Photo a Day May: Love

Last month, on April 12th to be exact, my partner of six and a half years proposed to me. I will write out the whole proposal story soon, but for now, I can tell you that it was intimate, simple, and perfect. It was a milestone in our relationship and in our lives that was done in a way that truly exemplifies who both of us are at our core as people. My grandmother has, on several occasions, noted that it is fortunate that we have both found each other because she can’t think of anyone else who would have either of us. I think she’s right.

If you want to join in, check out the May Photo a Day Challenge List.

What to Know About Platinum Before Your Next Precious Jewelry Purchase

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Platinum Guild International USA. All opinions are 100% mine.

When most people think about platinum jewelry, they think of three things: beautiful, elegant, and unaffordable. However, for the first time in recent history, the price of gold per ounce has actually risen higher than that of platinum. This means that when you choose to purchase a piece of precious platinum jewelry, you are receiving something that is of the best possible quality and will therefore last the longest amount of time. The price of platinum, when combined to other precious metals by ounce and value, means that platinum jewelry is now more attainable for more people than ever before.

This news about platinum jewelry should downright delight anyone who …

Wedding Invitations Don’t Have to Be a Nightmare — Personalize Your Own at Hello!Lucky

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hello!Lucky. All opinions are 100% mine.

Every time I think of the stress that accompanies finding the perfect wedding invitations and making sure they show up on time and without error, I think of an episode of Gilmore Girls. Granted, I can very well compare most of life’s events to an episode of Gilmore Girls because I am one of those obnoxious fan types, but bear with me here. In this particular episode, Sookie’s wedding invitations arrive at the inn she works at with Lorelai. When Lorelai brings them into the kitchen, Sookie immediately begins to rip open the box, eager to see them while excitedly telling Lorelai how they are pearly white with a beautiful lavender stripe and how she …

How to Plan Your Honeymoon: Check the Weather First

Can you imagine anything more disheartening than spending the first week of your life as a Mrs. stuck inside of your hotel room because of bad weather? Yes, many brides-to-be get excited about planning their honeymoons and put careful thought into every painstaking detail…except the weather.

This is not to say that you have any control over Mother Nature. But there is a little thing called the Internet that will help you to do some preemptive planning to choose a honeymoon locale that is likely to be beautiful the month that you get married. Don’t forget to do your homework and check out the average weather conditions before traveling on your honeymoon!

A vacation destination’s busy season is normally the time of the year that the area has the best weather. It only makes sense! Some locations like …

One of the Hottest Trends for Wedding Season: Gift Card Registries

If you’re getting married, do you really want to have to go through a store or website selecting every single item that you might want as a gift? Do you, after the ceremony and the honeymoon conclude, really want to deal with the inevitable unwanted or duplicate gifts and the painstaking returns process that comes with them?

If you’re attending a wedding, do you want to even attempt the often-futile process of getting the bride and groom something they both will love? Do you want to keep track of exactly what has been bought for the soon-to-be married couple and plan your purchasing around this information? Do you want to have to find your receipt so the newly married couple can return the gift you so carefully chose?

Each of these questions have the very same answer: …

Financial Advice for Newlyweds

People are waiting longer to get married. According to the Census Bureau, the median age of a first marriage in 2010 was 28 for men and 26 for women. This means people also have time to accumulate more debt by the time they tie the knot.

It is likely at least one partner will enter the marriage with significant debt. The average credit card debt per borrower is $4,679 according to TransUnion. The average debt of student loans and financial aid for graduating seniors ranges from $20,000 to 25,000. These debts can cause significant stress on a couple before they even get to the rehearsal dinner.

The best way to avoid financial stress is to reveal these debts early in the marriage planning. It’s not romantic and may be difficult, but it’s not fair for your …