Wedding Planning Advice

Let’s face it: even the sweetest most thoughtful woman on the planet has been known to get completely sucked in by her own wedding. And then there are the rest of us! But a wedding is just one day, and you are going to want your friends around after you get married and need someone to hit the mall with you (once you are married, your guy will conveniently be too busy to shop with you), see the latest chick flicks (ditto), and cheer you up when the proverbial honeymoon is over. For all these reasons, it is important to learn how to plan a wedding without losing your friends. (more…)

The Cougar

It is a sad fact of life that men and women mature at different rates. Most women reach an adult maturity level in their early 20s, while men tend to lag by at least ten years (assuming they ever grow out of an infantile state – can we say “mommy” issues?!).  Because of this, it is not uncommon for women to seek partners of more mature stature (although, conversely, women reach their sexual peak at 35 while men reach it at about 18…hence the cougar dynamic). In addition, those of us who are keen to conceive any time soon are certainly seeking a mate who can provide a safe and stable environment in which to raise our little ankle-biters. Hello, 5-year plan! (more…)

When entering into wedded bliss, no topic is more touchy than that of the dreaded prenuptial agreement. Nobody wants to think about getting a divorce when they haven’t even hit the honeymoon, and they certainly don’t want to think they’ll hate each other enough to try to steal their spouse’s money (or hold back their own).  But with one in three marriages in America ending in estrangement, you can’t be too careful when it comes to protecting yourself, especially where financial independence is concerned.  And if he’s the one with the money, just remember that a pre-nup can be in your best interest, as well. (more…)

Bridezilla on the Loose

You’ve always been known as the nice, girl-next-door type. Unfailingly kind, caring, and sympathetic, you are the sort of woman any man would love to marry. But as soon as you heard wedding bells in your future, you went into planning mode, began foaming at the mouth, and became the bride who ate Tokyo. “Watch out!” cry the little caterers and florists as you move to crush them underfoot, “Here comes Bridezilla!” It’s not that you WANT to be the crazy, destructive lizard of legend, blowing everyone to smithereens with your lightning breath (sorry, Tic Tacs won’t help), it’s just that you want your wedding to be perfect!  Is that so wrong?! (more…)

Jane Fonda in Monster In Law

You’re madly in love and the day is soon approaching when the whole world will know just how much you and your husband-to-be mean to each other. You envision mothers dabbing their eyes with hankies as you walk down the aisle. A radiant light will shine down, angels will sing, and all will be right with the world…at least it would be if every event attended by your in-laws didn’t turn into a reenactment of Westside Story. If you’re one of the many, many women out there acting as referee between your family and your future in-laws, here are a few simple steps to break up the brawl and ensure you get the fairy tale ending you deserve (sans wicked stepmother). (more…)

He worked up the courage to pop the big question, but now that you’ve started planning the wedding, he’s mysteriously M.I.A. And even if you manage to tear his attention away from Call of Duty 15 or the latest episode of Archer, he’s disconcertingly noncommittal. “Whatever you want, babe,” seems to have become his mantra, and it’s really starting to irk you. You don’t need him to jump over every detail, but you think he’d take at least a little interest in what will be the biggest day of both your lives! (more…)

Few things in life touch us as deeply as romantic love, but religion is one of them. Whether you’ve practiced your whole life, are a recent convert, or don’t believe a word of it, religion is something we’ve all considered, coveted, criticized, or consumed. Everyone has an opinion on religion, and most of us can not only be vocal about it, we can be vociferous! So if you find that you and your man are on opposite sides of a religious debate, your relationship could be headed for biblically stormy waters (see Moses vs. the Red Sea). Read on to find out how to bridge the gap that could tear you apart. (more…)

It’s your big day, the one you’ve been dreaming of since you were a little girl, using Barbie and Ken as stand-ins. You had a fantasy that involved the Sistine Chapel, a twenty-foot silk train and a parade straight out of ancient Rome (complete with flocking doves and showers of rose petals). Okay, so your plans have toned down a bit since you were ten, but your dream wedding still consists of a tastefully catered affair for 150+ guests. Your fiancé, on the other hand, has plans to outfit the entire affair at the 99-Cent Store (they have decorations AND they can cater…provided you want your wedding to look like a Super Bowl party). So how do you reach an agreement on price when your budget says Platinum Wedding and his says Dollar Menunaire (sorry Micky Ds, you’re NEVER allowed to cater a wedding!)? (more…)

We’ve all seen Runaway Bride. Poor Julia Roberts just can’t commit. Again and again she makes it all the way to her big day and then…Jesse Owens. (more…)

That Kid is Thrilled to be in the Wedding

More and more couples are inviting children to the wedding ceremony and reception, especially among couples who may have children from a previous marriage. (more…)