The OurWeddingDay Blog

Characters Who Are Really Made for Each Other

OWD — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:01:59 EDT

Even in romantic films, you often get the sense that the fictional characters would really last. That their whirlwind romance won't be able to sustain the daily grind. Every now and then, characters seem so fully-developed and perfect for each other that you can imagine them truly living a "happily ever after."

Today at the A.V. Club, a reader asked the critics: "Which fictional couples could you imagine dropping in on 20 to 30 years after the credits roll, and still find them in love with each other and weathering the storms?"

There are some really fun responses about characters from films like His Girl Friday and I Love You, Man, and from tv shows like "The Office" and "Lost."

Our favorite was their first pick, Nick & Nora from The Thin Man films:

"They aren’t particularly realistic as couples go-they’re both exaggerated character types, they banter like comedians and drink like alcoholic fish, and they’re pretty over-the-top. But amid all the comic sniping, they have a real affection and respect for each other, and more to the point, they’re perfectly matched, with the exact same interests: solving crimes, sucking down booze, and admiring their obnoxious dog."

Read all the responses here.

Which fictional couples do you think would "really make it."

Married, but Sleeping Alone: The Debate Over Separate Beds

OWD — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:45:31 EDT

Check out this New York Times article by Bruce Feiler, Married, but Sleeping Alone:

"Nearly one in four American couples sleep in separate bedrooms or beds, the National Sleep Foundation reported in a 2005 survey. Recent studies in England and Japan have found similar results. And the National Association of Home Builders says it expects 60 percent of custom homes to have dual master bedrooms by 2015."

We've discussed sleeping in separate beds before. A couple times, even! Not to mention separate bedrooms and even separate houses! Different married couples have different personalities and needs, and find happiness in different ways, right?

But the balance between personal space and keeping marital romance alive can be tricky, as Feiler is quick to point out and call for an embracing of bediquette:

"We need a campaign. One of those national initiatives politicians are always calling for. "The War on Bed Divorce," call it, or "Brush Up on Your Bediquette." Thirty-five years after "Save the Whales," it's time for "Save the Sheets."

But is it Bediquette Vs. Separate Beds? Is it one or the other? Can enjoying separate beds actually increase romance for some couples?

Do Romantic Comedies Ruin Real-Life Relationships?

OWD — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:59:17 EDT

An Australian study (ironically intended to promote the dvd release of Valentine's Day) has found that half of its respondents claim romantic comedies ruin their ideas of what makes a perfect relationship.

According to the report, “One in four Australians said they were now expected to know what their partner was thinking, while one in five respondents said it made their partners expect gifts and flowers "just because."

"It seems our love of rom-coms is turning us into a nation of "happy-ever-after addicts." Yet the warm and fuzzy feeling they provide can adversely influence our view of real relationships," said Australian relationship counselor, Gabrielle Morrissey.

"Real relationships take work and true love requires more than fireworks."

UPDATE: The Married Couple Who Appeared in the Same Childhood Photo, Years Before They Met

OWD — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:02:18 EDT

Update to our earlier post about the now-married couple that somehow appear in the same Disney World photograph when they were little kids, years before met:

Check out 3-year-old Alex Voutsinas in the stroller, behind his future wive Donna (5 at the time), posing with Mr. Smee. They say that decades later, married, they found the picture and "it just blew our minds."

Alex was born and raised in Toronto (they now live in Florida); he spoke to The Toronto Star about their story:

That fateful realization came just one week before their wedding eight years ago. Alex and Donna had been going through old family snapshots. There, in the blurry background of a picture of 5-year-old Donna was 3-year-old Alex being pushed down Main Street at the same moment in 1980 by his father. The senior Voutsinas's distinctive jet-black hair with its white tuft caught his eye.

"My mother pulled out albums from the same trip. My dad is wearing exactly the same outfit," says Donna. It just blew our minds when we realized."

"I got chills. It was just too much of a coincidence. It was fate."

I guess it really is a small world after all. (okay, okay, that was corny. so what.)

Surprise Him on Your Honeymoon

OWD — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:02:34 EDT

After your tickets are bought, and reservations made it’s time to focus on how to make this a honeymoon he’ll never forget.

Lingerie
Turn up the heat with the following must-haves for the bedroom:

Laced Corset: There’s nothing that says “special occasion” like this sultry and timeless piece of lingerie.
Garters: Add them to any slip or panties and turn his face from nude to pink.
Thigh-Highs: Always sexy, always!
Baby-Doll Slip: The perfect mix of cute and sexy siren.
Satin Slip: It's both classic and the perfect choice for bedtime during your honeymoon.
Satin Pajamas: It doesn’t matter if you choose silk pants, shorts, long or short sleeves. All of these looks will turn up the heat.

Sexy and Romantic Games
Play a few of these games specifically for couples and your love will come out ahead:

Scavenger Hunt: Begin with a sweet note sending him hunting for treasure in your hotel honeymoon suite, where he’ll find massage oils and lotions, rose petals, chocolate, strawberries, whipped cream, love poems, etc. There are no rules with this game-go as big or as small as you’d like!
Romantic Scrabble: It’s the same as regular Scrabble except you both receive extra points for words related to love and romance.
Love and War: This game is played exactly like War, except when each person flips a card, the winner tells the other something they love about him or her.

Read the rest here including suggestions for intimate indulgences, excitement for adventure-seekers and fun extras!

Are Your PDA's with Your Groom Bothering Others?

OWD — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 10:27:16 EDT

Nicole Ferrar seems to think Manhattan is one giant makeout party, and she's tired of it! So she's written a piece for The New York Times' Complaint Box which begins like this:

"As a 26-year-old woman living in Manhattan, I have zero tolerance for couples who exhibit very private affections in very public places. Although I try to look elsewhere, these amorous displays are hard to avoid. Everywhere I go, people are fondling each other as if the entire city were a cheap motel room."

She wants to make it clear that this opinion is not because she's lacking in the affection department, or because she's a prude, but the NYT commenters don't seem to be buying her argument.

What do you think? Do you and your groom-to-be canoodle in public? Do you get angry looks when you do? Do you think that sort of behaviour should be made "more private?"

Is Your Groom Struggling with Chivalry?

OWD — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:51:31 EST

The Independent is reporting on a recent study claiming modern men are struggling with chivalry:

"While the passionately composed love lyric was an important feature of wooing in olden times, today's men are more inclined to use their mobiles to dash off a text (21%) or an emailed message (11%) to their loved one, according to the Lindt Lindor Code of Modern Chivalry report."

Other non-chivalrous behaviour that too many modern men are guilty of, according to the Independent, include: Not paying the check, not turning off the phone at dinner time and having a "wandering eye."

Says relationship expert Jenni Trent Hughes, "We may no longer be knights in shining armour or damsels in distress, but we still want and need romance - it is part of our emotional DNA."

Agreed! But does a reduction in poetry writing really equal a reduction in romance? What do you think?

Do you expect your groom to be chivalrous this Valentines day?

Romance is Recession-Proof

OWD — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 11:37:13 EST

Check out this great post over at Glamour about how one couple brought back the wonderful tradition of love letters. It's a perfect way to exchange romantic gifts even when money is tight.

They started exchanging the letters when they were engaged and struggling more, financially. Now they're happily married and not struggling nearly as much, but they still exchange the letters.

"Now I look forward to writing--and receiving--one every Christmas," says Kate, the bride. "If our house is ever on fire, those letters are the first thing I'll grab."

Check out the full post here.

We're swooning! We love this!

Is This The Most Romantic Proposal Ever?

alamster — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:34:29 EDT

This may be one of the most adorable marriage proposals we've seen to date... and trust us, we've seen a lot. Nathan and his friends found a nearby forest with a grove surrounded by trees. During the day, they set up over 200 battery-powered tea lights and struck then all along the trees.

Later that night, Nathan met Katie on the beach to go for a walk. As they approached the woods Nathan tied his sweater over Katie's eyes and brought her to the lit grove. What is even sweeter is that once he uncovered Katie's eyes Nathan stumbled over his proposal because he was so nervous, and Katie simply kept nodding her head yes unable to speak.

Check out both sides of the story here. Ahh romance!

25 Most Romantic Movies

OWD — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:05:55 EDT

In celebration of the indie rom-com hit (500) Days of Summer, Entertainment Weekly is featuring a fun slide-show of the "25 Best Romantic Movies of the Past 25 Years."

That means Annie Hall, An Affair To Remember and From Here to Eternity won't make the cut, leaving room for some of our favorites like In The Mood For Love, Amelie and Edward Scissorhands.

Of course, no list will make everyone happy: We never cared for When Harry Met Sally... or Moulin Rouge, and a quick perusal of the comments section shows a lot of people are furious The Notebook was left off!

What do you think? Do they nail it? What would top your list?