Hitchswitch-Blog

Tag: engaged

  • Healthy Habits for You and Your Partner

    Healthy Habits for You and Your Partner

    Do you know when you’re sitting on the toilet and scrolling through your Instagram and see a video with an elderly couple talking about how they’ve been married for 50+ years? How somehow they’ve cracked “the code” to a long, healthy, and fulfilling marriage?

    And you’re sitting there thinking, “how the f— did they do that?”

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    Those people are my heroes because while marriage is a beautiful experience, it is undoubtedly difficult to keep afloat sometimes. Some days, you have calm waters and a relaxing sea breeze, and others are filled with storms and waves ready to drown you.

    There are simple strategies you can engage in helping maintain a healthy relationship. Here are some of our favorite small habits that will make a huge difference. 

     1. Set in Motion Your Emotion

    I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Being emotionally connected to your partner is far more important than being physically connected to them (AKA sex). If you’re in it for the long-run, then establishing an emotionally connect is very, very important. According to Marriage, creating this bond will not only strengthen your communication skills, but will also help build respect, better sex, and a sense of security.

    How to build that connection?

    Just don’t keep any feelings from your partner. If there are any problems, never shoo them to the side. Always talk about how you feel and get it out in the open. Don’t let the work-life dominate your relationship; always have one day of the week dedicated to your partner. Just because you’re married doesn’t mean you can’t get out there and have fun.

    2. A T-Rex was Once an Egg

    This was my grandpapa’s way of saying, “the little things matter, you dipshit.”

    I can’t speak for all women, but when my husband sends me a hearty text with a bunch of kissing emojis, I smile like a bumbling buffoon. We’ve only been married for three years, but it still gets to me. His job requires a ton of physical labor so the fact that he found the time to shoot me a message just reminds me of why I married this guy in the first place.

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    It doesn’t have to be a text. It could be buying them lunch, surprising them at work, sending them flowers, cooking them dinner, and leaving post-it notes with flirty messages all over the house.

    The little things keep the sparks flying, trust me.

    3. Communicate EVERYTHING

    By everything, I do mean the good, the bad, and the ugly. As a married couple, we always want the best for each other, and whenever something grand happens, we tell each other right away.

    But what about those difficult conversations that we would rather not talk about? It could be stress, body weight, anxiety, car troubles, and even a pile of unpaid bills. The conversations that are a must have are usually the ones we don’t want to discuss at all.

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    If you’re having trouble starting a difficult conversation with your partner, Very Well Mind has a wonderful article full of incredible advice and helpful tips.

    4. Knowing When You’re in the Wrong

    Me: “I would like to buy a Y.”

    Pat: “There are three Y’s.”

    Me: Is it “I’m Sorry You Feel That Way”?

    Your relationship is not perfect.

    Fights will happen where you will argue and cry and yell. When you are the one at fault in an argument, don’t apologize in a way that makes your partner feel that their emotions are irrelevant (refer to quote above). Please don’t be that dumb.

    You always want to be empathic when apologizing. You need to recognize that you’re in the wrong and let your partner know that you will change your behavior and fix your mistakes. Unsolved arguments lead to more complications and buried emotions. That’s uncharted territory, and we do not want to go there.

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    Dedicating Time for Each Other

    I know it doesn’t need to be said and you should be dedicating time for your partner every day. Unfortunately, life gets in the way, and sometimes, we’re too busy even to call to say ‘hello.’

    Planning to see a movie, going for a stroll in the park, visiting some close friends, and even cuddling are great ways to show your partner you’re there and you care.

  • Wedding Budget Saving Tips

    Wedding Budget Saving Tips

    Wedding Budget Saving Tips

    If you could describe a wedding in three words, what would they be? 

    If you’ve never had a wedding of your own, then let me take the words right out of your mouth. Beautiful. Elegant. Fun.

    Yeah, yeah, I get it, being a guest is the frickin’ best because unless you’re the bride or groom, you didn’t pay for anything. You went all dolled up, ate a filet mignon steak with a side of couscous, got drunk, and went home. That’s what guests do, and I know this because I attend over three weddings a month. 

    My three words? Too. Damn. Expensive.

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    According to Business Insider, “The average wedding cost in the US is $33,391”. I’ve been married since 2017, and I am still in debt for the extravagant wedding my in-laws persisted we have. They only have one son so you can imagine how that conversation went.  

    Anyways, there are several things you can do that will help you save hundreds of dollars on your special day.

    Here are our top four.

    1. Scratch Off Anyone You Haven’t Seen In 2+ Years

    Let’s be real. Does your great uncle Paul from your mom’s side that you haven’t seen in over five years really need to be invited? I know when it comes to creating a guest list for your special day, you want the whole world to know, but think of it this way: the more people come, the more money out of your pocket.

    Honestly, I get it. At some point, you feel an obligation to invite some people even though you barely know them. While my husband and I were creating the guest list at the time, we were incredibly stressed out because more than half the people on the list were closer to our parents, not to us. It rounded up to over 200 people. 

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    A word of advice? Cut out anybody you haven’t spoken or heard from in the past two years. Explain to your parents and future in-laws that you would rather save that extra cash for something that will benefit you and your partner in the near future.

    2. You Don’t Need Filet Mignon With Couscous

    You can’t have starving guests. Even though prices vary per guest in every state, you’re looking at an average of $85 per plate. And that’s the not so fancy weddings. If you want a New York wedding, you’re looking at an $80,000 fee.

    Here I thought California was too expensive.

    So what do you do? If you’re looking to save money, then I’ll tell you what you don’t do, and that is hiring a caterer. As soon as you mention the M word (married), anything that will cost ten bucks will jump to a hundred. We know it’s the same product, but we’re under so much stress at the time that we couldn’t give a shit, am I right?

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    If you have any close friends that run family-owned restaurants or if your family is in the food industry, you can always ask them to cater! It doesn’t need to be anything fancy because I promise you, people just want to eat. I had a friend who served chicken thighs on top of basmati rice at her wedding, and you better believe it was the best darn thing I’ve ever tasted.

    So no need to over think the food because you’re not going to look back on this day and think, “I should have gone with the $8000 caterers”.

    3. Mother Nature is Your New Wedding Venue

    Haven’t you heard? That’s, like, totally a thing now.

    Renting out a plaza for your wedding reception is crazy expensive. I know this because mine cost me a thousand for the night.

    Lately, I have been noticing a ton of people planning their wedding in their backyard. There are a few who also use public parks because it’s already fixed up beautifully without costing a dime.

    Bridal Musings does a wonderful job on how to set up a backyard wedding.

    4. Skip The Bouquet and Settle For A Single Rose

    For a few of my brides, this might strike a nerve. If you’re one of those brides who want to preserve your bouquet in a glass frame, then by all means, skip this step. Before I continue, I would just like to state that I have been to weddings without a single flower in sight and I have been to weddings where over $2000 was spent only on flowers.

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    Other than your bouquet, you need to keep in mind the bridesmaids, the flower girls, the corsages, table centerpieces, and much more that I can’t remember at the moment.

    Also, flowers die. Imagine spending $2000 on flowers just for them to die that same night. Holy crap, you can buy a used car with that amount of money. Now, there are alternatives to flowers such as candles, crystal vases, goldfish bowls with petals, and even fake flowers. If flowers are a must, then keep them to a minimal.

    If you’re the DIY’er in the family, then all you need is to pick a few roses from your nearest public park and get to working.

    The list goes on and on…and on. Shop for your dress or tux off the clearance rack, ask family and friends to help with the setup instead of buying professional work, buy affordable wedding rings, stay in state for the honeymoon, set up karaoke instead of hiring a DJ. 

    Ok, maybe that last one isn’t necessary, but you get my point. 

  • First Things First: What To Do When You Get Engaged

    First Things First: What To Do When You Get Engaged

    You’re engaged! *Cue confetti* The question has been popped, your dream ring is on your hand and you might be so overwhelmed with emotions you don’t know where to begin.

    First, let it sink in that you’re marrying the love of your life and take a moment to celebrate! If you’re feeling anxious to start planning (but don’t know where to start) you’ve come to the right place. Here’s what your first moves should be after you’ve said yes:

    Dust Off the Phone Book

    We know, it would be so much easier to post a photo on Facebook and call it a day. But, the best way to announce the good news is an old-fashioned phone call. Call up your family and friends and let them in on the celebration. They’ll love hearing it from you and this way you’ll avoid a conversation with your great aunt (who isn’t mad, just disappointed) that she was the last to know.

    Get a Manicure

    Trust us on this one, your hand is going to be the center of attention for the next couple of months. The ring is the first thing people will ask to see when they hear you’re engaged and you don’t want your chipped polish to steal the spotlight. Grab a few of your girlfriends, treat yourselves to manicures, and flash that ring!

    Discuss Budget

    Before you dive headfirst into planning, take a look at what you are willing to spend. Weddings can add up, so decide in advance how much you have to spend and what you are willing to compromise on if you need to make adjustments.

    Gather Inspiration

    Maybe you’ve been planning this in your head for years and already know the direction you want to go. But if you have absolutely no clue, or just want to look at other options, tools like Pinterest are great for a little inspo and checking out ideas you might not have thought of.

    Research Venues

    You can’t book anything until you decide on a venue, and remember in demand locations and dates go fast. Researching venues early on will be helpful for a lot of other planning details and you’ll be able to know how much and what kind of space you have to work with.  

    Download The Knot Wedding Planner App

    The Knot wedding planning app will be your new best friend. Including personalized checklists, budgeting tools, inside scoops on thousands of vendors and tons of wedding inspiration, it’s like having a personal wedding planner in your pocket. The app also helps you create a wedding website, organize your registry and manages your guest list.

    Think About Changing Your Name

    A detail brides always overlook is when and how to change their last name. Don’t get tied up in the stress and paperwork of changing your name at the last minute. At HitchSwitch, we know how crazy planning a wedding can be. So we’ve streamlined the name-change process making it stress and hassle free.