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Features

When we want to get more thoughtful, this is the spot for our feature articles. Sometimes we talk big-picture philosophies, other times we discuss wedding trends, and every once and a while we just go ape-shit over a wedding WTF?!

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Cads About Matrimony: a game for the snark-loving bachelorette party

Last year, I was put in charge of games for my dear friend Nicky’s bachelorette party. I had no experience planning wedding party games, so I went online to look for ideas, and found plenty of them that were extremely lame. I felt like Nicky deserved better. I was playing a lot of Cards Against Humanity at the time, so I was inspired to create a card game that honors the glorious institution that is matrimony.

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Who the hell cares: important lessons from partners who aren’t as interested in wedding planning

One detail that’s been plaguing me ever since I bought my dress has been figuring out what I’m going to do with the length. So I go back and forth, back and forth, on this decision. The past six weeks or so, I was gung-ho about getting it shortened. Then, one night, I was telling my partner about how I was once again reconsidering. While I listed out the pros and cons of leaving my dress full-length, I could see his eyes begin to glaze over. “Mm-hmm,” he said as I talked, stifling a yawn. Which was when I realized: Who the hell cares?

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Stress rehearsal: Why I’m saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist

I have a problem putting too much emphasis on details, and I have a tendency to be too detail-oriented. Through all this, my fiancé is like, “Why are you making simple things so complicated?” He also said at one point, “Why are you trying to cram in so many things into our wedding pictures, when you can just let things happen naturally?” Then I remembered a previous co-worker’s wedding advice: “The wedding day goes by so fast. Enjoy each moment.” So, remembering that, I said to my photographer, “no more photo must-haves.”

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What’s the opposite of Bridezilla? 4 ways wedding planning made me a better person

I did not expect to learn so much about self-confidence when I started this whole wedding thing. (Even though I needed SOME self-confidence to even make the proposal in the first place.) While other people have written about how wedding planning helped them learn to say “no” to people who kept making demands. Me? I’ve learned to say “yes” to myself.

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Anticipating and accepting Judgy McJudgersons, or: why I should stop reading websites that are bad for my mental health

I feel happy in the Tribe and reading Offbeat Bride, because we’re all on our best behavior. We’re supportive, even when someone does something we wouldn’t do. But sometimes, I go and do the Bad Thing where I read Other Websites that Make Me Feel Bad. Why do I do this? Why can’t I stop? I think I do it because it feeds the Insecurity Monster inside of me.

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Throw this feminist, easy-gifting, bridal shower book party!

Offbeat Bride Julie offered an awesome suggestion for a bridal shower that both literary nerds and those who don’t want a typical wedding shower will dig: take that traditional shower and turn it into a book party!