Life

Planning a wedding can bring about conflicting emotions. On the one hand, your romantic side finds warmth in the idea of being surrounded by the people you love, on a truly beautiful day that appeals to all your stylistic sensibilities. But your practical side remains firmly rooted in the grit, reminding you that it’s just one night of your life and not worth taking out a loan the size of a luxury vehicle. But you can have both. And these ten couples will prove it to you.

Let’s pour one out right now for all the personalized matchbooks and mesh-wrapped Jordan almonds of the world. They get left behind on wedding reception tables and probably tossed in the trash at the end of the night. Not what you had in mind for your gift to your guests, huh? Here are nine better ideas for wedding favors that your guests will love to take with them. The most important thing when choosing wedding favors is this: Know your guests!

It’s the third challenge, and we’re down two Personalities-with-capital-Ps—is one of these six remaining contestants going to step it up and provide crazy faces and/or biting commentary? Let’s find out. What’s behind the curtain?? Is it Ellen? Nope, just dishes. This week, the designers draw their inspiration from a literal wall of china. Not the Wall of China—but actual place settings. Their task? Design a dining table to complement their place setting.

I don’t think you choose to have a restaurant wedding as much as a restaurant wedding chooses you. You have to be a laid-back couple who are after a relaxed affair. The type of wedding planners where “great food” is the most important item on the list of what you want for your big day, and second is “not really having to decorate.” If that sounds like you, there are some big pros to hosting your wedding reception at one of your city’s finest eateries.

It seemed like only recently, the limited options in the wedding dress world were all fitted, strapless balls of white chiffon. Thankfully, designers have caught up to what real brides want: Dresses that look and feel more like the things they wear every day. (Your favorite stores might even have started bridal collections.) These three different bridal trends are rooted in reality. And as for how to pull them off, here’s the secret: There is no secret.

There’s no match for the ingenuity of a creative bride with a tiny budget. That’s when you get brilliant solutions, like the ten included in this post that use common IKEA marketplace finds to create beautiful DIY wedding details. These tiny plastic frames are a bargain and can be used all over the wedding to share messages (like in the shot at top from IKEA via My Little Secrets, or above without a paper insert in a wedding from Ruffled) or, you know, photos.

If the stress of wedding planning is enough to make your head explode, you and your beloved might just be the ideal candidates for a short, sweet and itty-bitty city hall wedding. There’s a long list of “pros”: Courthouse weddings are affordable, they come together quickly, and they can still be just as drop dead gorgeous as the bigger bashes. They’re more personal, too.

The bedroom is a sacred space for a relationship, but it’s about more than just a good mattress, tranquil wall color and comfortable sheets. You need also to keep consistent bedtime habits with your partner–the kind that almost dare you not to go to bed in total bliss. Here are four bedtime rules & rituals that happy couples swear by: Going to bed together is a sacred time, and a great opportunity for couples to connect and download their days.

Hello Alice, The problem is, my husband and I still want to spend time with my family but these occasions always focus around my mother’s cooking. My parents don’t believe in going out to eat, and we’re not sure if we can politely bring a dish or two and have my husband eat only that. It seems rude. Any good advice on how I can approach my mom about this again, or ways around this?

When some bride out there in the wedding world puts together a small army of crazy talented vendors to create a picnic wedding or a BBQ wedding, there are bound to be some stellar ideas that come out of it. And you can absolutely steal–er, borrow–some of those ideas to really impress at your next get-together. Above from photographer Michaela Rae: What’s cooler than a cooler for serving drinks? A DIY beer bar made from wood and painted cinderblocks.

The third episode of Girls saw one of the major characters, Shoshanna, relocating to Japan for a new job. This led to some interesting new storylines, and, of course, lots of interesting fashion and design. From the opening scenes with the taking alarm clock and that incredible, playfully designed apartment building, it’s not hard to see why Shoshanna loves Japan. We’ve tracked down some of the best pieces from the episode so you can experience it too.

Let’s face it–some weddings can be, well, boring (especially if you’re not the dancing type). You’re probably happy to be there, just to support the couple as they commit their lives to each other forever. But sometime between the rubbery chicken dinner and the encore performance of the Cha Cha Slide, you’re bound to be sitting there thinking to yourself, “This wedding would be so much better if there was a bounce house.” And you know what?

Bride & Groom: Ashley & Ca’Ron Wedding Date: June 12, 2014 Venue: Maison La Vigne Bed & Breakfast in Hapeville, Georgia Number of guests: 6 “Don’t be afraid to go small.” That’s bride Ashley’s best piece of advice for future couples looking to tie the knot with a sweet and simple ceremony.

Funerals, of course, are not a happy occasion, but they serve an important purpose: they give the bereaved a chance to celebrate the dead person’s life, to mourn together, and hopefully, to begin the healing process. When a pet dies things are a bit murkier. For a human death there’s an accepted script to follow: for a dog or cat, no so much. But anyone looking for a fitting way to mourn Fido or Fluffy might be heartened to hear that cat (and dog!

Often our favorite television series and films showcase dreamy apartments that are quite unrealistic for the characters who inhabit them. You know, the ones where your quintessential broke 20-something somehow affords to live in the lap of luxury despite being in financial ruin? That said, here are five TV and movie characters with practical, realistic apartments that look like mine and yours. Finally, a break from all the apartment envy.

If you think getting eight hours is going to solve all your sleep problems, I have some bad news for you. Getting enough sleep is one half of the battle. The other half is getting good sleep. It’s time to refresh your bedtime and wake-up routine and banish these bad bed habits for good. I’ve had tremendous success controlling my sleep with this tidbit: A person’s sleep cycle is, on average, 90 minutes.

When investing in a healthy home, one of the most important purchases you can make is a water filter.

Dear Alice, My boyfriend and I have been living in a small, lovely apartment for a year or so now. A few months ago new neighbors moved in below us and we can hear them talking- not every word, but the murmurs of their conversations. We can sometimes hear walking or cabinets, but what really gets to me is the talking. We have an area rug in our hard wood floor living room, but our bedroom, where we can also hear them sometimes, is carpeted so I am not sure if that is much of a factor.

Here’s a tiny (and very smart) dwelling that proves that little houses can be just as stylish as big ones. Called the ‘Artisan Retreat’, this little trailer is just bursting with beautiful details and clever solutions. And if you’re hunting for a home, it can be yours — for only $70k. The house, a creation of Matt at Handcrafted Movement, measures 250 square feet, including the loft.

Theresa Delaney is from the East Coast, but she’s fallen completely in love with Tucson, where she shares a cute apartment with her Tucson-native boyfriend James (and two rowdy pups). She writes: “We love being a quick ten-minute drive from downtown or the University of Arizona, and minutes from our favorite spots in the foothills. The large yard, quiet neighborhood and desert scenery don’t hurt, either!” Today, she shares some of her favorite spots in Tucson.

It’s never been easier to connect with people than it is right now. Social networks reach across the globe in seconds, and there’s a video phone in every person’s pocket, as if we’re all living in an episode of Star Trek. But for all the things that modern technology has done to make it easier to make and stay friends, there are just as many pitfalls to friendship in the digital era. How many friends do you have? A few hundred? A few thousand?

With the election a few weeks away, you might need a quick reminder that politics can be a backdrop for some really great humor. Here are nine (well, technically ten) films that will offer you an escape—and your best chance at fighting election fatigue. The quintessential summer blockbuster (let’s agree to forget about the sequel), this action film will remind you that however much this election season is stressing you out, at least there aren’t aliens. And President Thomas J.

When you’ve been hustling a million miles an hour all day long, the idea of collapsing on the couch and unwinding is like the Holy Grail. Decompressing from the daily grind is easier said than done, though—in order to unwind, your brain might need a nudge. Here are a few simple strategies to boost your mood and help put a stressful day behind you. Literally.

Nobody wants to show up empty handed when they’re invited to celebrate a birthday, but if you don’t know the person all too well, buying a gift can be sort of a minefield. What not to give: Tired gifts like decorative soap, picture frames or candles. Instead, put one of these five presents on your list. Each one is common enough to be a crowd-pleaser, but can be easily dressed up with a pretty or personal touch.

Get more sleep. Yes. Eat better. Of course. Get regular exercise. Well, duh. We already know all the things we need to do to be healthier (whether we do them or not). The question mark is more the issue of how, and finding ways to reinvent ways to stay motivated can often be the biggest challenge. So, I’ve gathered together five “how”s that have made things easier for me to stay on track with my wellness lately. This probably sounds odd.

In imagining the ideal wedding venue, the corporate headquarters of a Silicon Valley company wouldn’t exactly be at the top of most couples’ lists, but for Ben and Noa it couldn’t have been more perfect. Married a little over a month ago in Airbnb’s light-filled atrium on July 6th, the couple first met in 2014 when Ben made several attempts to book Noa’s space in Tel Aviv on the vacation rental marketplace.

We all have favorite scents and memories tied to different smells. Cinnamon might remind you of your grandmother’s family-famous apple pie, while the scent of fresh-cut grass takes you back to good times at summer camp. Just as those scents can evoke powerful thoughts and memories, aromatherapy with essential oils is thought to be able to impact your body and mind — energizing you, calming you, and altering your mood.

Self-care means something different to everyone, but one thing most of us can relate to is the idea of coming home from a long day and turning on the TV. We watch shows that make us laugh, shows that make us cry, shows that scare us, shows that fire us up so much we can’t fall asleep, and shows that say all the things we’re too afraid to say ourselves.

Passive aggressive refrigerator notes. Arguments about how to split the utility bill. Dust bunnies that Just. Keep. Growing. These are just a few everyday scenarios that illustrate the ways in which living with roommates can be challenging (to say the least), whether those sharing the space are best friends or total strangers. Thankfully, tech can help.

Could the right supplements help keep your skin safe all summer long? While it’s absolutely essential to use a quality sunscreen to prevent burns, these seven foods and supplements just may bolster your efforts and increase your skin’s tolerance to those red-inducing rays. Sign me—and my skin’s borderline superhero ability to burn in ten minutes—up. Wait, isn’t this the whole reason you’re out in the sun in the first place?

Unless you’ve been living under the floorboards with Lane Kim’s CD collection, you’re probably aware that the Gilmore Girls is coming back in November (!!!). In an attempt to prepare you for your dress-code-enforced viewing party, we’ve dissected each character’s iconic wardrobe so you can be the best fast-talking, tack-sharp Stars Hollowian you can be.

We all know that foods like chocolate, pizza and ice cream are borderline magical, but they do have calories — a big bunch of them. On the other end of the calorie spectrum are the good-for-us foods that yes, taste good, but aren’t chocolate, pizza and ice cream. These foods do have a couple of things going for them, though—they’re typically high in nutrients and low in calories.

We aren’t sure why Prince Charming was in such a rush to wake Sleeping Beauty from her slumber—a few extra hours of shut-eye never hurt. They call it beauty sleep for a reason. A good night’s sleep can result in brighter skin, fewer wrinkles, less puffy eyes and healthier hair. But since most of us can’t take a quick hundred year nap like Sleeping Beauty, we have to make the most out of the time we’ve got.

Ever have those nights when you can’t fall asleep because your mind is racing? Can you remember the last time you woke up with a great idea, only to forget it before you had your morning coffee? One tiny change can help you free up your mind and keep track of all your important thoughts—just keep a notebook on your nightstand.

Texting may seem impersonal at times, but for many of us it’s the easiest way to stay in touch with the people we care about most of the time. And if you’re part of a tight-knit group of friends, being a part of a group text from time to time is pretty much inevitable. Those group texts don’t have to be for specific events (like planning a party for someone) — actually, being in a long-term, no-reason group chat with your friends can have some awesome benefits.

Sitting down to create a budget is rarely at the top of my weekend agenda. But that doesn’t make it any less important. No matter your financial situation, you are ultimately the expert in managing the day-to-day (and year-to-year) of your own money matters. And if creating a budget is part of your plan, there are some questions for a little budgeting introspection that just may help you sort through those spreadsheets with a little more ease.

This week, the Wall Street Journal wrote a great piece about classic books we haven’t read, and how to get over the guilt. In it, there’s a poll asking people if they’ve read Pride & Prejudice and, as of this writing, 53% of respondents had not. As someone who’s devoured it and multiple iterations of it at least a dozen times, I audibly gasped.

Strong fashion trends are hard to recognize when you’re in the midst of them. However, give them a decade or two, and what once was funky fresh is now just…funky. Fortunately for mom jeans, what’s old is new, and everything comes back around. We’ve chronicled the typical outfit decade by decade from the 1950s to the early 2000s, so you can spot the least attractive style to model your 2017 wardrobe after. A simpler time, indeed.

I’m starting to think it’s a very sneaky secret that an engagement ring doesn’t have to destroy your wallet to be the perfect companion to a marriage proposal. Because it’s true: you really don’t have to take a hammer to the piggy bank (or your paycheck for the next three years) to find a stunner worthy of “I do.” And to prove it, here’s your very own budget-friendly engagement ring guide. Looking for classic vibes? Vintage options?

Maybe I’m being a curmudgeon here, but the current cultural pressure to be happy and mindful and Mindfully Happy all. the time. —it’s too much. It seems like feeling any other way is culturally unacceptable, something to feel guilty about. Yet we’re emotional beings and life can be tough. Feeling sad, crabby, or even (gasp) angry is OK sometimes! No, it’s more than OK, it’s necessary. Right?

If you’re thinking of upgrading your media station, your instinct might tell you to spend your money on a nice new flat screen TV. But if you’re shopping on a budget, or want a more creative solution for your movie-night needs, consider foregoing a television altogether to get a projector instead. Projectors come with a host of surprising benefits, and though you might assume a projector would feel a bit too outdated for your entertainment needs, don’t worry.

The words “bullet journaling” usually elicit one of three reactions from people: One: “What’s that?,” Two: “How does anyone have time for that?,” or Three: whatever the dialogue version of the heart-eyes emoji is. A bullet journal, if you’re unfamiliar, is an organizational system that combines your diary, sketchbook, to-do list and more all into one.

It seems like every year, droves of new holiday albums come out—so many that it’s hard to keep track of them all. Sometimes the best Christmas songs are right under our noses, we just have no idea because there’s too much to choose from.

Maybe it’s not that you hate all holiday music; it’s just that you’re sick of hearing the same peppy-on-the-verge-of-cheesy songs with the same message year after year. You’re tired of hearing “Jingle Bell Rock” at every single Christmas party (and really, everywhere you turn) and getting “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” stuck in your head for weeks on end.

Lest we begin this adventure with any misunderstanding about my relationship with early mornings and my alarm clock, allow me to offer this summary: I am the Queen of Snooze Buttons. My husband, parents and college roommates can all attest to this fact. But snoozing my way through the morning isn’t exactly the most productive or, frankly, healthy way to begin the day.

With all the added expenses that come with the holiday season and the time to set your 2017 goals just around the corner, now is the perfect time to get serious about your finances. Here are five money books that are chock-full of wisdom that will help you take your finances to the next level. Whether you want to mend your relationship with money, develop a wealth mindset, or start investing some of your hard-earned cash, there’s a book here for you.

Laurel Kinney’s personal styling business is much more than just the superficial. With a background in social work, she believes “fashion should support you, be an enjoyable creative outlet that makes you feel confident, and the process of shopping for a wardrobe you love shouldn’t be a rule-filled pain, but a fun and easy endeavor with positive results.

St. Florian Monastery in Austria (Image credit: flickr user Renate Dodell) cc by-nd 2.0Hearst Castle in San Simeon, CA (Image credit: Joseph Sohm) shutterstockFonthill Castle in Doylestown, PA (Image credit: flickr user neverbutterfly) cc by 2.0George Peabody Library in Baltimore, MD (Image credit: Andrea Izzotti) shutterstock If you missed Disney’s live action remake of Beauty and the Beast, the dark academia deserves a look.

Rushing, stress and long to-do lists can make the holiday season turn hectic in a snap. From buying gifts, and planning parties to staying on budget and keeping a social life, it’s easy get burned out when you’re trying to do it all. When it feels like you’re working overtime around the clock, do you find yourself feeling stuck? We’re rounded up a few tips you should definitely try during the festive season when you just can’t even.

Laurel Kinney is a personal stylist, and we toured her beautiful Austin home a few years ago. She has five questions you should ask yourself before the year is up so you don’t end up filling your 2018 closet full of clothes you’ll never wear. Laurel writes: Have you ever peered into your closet and had the frustrating feeling that none of your clothes feel right anymore?

It is a truth universally acknowledged that “When Harry Met Sally” is the best romantic comedy of all time. I’ve seen it more times than I can count, but upon my most recent viewing, after a long hiatus that included a move to New York, I had plenty of new thoughts about the movie — things I’d never picked up on or noticed before. So I decided to share some of them with you. 1. They drove all the way from Chicago to New York in one go? Without stopping?

Chris Phillips is one of six people tracking their resolutions with Apartment Therapy in real time. People don’t even agree on how this thing is spelled—Drynuary, Dryuary—so I’m not going into it thinking everyone will agree with my choice. Some experts say Dryuary, as we’ll be spelling it here, encourages binge drinking. Others say it’s one of the best ways to kick off a healthy new year. I’m sure the truth is somewhere in between.

Kenya Foy is one of six people tracking their resolutions with Apartment Therapy in real time. A few years ago, a particularly rough emotional patch forced me to face the fact that I become utterly depressed during the fall and winter seasons, a condition otherwise known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.

If the calendar had subtitles, January’s would be “The month of reinvention.” New Year’s Resolutions are top of mind for everyone, and the ripples are showing everywhere—from our Facebook feeds to the newly crowded gyms. The new year promises a chance to start fresh with whatever you’ve been struggling with. Because that’s the thing, isn’t it? We all have areas where we’d like to improve.

The end of the first two weeks of the new year is a tipping point for resolutions: By now, either you’ve already quit on your goals, or you’re solidly living them. I’m happy to say that our Real-Life Resolutions writers—each one taking on a four-week challenge in the name of wellness—are all holding steady.

If you had asked me how I felt about crop tops two years ago, I probably would’ve said something like, “They’re super cute, but I could never pull them off.” (A few months later I’d be eating my words, but we’ll get to that later.

Candace Bryan is one of six people tracking their resolutions with Apartment Therapy in real time. You can read her first installment here. Quitting coffee cold turkey after a decade of high-quantity consumption was a bold, perhaps foolish, decision on my part. The commenters on the first post about my challenge all agreed: the withdrawal would be horrible and I’d be better off easing off caffeine slowly. But I’m an all-or-nothing kind of girl.

Chris Phillips is one of six people tracking their resolutions with Apartment Therapy in real time. You can read his first installment here. Let’s play a word game: If I say “gay” and ask you what word comes next, you’d probably say “bar” right? And if I said “British”—my husband is British—you might think “pub.

Anne Momber is one of six people tracking their resolutions with Apartment Therapy in real time. You can read her first installment here. When I set out to complete my resolution of giving up sugar for the month of January, part of me thought it was going to be easy. Cutting out sugar? No problem. I’d done it once before and I could do it again.

Candace Bryan is one of six people tracking their resolutions with Apartment Therapy in real time. You can read her earlier installments here and here. Three weeks into my month-long no-coffee challenge, something unimaginably horrific happened: I drank a latte. OK, so it wasn’t the end of the world. But it did mark the end of my total caffeine abstinence. Since then, I have begun to regularly drink coffee again. Oops! However, I don’t see my challenge as a failure.

I’ve been thinking about getting a projector. The thought of curling up on my couch and recreating the movie theater experience in my own home is very appealing. But I don’t know where to start. I don’t know what to buy. And I sure as heck don’t know how to get the most bang for my buck. Thankfully, three real people in real homes were more than happy to share why they’re #teamprojector for life—and it just might inspire you to make the switch.

Hello and welcome to the new year. Let’s talk fitness. Particularly, fitness and resolutions. This year I hit the ground running (lol. But also no, that’s too high impact) by trying out four different types of fitness classes. I wanted to actually find something new that I could maybe stick with for the whole of 2017 and there’s nothing like a New Year’s resolution to push you past the “first class jitters”.

Have you ever browsed the Instagram Explore page to find cool accounts to follow, only to fall totally head over heels for one? Some Instagrammers—be they bloggers or brands—are just so good you can’t help but double tap on every single beautiful, creative photo they post. Here are 14 Instagram accounts the Apartment Therapy editors are totally crushing on this Valentine’s Day. (Seriously, these are the ultimate in aesthetic goals, and you should go follow them all.

At the end of a long, stressful day, what do you most look forward to? Everyone has a different way of unwinding—for some people it’s plopping down on the couch to watch their favorite show on Netflix, for others, it’s going to the gym or taking a long hot shower. There’s pretty much no limit to how you can relax and de-stress.

Given the events of the past couple of months, and today in particular, I was really happy to hear new music from Ani DiFranco this week. The DIY folk hero and acoustic activist released a video for “Deferred Gratification,” a song off her upcoming album “Binary,” due out in March. When you consider the tenor of political discourse lately, and DiFranco’s legendary feisty streak, it’s a surprisingly gentle song.

In case you missed it, NBC’s The Good Place wrapped up its first season last week with a pretty unexpected finale. If you’ve been sleeping on this new comedy, now’s the time to catch up—even if it’s just to check out the set design. Come for the aesthetics, stay for the surprisingly solid philosophy jokes! The Good Place is about Eleanor (Kristen Bell), a bad person who’s mistakenly sent to a section of the afterlife intended only for humanity’s best.

Mary Tyler Moore just passed away at the age of 80. While she accomplished much in her decades-long career, many will remember her best as Mary Richards, the single, never-married career woman that was the center of Moore’s eponymous show. We’ll also never forget that sweet, sweet apartment.

When you announced your engagement, odds are that you were flooded with questions about the planning process faster than you could get through the congratulatory comments on your ring selfie. Have you decided on a date? What about your venue? What colors are you thinking? Checking off the big ticket to-dos is a feat in itself, but when you factor how many traditional “wedding rules” there are to honor, it can get overwhelming—and quick.

Navigating the world of registry etiquette is tough work. To put together The Registry Rule Book, we asked some industry experts to weigh in and answer some of the hardest questions engaged couples might have. The reason wedding registries can be such tricky territory is that the whole process is a delicate dance.

So you want to fit more fitness time into your day, but you also value your TV time and don’t want to miss out on your favorite shows. Rather than sacrifice your relationship with Netflix, why not incorporate some exercise into your watch schedule? Try swapping out the couch (and by swapping out, we mean more like sliding the coffee table out of the way to make room) and watching from your yoga mat instead.

If you’re anything like me, you probably continually promise yourself that tonight’s the night you’re finally going to start going to bed earlier, and then midnight rolls around and you’re still wide awake, intently reading some article you saw on Twitter (or watching “okay, just one more!” episode of your new favorite Netflix show and suddenly it’s 2 AM).

I’m the first to get ridiculously excited about a good reading list, but Black History Month is something special—not to mention a time to honor the history of black Americans and further your education about past and present issues. From biographies to historical fiction to memoirs (and even a classic children’s book), here’s a starting point for what you should be reading during Black History Month and beyond.