Meredith Bodgas

Brides know better than anyone that weddings can cost a fortune, but somehow we forget that we're not the only ones incurring charges just because we're getting married. Consider the following when you're making some key wedding decisions, and your guests (and their wallets) will thank you.

Hold your wedding...

Original article appeared on MeritalBliss.com.

For the first time ever, I'm going to a wedding that I wasn't technically invited to. My sister got the invite, and since she's not seeing anyone and I live a quick cab ride away from the venue, I'm coming along as her...

This article originally appeared on MeritalBliss.com.

There's really only one good reason to get married: because you've found your soul mate, you know each other well enough and long enough to be positive you want to spend the rest of your lives together, and you're mature enough to...

This article originally appeared on MeritalBliss.com.

Some people think they know what's best for you better than you do. And if one of them speaks up during your engagement, it can make you second-guess yourself or ruin the relationship you have with that person. Before you sever...

This article originally appeared on MeritalBliss.com

Everyone can assume that you're so, so excited to get married. That's why posts like the below can get pretty annoying pretty fast. True, your Facebook friends can simply hide you from their feeds if they don't like what you have to...

This article originally appeared on MeritalBliss.com

Even when you're in a state of post-wedding bliss, people you're not all that close with may ask something that's none of their business, thus shaking you out of your happy honeymoon period. It's always okay to say, "I'm sorry; I'm not...

Maybe it's because I'm a Libra, but I like everything to be even Steven. So if you invited me to your wedding, you were invited to mine. But not every bride who included you has to make the cut for your nuptials. Here are seven situations in which it's okay...

Yes, even before you arrive at the wedding ceremony, you can make mistakes that can drive an engaged couple crazy. Luckily, it's pretty easy to avoid committing these offenses.

Send in your response card late -- or not at all.

If you receive a wedding invitation with a response card,...

This article originally appeared on MeritalBliss.com

Unlike most married ladies, especially the ones where I come from (Staten Island, NY), I didn't change my last name when I married my husband Paul. And just as being childhood sweethearts and an interfaith couple has caused confusion among traditionalists --...

This article originally appeared on MeritalBliss.com

It's well-known that what happens at the bachelor party stays at the bachelor party, but these other secrets grooms keep may not be as obvious.

We just want you to look like you on our wedding day.

Nothing can stop many of...

This article originally appeared on MeritalBliss.com

There's (almost) always one: an uninterested and/or disgruntled bridesmaid who had no business being chosen for the wedding party in the first place. Why does this happen so frequently? Brides often forget to consider these qualities before issuing that all-important invitation to...

This article originally appeared on MeritalBliss.com

No bride (unless your name rhymes with Schmim Schmardashian) wants to spend more than she has to on her wedding. But beware: Not all budget wedding advice will actually save you. Here are six suggestions that are usually better off ignored.

Buy...

This story originally appeared on MeritalBliss.com

Every bride would have you believe that her wedding gown is the most perfect garment she's ever laid eyes upon. But the truth is, most wedding dresses have some secrets brides would rather their guests didn't know.

The wedding-day bustle doesn't look...

My husband recently posted this cryptic status on Facebook: "It's a secret to everybody."

The comments from his wise-cracking friends (and "friends") started to pour in, and all suggested (or blatantly declared) that Paul, the man to whom I've been attached for...