After the ring, prewedding events, and the big day itself, you might feel like there's not much left over in your budget for a romantic honeymoon. Don't despair; the trick is finding the right destinations and knowing the right times to go. To help you plan your much-deserved trip after your wedding, I turned to travel experts who gave the scoop on the best honeymoon destinations that won't break the bank.
Valentine's Day is here, and it doesn't matter if you have your own squeeze or not, because TV has plenty of lovable leading men to go around. Everyone has their small screen crushes, and we have a particular affinity for a few too, whether it's because the character is so sweet, charming, funny, or all of the above. Check out our list to see which TV guys we'd love to spend V-Day with, and why.
— Additional reporting by Shannon Vestal
Did you wait until the very last second to get something for your valentine? Elizabeth Giorgi at Being Geek Chic has a solution. Borrow your love's computer, download the Lovey Dovey Doctor Who desktop, change the desktop background, and . . . go on a wibbly wobbly adventure!
If you want to go above and beyond for your double-hearted time lord, then check out these free Doctor Who-themed love coupons from BBC America.
When browsing the supermarket aisle for greeting cards, you might notice a new category — Valentine's Day cards "from the cat" and "from the dog." We all think the world of our furry friends, but purchasing a greeting card for their owners and writing a sweet message inside might just be a bit beyond their abilities. Still, you can always purchase it for a fellow pet-lover for a creative spin on the regular V-Day card.
What do you think: is this novelty card just plain silly, or do you think it's a good idea?
From blue balls to babies, Chelsea Lately writer and comedienne Heather McDonald followed up her book You'll Never Blue Ball in This Town Again — about losing her virginity at 27 — with My Inappropriate Life, which came out last week. Her latest memoir is a hilarious look at her "grown-up" life with a husband and three kids, which includes a lot of Real Housewives references, Chardonnay, and stories about balancing family life with her career. We recently chatted with Heather about Valentine's Day, and she gave some helpful advice on the holiday along with sharing a V-Day horror story. She also answered some burning reader questions from our Group Therapy community group. Get her dating words of wisdom now!
POPSUGAR: Do you have any Valentine's Day advice for single women who hate the holiday?
Heather McDonald: It is on a Thursday night, which is nice, this year. If you have a couple single girlfriends, I do think it can be fun. It's just either get together or stay in. Some people go out, a bar or something, but I wouldn't want to do that. I think that would depress me. But getting together with some girlfriends and just having a dinner somewhere at home is cool. But, I mean, I had a horrible Valentine's experience when I was single.
PS: Oh, what happened?
Heather: I liked this guy, and he asked me out. And he said, "How about next Saturday?" which was Valentine's Day, so I was like, "That's great!" In the meantime, this other doctor that I went on a date with was, like, "Would you like to go on this dinner at this other doctor's house for Valentine's Day with me?" And I was, like, "I can't — I already made plans." You know, with this other guy. So then, the first guy calls me that Saturday and says, "What do you want to do? Where should we go?" And I said, "Well, it's Valentine's Day, so you know it's going to be hard to get into a place unless you made a reservation," and he's, like, "Oh, it is? I didn't know that."
PS: That's awful! How was the rest of the date?
Heather: The guy picks me up — we go to a place. It's kind of like a Cheesecake Factory but not as nice, just like a whatever place. Then on the date, we're talking about stuff, and he says, "I hate the beach." I'm, like, "How do you hate the beach?" And I was, like, "Then we really should just end this date right here." I mean, we're never going to get married. We're never going to go on a honeymoon by the beach. Our kids are never going to frolic in the sand. And now I've wasted a precious Valentine's Day at like 27 years old, prime time for dating, on this guy who hates the beach.
PS: If you're dating a new guy, what should you get him for Valentine's Day?
Heather: I think just something small. If you overdo it, you're going to look like a freak. If they're sleeping with them, I feel like they should get something for themselves like lingerie they can keep after the guy is gone. I wouldn't give them any gifts that they could take away with them. And then if it's really new, nothing too romantic — like a funny card and whatever guys like, like a cigar or a bottle of whiskey.
Heather answered some of our Group Therapy reader questions below:
Group Therapy: I'm in the beginnings of what I think may be the last relationship I'll ever be in, and that thought scares me a bit. I don't believe in soul mates, but I do believe that two people can be perfect for each other in nearly every way. How do you know that your partner is the person you want to spend your life with?
Heather: If it's easy — if you don't have to ever question if he's going to call you. If you don't ever have to try to figure out what his motives are. If you don't have to get on the phone with your girlfriend and analyze a text or a voice-mail message for an hour and a half like a CSI investigator, then that's a good relationship, and you shouldn't be afraid of it. If you get along, and it's easy, you should go for it. And you shouldn't be thinking is there something better out there, because you found it already.
GT: After having sex, I didn't really hear too much from him. He sent me a message later on, letting me know that he is overwhelmed and just feels out of sorts. I then asked him if he needed some space, to which he replied, "I don't know. I guess." I know sometimes guys say things so they can let down a woman gently. I'm wondering if this is a clear sign that I should move on or sit tight.
Heather: It's definitely a "move on." That's a horrible story. I mean, isn't it? Yeah, don't text him anymore. Don't do anything. It's over. Who cares? You don't need to try to push and make something that it's not.
GT: I'm currently in a friends-with-benefits situation with a guy who is very much younger than me. This is the first time I've been in such a relationship. I was crushed when I realized that it was a friends-with-benefits arrangement because I had grown really attached to him. It gets worse, too, as he is also seeing other girls — all with similar arrangements. What should I do?
Heather: Well, I would say it was OK, except but now she's falling for him, and she's going to get really hurt in the end. She should cut her losses and stop seeing him because it's just going to crush her even more. She's going to get more and more addicted to this relationship. She's going to get more hurt that he's not committed, and he doesn't want the same thing. And if she was being a friend of herself, like a friend came to her, she would tell the friend to stop seeing him. So she should be a friend of herself and cut her losses.
Love was truly in the air in Scotland this Valentine's Day as numerous couples tied the knot at one of the most popular wedding destinations in the world: Gretna Green Blacksmiths Shop. People have been getting hitched at Gretna Green since the 18th century, and more than 5,000 weddings take place in the area every year. The destination is especially popular for eloping or "runaway marriages," a tradition that began in 1754 with the arrival of Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act that declared the parent of an under-18 minor could prevent a marriage from taking place. Since the rule only applied to England and Wales, Scotland's loose marriage regulations made it an appealing spot for these elopements. Scottish law also stated that pretty much anyone had the authority to conduct the wedding ceremony, so the blacksmiths in Gretna earned the nickname "anvil priests." Nowadays the blacksmiths shop and its anvils are still a part of the Gretna Green tradition.
The Scottish venue has also been mentioned in popular culture. Jane Austen included it in two of her stories: in Love and Freindship [sic] the protagonists convince a naive girl to elope in Gretna Green, and in Pride and Prejudice a couple elopes, leaving behind a note that they're headed to Gretna Green. More recently, Downton Abbey's Lady Sybil Crawley and her chauffeur-turned-husband Tom Branson were en route to Gretna Green to elope before her sisters convinced them to change their plans.
See what the Scottish wedding tradition looks like in modern times — kilts, bagpipes, and all — with pictures of today's Gretna Green nuptials now!
Happy Valentine's Day! Regardless of what you have planned, you're sure to spread the love if you whip up this gorgeous lemon raspberry fizz cocktail. We promise the marriage of limoncello, berries, and sparkling wine is not only beautiful, but also delicious — and the festive drink can be easily multiplied if you're hosting for a crowd. Watch the video to learn how to make the cocktail.
Everyone wants to put in a little extra effort for Valentine's Day, and whether you're celebrating today or this weekend, we have a hairstyle that's a departure from bombshell waves or an updo. Plus, it's 100 times easier to style. See the look from start to finish in our video tutorial.
I recently made crème brûlée and found myself with several leftover egg whites. I'm apt to skip scrambled egg whites and am a bigger fan of confections, which is why I decided to make meringue cookies. Ever since I made meringue-topped cakes, I can't get the fluffy stuff out of my head. Crisp on the outside and foamy on the inside, a bite of these meringue cookies will satisfy your sweet tooth without overindulging in something butter-filled. While the cookies are excellent on their own (or even with a glass of Champagne), I also recommend pairing them with tart strawberries and raspberries.
If you've never made meringue before, the most important thing to remember is the egg whites must be completely yolk-free. In addition, make sure your bowl and whisk attachment are clean, dry, and free from any residual oil. Fat is the enemy of fluffy meringue and will prevent the whites from whipping, which is why you must take preventative measures. Keep reading to see the recipe.
Hollywood is all about mixing business with pleasure, and the proof is in this slideshow. Plenty of costars who've played lovers haven't had to act much in certain films, because they were playing opposite their significant other (or future significant other) at the time. Here are the 25 acting pairs who played a couple onscreen and had a real-life relationship. Even if they broke up later, love was in the air during filming!
