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Tag: groom

  • 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. 

  • Homemade Valentine’s Day Gifts

    Homemade Valentine’s Day Gifts

    Homemade Valentine’s Day Gifts

    In our last article, we talked about throwing an incredible Valentine’s Day party, and I’m sure if you read that article, then your Valentine’s day party was the talk of the town. Now, while your local Target is probably overfilled with human-sized teddy bears at the moment, there’s always something about homemade gifts that hold more sentimental meaning to what love truly is. To save you time and trouble, we have picked a few simple ideas that will have your partner smiling from ear to ear.

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    Valentine’s Day Mason Jar

    “I am obsessed with Mason jars!” says the stay at home mom who spends hours scrolling through Pinterest every day. Let me tell you why Mason jars are the absolute best.

    •     You can use them to plant herbs
    •     Great for smoothies and juices
    •     Toothbrush/pencil/twine/buttons holder
    •     Prep salad in them and take them to go
    •     Overnight oats or puddings

    The list is endless! For Valentine’s Day, here’s how you can benefit from a mason jar: 

    • Fill it to the brink with candy hearts, and you can use either a boutique of fake or real flowers. Your call.
    • Handpick your loved one’s favorite chocolates and cut out paper hearts with sweet messages on them. You can choose to paint the jar pink or wrap it with a red glitter ribbon.
    • Valentine’s Day goodies! This includes heart-shaped cookies, pink/red macaroons, sugar cookie hearts, Hershey’s Kisses, conversation heart cookies.
    • Fill the jar of notes on why you love this person. Design the outside of the box with glitter, hearts, and both your initials. Anytime your loved one feels down; they can open a note and remember how much they’re loved.

     

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    Heart-Shaped Bath Bombs

    Even though bath bombs have been a thing since the 1990s, they only gained popularity in early 2018. After they blew up, I felt like they dominated the cosmetics industry. People were making bath bombs left and right. There was so many shapes, colors, and scents to pick from that you would have thought at this point, I would have tried one.

    Creating your own bath bombs at home is an incredibly simple task. You can find the steps here and get creative! You can make them heart-shaped, cupcake shaped, and even in the shape of lips. You can literally find the mold for anything on Amazon. You can present them in a mason jar (obvi) or any acceptable container you have on hand!

    If you’re planning on creating this gift for your partner, always remember bathtubs are fit for two (wink, wink).

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    Scavenger Hunt

    I know what you’re thinking. Who has the frikin’ time to create a scavenger hunt?

    The answer is me, always me. I’m adding this to the list because it was my gift to my husband last year and he thoroughly loved it! If your loved one is a fan of riddles and finding things, this one’s for you, too! Every puzzle and hint was kept within the house, so it didn’t take long. I kept them short, simple, and sexy.

    The last clue-which was really more of an answer-led him to a hotel where I had rented a room for the night. Rose petals everywhere, lavender scented candles, a steak dinner, a bottle of bubbly, a sexy film (Secretary), and err, that’s it.

    Now I’m just waiting for someone to hand me the “Best Wife” award. Should be any minute now.

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    Homemade Cake with Message

    Do you love to bake? Does your house always smell like the holidays because of the cinnamon buns you’ve been baking? Do your neighbors continuously ask you for your recipes because your pecan chocolate chip cookies are the best damn thing they’ve ever tasted?

    Then I want YOU to bake a cake with a loving message this Valentine’s Day. You know the phrase “The quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”? Yeah, well, I’m here to tell you that the quickest way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach because food is fantastic and clearly essential to our survival. I just never understood how they made something as simple as food about men.

    Moving on. If you’ve got a message for your loved one, then grab that frosting and get to writing. Then enjoy with a glass of red wine while cuddled under a blanket watching Pretty Woman.

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    You + Me on a Tree

    Click here for a visual. When I first stumbled upon Jamie’s DIY, I immediately thought “What the-,” because never in a million years would I have thought to use leftover firewood to make a memorable gift.

    Did I believe it would be difficult? Most definitely. Was it? Nope. But it does require you to be patient and careful since you will be using a utility knife and woodburning tool.

    The result is rustic, romantic, memorable, and a great addition to any room.

    See? There are just a few ideas to get those wheels in your head turning. All simple, all significant, all made with love and appreciation. Regardless of what you choose to make, always remember that at the end of the day, the perfect gift is you being there for your loved ones.

  • Gentleman’s Guide To Grooming

    Gentleman’s Guide To Grooming

    So you’ve finally decided to step up your game and get married, huh? Well, my friend, congratulations on making the love of your life, your partner for life. Unlike the bride, you probably have everything planned to perfection. The suit, the speech, the vows, the best man, the drive to the airport, the honeymoon…

    Hey, you’ve got no reason to stress! It’s your wedding day yaaaay! This is the best day of your life! After tonight, you’re going to be a husband to your beautiful partner, and you’re both probably going to be passed out drunk so honestly, don’t overthink anything.  

    I know when it comes to preparing, you’ve got everything figured out but…have you looked in a mirror lately? All that thinking and planning has got you looking like…well, not so great. It’s not like your buddies are rushing to take you out to the spa to get mani/pedis together.

    But you know what? You’re the groom, so you better believe a spa day is what you deserve before the big day.

    Don’t worry, man; I’m here to help. Read on to save a groom.

    Skin

    Did you know that the skin is the largest organ in the human body? Skincare takes up a massive chunk of the beauty industry, rounding up a whopping $121 billion annually. It’s a shame we rarely see advertisements that encourage males to participate in skin care.

    But let me tell you why you should:
    -Men have larger pores than women.
    -Men tend to sweat more, which leads to dirtier and oiler skin.
    -Testosterone stimulation causes men’s surface to be 20-25% thicker than a woman’s.

    Women don’t have to be the only ones with radiant skin. Even though women are the audience the media targets, here’s what you can do to achieve that same glow and watch your skin transform.

    -Shave

    Shaving is one of the best things you can do for the skin as it helps in the removal of dead skin and oil buildup. Most men are uneducated about what razors to buy and what skincare routine would work best for them.

    When picking out shaving cream, you want the best for your skin. Harry’s shave cream is one of many that offers a uniques formula to help hydrate and soften your beard before shaving. It contains essential oils that will have you feeling refreshed plus aloe vera for a soothing effect.

    Best part? It’s paraben and sulfate free.

    -Moisturize

    Moisturizing is key to healthy and happy skin. There’s always a time and place for everything, right? Make sure to use a face wash that is free of harsh chemical and not only exfoliates but smooths your skin and leaves it GLOWING.

    The best time to apply moisturizer is after a shower.

    Pat your skin dry and apply! Your pores will still be open from the steam of your shower so the moisturizer will penetrate the skin’s surface with ease.

    When it comes to picking from the millions of moisturizers out there, the first thing you need to know is what skin type are you? Are you normal, dry, oily, or sensitive? Once you have all that figured out, pick a moisturizer that does not contain harsh ingredients as it will do significant damage to your skin!

    The following moisturizers are some of the best and will keep your skin healthy and hydrated! Don’t worry, they’re all affordable and won’t break the bank.

    – Harry’s Face Lotion- $8 (Best for dry skin)
    – NIVEA Creme- $5
    – Lotus Herbals ALPHAMOIST- $11.99 (Best for oily skin)

    P.S: If it contains SPF 15 or higher, invest in it as it will also protect from sun damage!

    Body

    The greatest thing about the human body is that it tells us when something is wrong. Call it a gut feeling, but we always know what our body needs. When your stomach started growling, you understand that you need food. When you sleep past your alarm, you understand you need sleep. When you’re out of breath going up a flight of stairs, you know you need a more active lifestyle.

    -Fitness

    When it comes to staying fit, there is endless information. It’s impossible to know what’s “in” and what crazy diet fad people are following these days. We all know that any adrenaline pumped exercise promotes the release of endorphins in our body, resulting in a positive mood. Contrary to belief, you do not need a gym membership to get fit. You can find at home workout videos on YouTube. There are endless workout videos that will help you get in shape from the comfort of your living room.

    If gyms are your thing, you can always partner up with a close friend. Pick the sporty one because they won’t lack motivation when it comes to getting in shape. Remember that physical activity is a great stress reliever. So whether it’s getting in shape or merely wanting to relieve some stress, a run around the block will help you clear your mind and get back on track.

    -Massage

    There are 12 known types of massages. You can try a new one every day so you’ll be 100% stress-free on the day of your wedding!

    On a serious note, though.

    Massages are GREAT at helping you ease up! Massages focus on releasing pain and tension from your muscles so your body can relax. The most common is the Swedish massage. This particular massage is a full body and is the best choice if you’re feeling any kind of muscle pain in your upper area. The massage therapist will likely dim the room and create a calming atmosphere so you can relax as they use a combination of techniques to release muscle knots.

    Another excellent massage choice would be an aromatherapy massage as it helps to elevate your mood and reduces any stress or anxiety you might have before any big event.

    -Brows & Nails

    Ok, big guy, I know what you’re thinking, but I swear this is completely normal.

    The amount of men cleaning their brows and doing their nails is rapidly increasing because men are finally starting to realize the importance of self-care (finally!)! If you’re too embarrassed to head to a salon and trust a professional, there are other options. There are salons whose workers are willing to come straight to your door to help you prepare and look your best! You just have to call around and ask.

    When you start to realize that you’re probably going to show up in every photo at your wedding, you want to do everything in your power to look your best, not just for yourself, but for your partner.

    -Teeth

    What’s the one word you’re going to hear over a hundred times from every living being holding up a camera or phone?

    Smile.

    They’ve probably been waiting for this day longer than you have so you got to give the people what they want. It’s only fair.

    When it comes to teeth whitening, there aren’t many quick options. You either head to your dentist’s a day before the wedding, or you consider using whitening strips. Because they contain peroxide, they work well to whiten teeth at an affordable price. Below are some options and don’t forget the wise words of Connie Stevens: “Nothing you wear is more important than your smile.”

    –Crest 3D White Teeth Whitening Strips- $44.99
    –AuraGlow Teeth Whitening Kit- $59.99

    Hair

    Did you know that the average person has over 120,000 strands of hair on their head? When you see it from that perspective, you become more cautious with what products you condition your hair with.

    -Style & Cut

    How to cut and style depends entirely on you. Maybe you want to grow out your hair. Perhaps you want to go bald. The best advice I can give you is to test it out. Let your hair grow out a few months before your wedding and head to the salon and see what works for you. Find a professional whom you can trust with your hair so they won’t disappoint you on the big day. Let them know precisely what you want and specify that it’s for the most important day of your life!

    -Products

    Just like skin, everyone’s hair is different. I won’t go through the list of hairs and what works for each one, but I can tell you that finding a product that works uniquely for your hair will be a relief. You won’t want something to make your hair too oily, frizzy, or dry. Spend the weeks before your wedding searching for a product that works for you. You want your hair in one place and not single strands flying all over the place. Got to be picture perfect!

    Congratulations and good luck!