Mergers and Acquisitions

A delightfully warm, witty and poignant memoir about falling in love, and an eye-opening behind-the scenes tour of the rarified world of The New York Times weddings pages - from the good and the bad to the just plain weird.

Growing up in America's romantic south, where tradition reigns supreme, Cate Doty thought about weddings a lot. So when she moves to New York City in pursuit of love, and to write for The New York Times, she finds her natural home in the pages of the wedding section, one of the Big Apple's most esteemed, talked-about - and competitive - institutions.

Soon Cate is thrown into the cut-throat world of the New York marriage market, experiencing the lengths society couples go to have their announcements accepted and the lengths the writers go in fact-checking their stories; the eye-opening, status-signaling details that matter most to brides and grooms; and the politics of the paper at a time of vast cultural and industry changes.

Cate is surrounded by love, or what we're told to believe is love. But when she falls head over heels herself, she begins to ask her own questions about what it means to truly commit . . .

Equal parts charming, addictive and funny, this is a delightful meditation on love, privilege and the human condition, and a young reporter's own romantic coming of age.

About the Author

Cate Doty is a writer and former editor at The New York Times, where she covered wedding announcements and news from the world of food, business, New York and more for almost 15 years. Her work has appeared in the Times, Southern Living, Our State, and other publications. Cate is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she now teaches journalism.

She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her family.