Tag Archives: engagement

The Diamond Myth: How Diamonds Became A Girl’s Best Friend

Romance...
How extraordinarily, delightfully inconvenient. Read More »
Guys On V-Day
We ask the guys on our IM what they think about V-Day. Read More »
V-Day Survival Guide
For all your Valentine's Day needs. Read More »

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, which makes us think of romance, relationships and engagements — and the sparkly glare of a diamond engagement ring. Yes, diamonds are pretty, precious, and these days, cost a zillion dollars. But it wasn’t always so — and you can thank a concerted effort on the part of diamond mines, the advertising industry and Hollywood for mercilessly inflating the price of these glittery gems. Here’s how a stone with little intrinsic value became the most important gem in the world.

Keep reading »

Hitched: What Does It Mean To Be A Wife?

I’ve been putting off making the trip to the county clerk’s office to see about getting Patrick and I common-law married. In order for me to be enrolled on his health insurance, Patrick’s employers need some kind of governmentally sanctioned proof that we’re not just total liars. The process in Texas for proving you’re not a total liar is pretty simple: you tell the government that you’re not a total liar, sign a piece of paper, and they believe you. Suddenly, marriage!

This one little trip that I can’t seem to make is probably one of the most important things I could be doing just about now. And yet here I sit in my lacy black silk pajamas (Fancy Lady Obsessed With “Downton Abbey” So She Bought Some Nice Underthings Alert!), drinking coffee and fending off keyboard-fascinated cats instead of achieving the twofer of making my relationship more legitimate in the eyes of the government and ensuring that I have proper health coverage.

Though to be fair, I also buy extra underwear so that I can go a month without hitting the laundromat, so know that I am a world-class procrastinator of some renown. It’s not that I have apprehensions about becoming a wife. 

Right? Keep reading »

Hitched: My Maid Of Honor Hates Weddings

Inviting Strangers
Why does Andrea have to invite complete strangers to her wedding? Read More »

When Patrick and I got drunk at the lake and decided to get married, we announced it to our friends a couple days later like the classy, plugged-in media power couple we are: via mass text message. Exclamation points. That kind of thing.

The congratulations came flooding in. A couple folks even called. It made me feel like the most important person doing something totally boring and normal in the whole wide world.

But the response I was really worried about getting, and the response that kept me glancing at my phone for validation, was one from my best ladyfriend Susan. I didn’t know what to expect, because I knew Susan hated weddings and wedding-related culture and generally always has a shitty time at weddings. How would she react to me, her best friend, shoving her into the center of a swirling, twirling wedding maelstrom?

“Awwww!” she exclaimed. “Awwww!” Keep reading »

Dear Wendy: “It’s Been Five Years And My Boyfriend Still Won’t Propose!”

The Toothless Groomsman
Advice for a bride who does not want a toothless man in her wedding. Read More »
Dear Wendy...
"My boyfriend thinks his ex is hotter." Read More »
Anti-Online Dating
How can you "make" yourself date online? Read More »

I’m a 27-year-old female, and I’ve been with my 31 year old boyfriend for over five years now. We have made a happy and loving life together, including sharing a home, sharing our finances, being closely involved with each other’s families, and we even have two cats and a puppy together. About a year ago we started talking seriously about getting engaged within the next six months, but by the time fall rolled around, my boyfriend told me that though he loves me and wants nothing more than a future with me, he was just not ready for an engagement yet. He had some issues from his parents’ divorces, and decided to begin counseling to deal with them. Keep reading »

12 Celebs Who Got Engaged Over The Holidays

Hey, what did you get for Christmas? I got pajamas, fancy towels, and a book on gender! I think that’s pretty great, but the 12 couples in this slideshow probably think their gift was better — they all got engaged over the holidays (i.e. the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s). There are so many, I thought we should keep a running list cause clearly a trend is afoot. As a formerly engaged on New Year’s Eve person, I am now anti-holiday engagement. But that’s because my engagement ended and I am reminded of that every New Year’s. But I’m glad it worked out that way, so it’s a nice reminder that I’m not married to that guy, but also, I would rather not be reminded of him at all on a holiday, you know? Well, whatever, good luck to these celeb couples who all got engaged during the holiday season! I really don’t mean to be a downer.

Hiring A Wedding Proposal Planner Is A Ridiculous Waste Of Money

I am told by my romantic friends that many (most?) women dream of strapping on the poofy white dress and walking down the aisle in her perfectly executed fairy-tale wedding to the man of her dreams. Some of these friends have planned out their intricate weddings since childhood, just waiting for Mr. Right to come along and sweep them off their feet.

Dream weddings, I hear from my friends with romance in their eyes, are all the rage.

But dream proposals? That’s a new one for me. Read more…

Hitched: Why Do I Have To Invite Strangers To My Wedding?

I took dance class for years as a kid. I loved being up on stage, dancing my ass off in front of an auditorium full of strangers. As an adult, I performed stand-up comedy. Loved it. Loved making a bunch of people I’d never met laugh.

But performing my latest dance routine in the living room in front of my parents? A circle of hell I didn’t like to think about, even as a kindergardener. Telling my parents about some jokes I’m working on for a stand-up show? A circle of hell that doesn’t actually exist, because it is so bad that the devil is, like, “No, seriously, Andrea, nothing you could ever do would cause you to deserve this.” Keep reading »

Hitched: Wedding Porn Burnout

Wedding Planning Sucks
Andrea started having emotional breakdowns a month into planning. Read More »

Yes, your wedding was adorable. Look at your adorable mason jar center pieces! And your adorable balloons and/or adorable take on adorable flower alternatives! And your adorable color palette! And your adorable adaptation of an adorable song!

Oh look, an adorable reference to an adorable pop culture institution, adorably personalized to suit your adorable relationship with an adorable person. Look how you adorably side-stepped tradition with an adorable and unique adorable thing that looks like all the other unique adorable things I have been looking at non-stop for months on adorable wedding blogs and ugh.

I am so tired of adorable shit. Adorable shit is making me hate my own adorable shit, and if I had to pick some favorite adorable shit, it would be my own. Keep reading »

Girl Talk: My Best New Year’s Eve Ever Is Yet To Come

Mind Of Man
Mind Of Man
John DeVore thinks resolutions are for suckers. Read More »
Resolutions For Men
We have some suggestions... Read More »
Traditions & Superstitions
The craziest superstitions associated with New Year's! Read More »

If a movie was to be based on my love life, it would be called “New Year’s Eve.” (Or it would be called that if there wasn’t already a movie coming out with that very name and, in fact, sponsoring this very post.) But seriously, if I actually had the patience to sit down and write a screenplay based on the longest, most significant romantic relationship of my adult life, it would be a rom-com and if the name was available, it would be called “New Year’s Eve.” Here’s why. Keep reading »

Hitched: Wedding Planning Is The Worst

Engaged Without A Ring
hitched photo
Andrea's engagement didn't involve a giant rock. Read More »

I started having emotional breakdowns about a month into wedding planning. Sweaty palms, heart racing, knees weak, teary eyes, total immobilization. I would find myself staring at a web page filled with tiki torches or green bridesmaid dresses or centerpiece ideas, and I would just stop dead in my wedding tracks.

It became the worst when Patrick would ask me for ideas or advice. Two questions in a row about the wedding and I’d be a shaky, sweaty mess. All of a sudden, my mind was deluged with worst-case scenarios and paralyzing fear of judgment from others. How do you plan a party everyone has already been to before, but also make it the paragon of amazing loveness that super-embodies the perfect lovey-face of your wonderful and unique relationship?

Moreover, will our venue let us put party lights up and what if we don’t have party lights and we trigger Armageddon right then and there?!

Wedding planning is the worst Keep reading »