bride; readers of BRIDES MAGAZINE, A PRACTICAL WEDDING, MODERN BRIDE, THE KNOT

The guide to sustainable strategies and tools to improve competitive business advantage, updated with practical case studies and supporting teaching material The revised and updated second edition of Practical Sustainability Strategies is filled with proven strategies and tools for organizations to integrate sustainability into their business models. Drawing on the authors’ research and years of hands-on experience, the book defines strategies that organizations can put in place to develop, extend, or maintain competitive advantage without harming the environment. Additionally, the authors provide tools for measuring and reporting progress and present illustrative case studies that clearly demonstrate the importance of implementing sustainability. Since the first edition was published in 2013, new strategies, measurements, and certifications have been developed. The book, which is used by several business schools around the globe, has been updated to include these new and effective strategies, including circular economy, the sharing economy, adaptation, resiliency, and strategies to fight climate change. This new edition also highlights the UN Sustainable Development Goals that have been adopted worldwide. This updated second edition: Covers new strategies, measuring systems, GRI, STARS and B-Lab certifications Offers teaching slides and questions for use in the classroom Explores the principles and importance of sustainability Examines more than 10 different sustainability strategies Presents the economic justification for sustainability with illustrative examples Written for sustainability managers, ESG professionals, engineers, process designers, policy makers, CEOs, business schools, and others, the second edition of Practical Sustainability Strategies offers an updated guide to the most recent strategies and tools that can be put into place to improve competitive advantage, while also providing a positive impact to the community and workplace.

This volume presents a timely recognition, warning and mapping of the fast approaching wave, or “bio-tsunami”, of global socio-technical transformation, built by a much wider spectrum of converging powers, including biotechnology, new agriculture, novel foods, health, quality of life, environment, energy, sustainability, education, knowledge management, and design of smart applications. The book contains eight sections corresponding to different clusters of bioeconomic and socio-technical change, as identified by the editors’ “Scanning the Horizon” foresight research; it also offers an integrated view of the future bioeconomy landscape though the convergence of several technologies that affect everyday life. The clusters offer methodologies for forecasting the future bioeconomy, and how these predictions can affect target-setting and the orientation of policies and actions to manage cultural and societal change, and achieve sustainable development in less developed areas. The book will be of interest to researchers, producers, logistics experts, policy makers, regulators, business and financial institutions, and biotechnologists (e.g. geneticists, food experts, etc.).

Non-toxic beauty products and eco-fashion to help you be magnifeco! In the wake of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh—the worst garment industry accident in recorded history—the words "fashion disaster" acquired a new and much more sinister meaning. Commentators suggested that the tragedy was completely predictable in a sector with a shocking track record of rampant environmental damage, the use of toxic chemicals, and chronic human rights abuse. Now the industry is undergoing a shift, and many of us are questioning our buying habits. The rise of socially and environmentally responsible retailers like Patagonia and The Body Shop has led to dramatic changes in the eco and ethical fashion landscape. Magnifeco is the Fast Food Nation of the fashion world—your guide to making a difference too. In this guide, author Kate Black: Examines non-toxic beauty and ethical fashion Recommends a multitude of ways for consumers to make better decisions Introduces the brands and designers leading the way along this socially responsible path. With this complete head-to toe guide covering everything from hair and beauty products to shoes and footwear, you can feel better about everything you put on your body and be— magnifeco! Kate Black is the founder and editor-in-chief of Magnifeco.com, the digital source for eco-fashion and sustainable living. She has lived and worked in the major fashion centers of the world, has written over 1,000 articles about designers and ethical fashion, and speaks regularly at regional and national green living events.

• The first edition of The Everything® Bridesmaid Book has sold more than 60,500 copies • Includes a new chapter on de-stressing the bride (and bridesmaids!), as well as updated information on nontraditional weddings, cost information, budget-minded ideas for hosting parties, and more • Everything® wedding titles have sold more than 1.5 million copies! Who plans the bridal shower? Does the dress have to be ugly? How much will all of this cost? Today's bridesmaids are finding their brides expect lots of help and enthusiasm when planning the big day. This is the perfect handbook for bridesmaids looking for practical advice on their integral role in the wedding. Featuring no-nonsense, updated information on how to: • Help her find the perfect dress • Keep the bride calm on her big day • Throw an unbelievable bridal shower • Make a memorable toast to the happy couple From knowing the proper etiquette to handling any and all responsibilities, this is the one guaranteed go-to resource for bridesmaids. With The Everything® Bridesmaid Book, 2nd Edition, they'll help plan a wedding to remember--and have fun doing it!