Edwin Fotheringham/BRIDESBy BRIDES magazine
First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes...the mortgage? Answer these questions to learn whether you're ready to relinquish your rental and (gulp) start talking Tudors and colonials.
Do you fantasize about lawn mowers and Sub-Zeros? Assuming you answered "yes," let's move on to part two of the question: whether you're ready for the duties that go with those dreams-Saturday mowing marathons, taking time off from work to be home for a repairman to fix your fridge, and the many other responsibilities that come with ownership.
Related: The Best Celebrity Wedding Looks of 2011
Have you stashed a nice chunk of change? We're talking 10 to 20 percent of a home's purchase price as a down payment. But that's just for starters. "You also should have an emergency fund covering six months' worth of mortgage, insurance, and maintenance costs," says finance guru David Bach, founder of Finishrich.com.
Have you done your homework? Either through a Realtor or at
Blog Posts by BRIDES
Read More »from How to Survive a Long-Distance Marriage
Conde Nast Digital StudioA good job, care
er advancement, or military deployment can force a couple to live apart as husband and wife. How three pairs are coping-and what to do if it happens to you.
For most newly married couples, life involves the three S's: sleep (wedding-planning takes its toll), sex (it's hotter), and settling into a routine (in a good way!). But for a growing number of newlyweds, there's a fourth S to deal with: separation.
The reason? Take your pick-the job-starved economy, which forces people to go wherever they can get work; military obligations; or the graduate-degree or career-path chase.
Related: The Best Celebrity Wedding Looks of 2011
Since their wedding last year, Sara, 30, a New York fashion executive, has seen her husband, Mike, 30, a doctor, every four to five weeks. "He missed placing into a Manhattan-based residency program, so when an unpaid research position in San Antonio, Texas, came up, he took it to keep his career on track," she says. "I stayed in New York to
Read More »from Is Britney Spears Engaged?
Conde Nast Digital StudioPhillip B. Crook, BRIDES magazine
Talent agent Jason Trawick appears to be the most stable romance of Britney Spears' various public relationships (although Justin Timberlake comes in at a close second).
So it's happy news that the star's 39-year-old boyfriend was spotted in Los Angeles yesterday afternoon reportedly shopping for an engagement ring. A source told X17 Online that Trawick popped in to see luxury jeweler Pascal Mouawad, who showed him pieces from the private collection.
If Trawick is indeed proposing (or has already proposed) to Spears, this will be the 29-year-old singer's third marriage. She briefly wed hometown friend Jason Alexander in 2004, quickly annulling the marriage, and wedding backup dancer Kevin Federline later that year.
Spears has two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, with Federline. Fingers crossed that third time is the charm...
More from BRIDES:
• 10 Shocking Secrets of the First Year of Marriage
• The Ultimate Wedding Dress Guide
•By Heather Lee, BRIDES magazine
Don't be surprised if you start seeing these supercreative favors offered at a wedding near you. (Give them now before everyone else catches on!)
Read More »from Get the Look: Kim Kardashian's Wedding Menu
Photos (clockwise from top): Courtesy of Urbanity Studios, Wedding Paper Divas, Krista Mason Photography, and Naive Glow ArtsHeather Lee, BRIDES magazine
TMZ has a close-up shot of Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries' wedding menu- a chic design by Los Angeles-based stationer Lehr & Black. The black-and-white menu features fleur-de-lis patterns and lists the Wolfgang Puck-catered dinner offerings in elegant script. If you're planning a black-and-white themed celebration of your own, we've found some very similar (and more affordable!) menu options.
Top: This tea-length menu card features script at the top and an elegant scroll motif. $94 for 100, Urbanity Studios
Middle (left): An elegant damask pattern enlivens this black-and-white design. $30 for 24, Naive Glow Arts
Middle (right): This enchanting design features swirling vines and rustic leaves. $169 for 100, Wedding Paper Divas
Bottom: A simple round menu card with hand calligraphy is unexpected and chic. Custom design, Calligraphy by Katrina
More from BRIDES:
• 10 Shocking Secrets of the First Year of Marriage
• The Ultimate Wedding Dress Guide
•First-Year of Marriage Shockers: What Surprised You Most?
By BRIDES | Love + Sex – Thu, Aug 11, 2011 12:24 AM EDT
Read More »from First-Year of Marriage Shockers: What Surprised You Most?
Dan Saelinger/BRIDESLauren A. Greene, BRIDES Magazine
Women reveal what surprised them most during the first 12 months of marriage.
GOOD...
"We argued a lot less than we did when dating. Before, I'd overanalyze all the little things and hold a grudge. We learned to deal with a problem and move on. We weren't going to divorce over the color of our new couch, so why argue that much?"-Helen F., 27
"I had more free time to see friends. Before, I'd have to split my time between him and my friends, but after, there was less pressure, since I knew I'd see him every night."-Jill P., 32
"We both got miserably sick with the flu at different times and took care of each other. That in-sickness-or-in-health idea felt really natural." -Michelle S., 41
NOT SO GOOD...
"I wasn't prepared for all the football and basketball he watches on TV. I used to go to my apartment when he was watching a game, but after the wedding, there was no escape." -Erin R., 29
"I'm a spender, and my husband is a saver. It was hard, but IWhat Top Designers Think Kim K Should Wear to Her Wedding
By BRIDES | Fashion – Thu, Aug 11, 2011 12:19 AM EDTPhillip B. Crook, BRIDES
We're curious to see the wedding gown Vera Wang creates for reality TV star Kim Kardashian's upcoming nuptials. (A Chelsea Clinton-esque ballgown, perhaps? Probably not...) But until then, we're loving the fantasy gowns that some other notable designers would have wrapped around Kim's sexy curves given the chance.
What do you think Kim should wear?
Read More »from What Top Designers Think Kim K Should Wear to Her WeddingSecret Ways to Shrink Your Wedding Catering Bill
By BRIDES | Shine Food – Tue, Aug 2, 2011 7:07 PM EDT
Read More »from Secret Ways to Shrink Your Wedding Catering Bill
Conde Nast Digital StudioLauren A. Greene, BRIDES
The reception can take a big bite out of your budget. We surveyed wedding-industry experts (and a few brides) to find out how you can trim the fat without losing the flavor.
skip the seafood: "I nixed shellfish, since my husband, mom, and MIL are all allergic. It saved us so much that we were able to add a wedding cake into our package at no extra cost." -Leba A., 24, Brooklyn
eliminate choices: Offer just one meat or fish entrée instead of giving guests two or three options (but make sure you have a vegetarian alternative available for noncarnivores), says Annette Babich, a New York-area wedding planner.
Related: 40 Ways to Save On Your Big Day
do a different dessert: Instead of a pricey wedding cake, create a sweets table or a cupcake, cookie, or brownie bar. "These budget-friendly options always wow the crowd," says Laura Ekker of Blue Plate Catering in Chicago.
ask for a better price: Don't be afraid to negotiate, says Amy Aversa of Sweet Basil Catering inKim Kardashian Chooses Vera Wang to Design Her Wedding Dress
By BRIDES | Fashion – Tue, Aug 2, 2011 6:46 PM EDT
Read More »from Kim Kardashian Chooses Vera Wang to Design Her Wedding Dress
Fairchild ArchivePhillip B. Crook, BRIDES
In a surprise move that came as a surprise to no one, reality star Kim Kardashian announced that her wedding gown will be designed by Vera Wang. "Vera has been a close family friend for a long time, and we had talked about this moment for years," Kim said on her blog. "When it came to picking my wedding dress designer, she was the first person I thought of. No one designs gowns the way she does!"
When Kim stopped by Wang's New York studio in June, she reportedly asked the designer's entire staff to sign confidentiality contracts-which makes it all the more odd that she made this announcement now. But come her wedding day on August 20 (and the E! special to follow), we'll finally see what the game of bridal designer hide-and-seek has been about. And it better be good!
Click here to see our favorite looks from Vera's Spring 2012 collection.
More from BRIDES:
• 10 Shocking Secrets of the First Year of Marriage
• The Ultimate Wedding Dress Guide
•
Read More »from How to Find the Perfect Plus Size Wedding Gown
Tom Corbett/BRIDES BRIDES magazine
Girls with major curves can score a flattering high-fashion frock (really!) if they shop smart.
Retail Therapy
Lori Allen of Atlanta's Bridals by Lori offers her tips for a positive salon experience.
Q: Carrying plus-size samples hasn't always been a priority for salons. Is that changing?
A: While it's still not the industry norm, more salons-including ours-now carry samples in bigger sizes. The issue is that most can't afford to buy more than one sample of a dress, and that sample is usually an 8 or a 10.
Q: So how can a plus-size bride find a dress?
A: By doing her homework. She should look on the websites of her favorite designers to find out which make plus-size gowns. Next, she should call salons to ask whether they carry these designers, and how many plus-size samples they have in-store, before booking an appointment.
Q: What's the biggest size that samples come in?
A: Our largest-size gown is a 28, and we carry all the major designers, like Rivini, Amsale, and
