The Humiliation of the Bouquet Toss

Each week, we debate a question in conjunction with the Washington Post Magazine. This week: Which wedding tradition do you wish were abolished?

Comments

With this, as with everything else...

By: kate | Thu, 06/04/2009 - 21:19

I am in favor of the choice of the mother. I acknowledge that Down's children can be valuable, honorable members of society, but it is not up to me to raise one--the burden is on the mother, and to a lesser extent the father, and I think that's the only place the line can be drawn. The tired "what-ifs?" (those lovely, illogical hypotheticals used haphazardly by both liberals and conservatives) don't matter. The daughter pregnant with her father's child, the woman on her thrid late-term abortion, both are absurd poles in a nuanced spectrum wherein the only ethical movement is to do the best we can for the mother, who in turn will do the best she can for the child. While this is not always the case, attempting to saddle other people with the burden of a severely disabled child (without, I might add, giving anything to help), is grossly immoral. It doesn't matter if YOU would keep the child. You aren't her.

My Wedding Was in the Times, My Marriage Was in Shambles

Sundays used to find me reading the New York Times Vows column on my hand-me-down four-poster bed. The sunlight shone through the mesh and bars of my fire-escape-covered window, making a lacy pattern on my duvet that mimicked the gown of some quirky or blue-blooded bride. Sentimental tears inevitably flowed. People get married all the time, but those featured in the Vows column seemed especially to go through a portal into Happily Ever After.

Tags: Ask Me About My Divorce, divorce, modern love; the new york times; relationships, vows, weddings

Candace Walsh is the editor of Ask Me About My Divorce: Women Open Up About Moving On (Seal Press, 2009) www.askmeaboutmydivorce.com

Comments

With this, as with everything else...

By: kate | Thu, 06/04/2009 - 21:19

I am in favor of the choice of the mother. I acknowledge that Down's children can be valuable, honorable members of society, but it is not up to me to raise one--the burden is on the mother, and to a lesser extent the father, and I think that's the only place the line can be drawn. The tired "what-ifs?" (those lovely, illogical hypotheticals used haphazardly by both liberals and conservatives) don't matter. The daughter pregnant with her father's child, the woman on her thrid late-term abortion, both are absurd poles in a nuanced spectrum wherein the only ethical movement is to do the best we can for the mother, who in turn will do the best she can for the child. While this is not always the case, attempting to saddle other people with the burden of a severely disabled child (without, I might add, giving anything to help), is grossly immoral. It doesn't matter if YOU would keep the child. You aren't her.

Life

Friend or Foe: My Bridesmaid Hates Big Weddings

What to do when your “best friend” is bailing on your big day.

Illustration by Jason Raish.

Welcome to "Friend or Foe," a regular DoubleX advice column for your queries about the trickiest of all love affairs: friendships.

Comments

With this, as with everything else...

By: kate | Thu, 06/04/2009 - 21:19

I am in favor of the choice of the mother. I acknowledge that Down's children can be valuable, honorable members of society, but it is not up to me to raise one--the burden is on the mother, and to a lesser extent the father, and I think that's the only place the line can be drawn. The tired "what-ifs?" (those lovely, illogical hypotheticals used haphazardly by both liberals and conservatives) don't matter. The daughter pregnant with her father's child, the woman on her thrid late-term abortion, both are absurd poles in a nuanced spectrum wherein the only ethical movement is to do the best we can for the mother, who in turn will do the best she can for the child. While this is not always the case, attempting to saddle other people with the burden of a severely disabled child (without, I might add, giving anything to help), is grossly immoral. It doesn't matter if YOU would keep the child. You aren't her.

jon hamm on SNL as scott brown

SNL: Equal Opportunity Objectifiers

Jon Hamm spent most of the Saturday Night Live episode he hosted last night shirtless.

Allison Silverman at the Muse Awards

Confessions of a Woman Comedy Writer

Allison Silverman accepts one from New York Women in Film & Television (and tells us why it's rare).

Count Down to a Wedding: Bucking Tradition by Wearing a Short Dress

short wedding dress

This is part five of Bridget's wedding countdown. Read parts one, two, three and four.

Tags: countdown to a wedding, gowns, J.Crew, weddings

Bridget Moloney is an actor and a writer living in Los Angeles. She regularly blogs for BonAppetit.com.

Comments

With this, as with everything else...

By: kate | Thu, 06/04/2009 - 21:19

I am in favor of the choice of the mother. I acknowledge that Down's children can be valuable, honorable members of society, but it is not up to me to raise one--the burden is on the mother, and to a lesser extent the father, and I think that's the only place the line can be drawn. The tired "what-ifs?" (those lovely, illogical hypotheticals used haphazardly by both liberals and conservatives) don't matter. The daughter pregnant with her father's child, the woman on her thrid late-term abortion, both are absurd poles in a nuanced spectrum wherein the only ethical movement is to do the best we can for the mother, who in turn will do the best she can for the child. While this is not always the case, attempting to saddle other people with the burden of a severely disabled child (without, I might add, giving anything to help), is grossly immoral. It doesn't matter if YOU would keep the child. You aren't her.

Always a Bridesmaid Is Fine With Me

I was recently asked to be a bridesmaid for the third time. Although I was thrilled to accept, many friends and relatives received my news with a pained look. They asked about the dress in concerned tones; they offered sympathy for the costs I may incur; they expressed annoyance on my behalf. None dared utter what perhaps they were all thinking: “Always a bridesmaid; never a bride.” It’s a lament, not a cheer. The role of bridesmaid is commonly understood as pitiable and tragic, a highlighting of one’s not-bride status.

Tags: bachelor, bridesmaid, wedding dress, weddings

Liz Stevenson is a social worker who lives in Brooklyn.

Comments

With this, as with everything else...

By: kate | Thu, 06/04/2009 - 21:19

I am in favor of the choice of the mother. I acknowledge that Down's children can be valuable, honorable members of society, but it is not up to me to raise one--the burden is on the mother, and to a lesser extent the father, and I think that's the only place the line can be drawn. The tired "what-ifs?" (those lovely, illogical hypotheticals used haphazardly by both liberals and conservatives) don't matter. The daughter pregnant with her father's child, the woman on her thrid late-term abortion, both are absurd poles in a nuanced spectrum wherein the only ethical movement is to do the best we can for the mother, who in turn will do the best she can for the child. While this is not always the case, attempting to saddle other people with the burden of a severely disabled child (without, I might add, giving anything to help), is grossly immoral. It doesn't matter if YOU would keep the child. You aren't her.

Count Down to a Wedding: Our Bride-to-be Asks, Why Get Married?

This is part three of Bridget's wedding countdown. Read parts one, and two.

Tags: countdown to a wedding, engagement, marriage, Moscow Mules, Palm Desert, sandra tsing loh, the atlantic, weddings

Bridget Moloney is an actor and a writer living in Los Angeles. She regularly blogs for BonAppetit.com.

Comments

With this, as with everything else...

By: kate | Thu, 06/04/2009 - 21:19

I am in favor of the choice of the mother. I acknowledge that Down's children can be valuable, honorable members of society, but it is not up to me to raise one--the burden is on the mother, and to a lesser extent the father, and I think that's the only place the line can be drawn. The tired "what-ifs?" (those lovely, illogical hypotheticals used haphazardly by both liberals and conservatives) don't matter. The daughter pregnant with her father's child, the woman on her thrid late-term abortion, both are absurd poles in a nuanced spectrum wherein the only ethical movement is to do the best we can for the mother, who in turn will do the best she can for the child. While this is not always the case, attempting to saddle other people with the burden of a severely disabled child (without, I might add, giving anything to help), is grossly immoral. It doesn't matter if YOU would keep the child. You aren't her.

Recession Briefing 6.15

Vegetable seed producers and merchants across the country are reporting sales increases of as much as 75% this year, and even some shortages, especially of staples like beans, potatoes and lettuces. (Washington Post)

Comments

With this, as with everything else...

By: kate | Thu, 06/04/2009 - 21:19

I am in favor of the choice of the mother. I acknowledge that Down's children can be valuable, honorable members of society, but it is not up to me to raise one--the burden is on the mother, and to a lesser extent the father, and I think that's the only place the line can be drawn. The tired "what-ifs?" (those lovely, illogical hypotheticals used haphazardly by both liberals and conservatives) don't matter. The daughter pregnant with her father's child, the woman on her thrid late-term abortion, both are absurd poles in a nuanced spectrum wherein the only ethical movement is to do the best we can for the mother, who in turn will do the best she can for the child. While this is not always the case, attempting to saddle other people with the burden of a severely disabled child (without, I might add, giving anything to help), is grossly immoral. It doesn't matter if YOU would keep the child. You aren't her.

Life

The Wal-Mart of Weddings

One company, David’s Bridal, outfits one-third of America’s brides—on the cheap.

With June upon us, consider this: More than 2.2 million women will get married in the United States this year. About one-third of them will be outfitted by one company: David's Bridal. With more than 300 stores throughout the country and a growing online presence, the retailer offers unbeatable prices on a wide selection of mass-produced gowns. While the average wedding gown costs $1,075, according to Condé Nast Bridal Media, the average David's Bridal dress retails at only $550.

Comments

With this, as with everything else...

By: kate | Thu, 06/04/2009 - 21:19

I am in favor of the choice of the mother. I acknowledge that Down's children can be valuable, honorable members of society, but it is not up to me to raise one--the burden is on the mother, and to a lesser extent the father, and I think that's the only place the line can be drawn. The tired "what-ifs?" (those lovely, illogical hypotheticals used haphazardly by both liberals and conservatives) don't matter. The daughter pregnant with her father's child, the woman on her thrid late-term abortion, both are absurd poles in a nuanced spectrum wherein the only ethical movement is to do the best we can for the mother, who in turn will do the best she can for the child. While this is not always the case, attempting to saddle other people with the burden of a severely disabled child (without, I might add, giving anything to help), is grossly immoral. It doesn't matter if YOU would keep the child. You aren't her.

jon hamm on SNL as scott brown

SNL: Equal Opportunity Objectifiers

Jon Hamm spent most of the Saturday Night Live episode he hosted last night shirtless.

Allison Silverman at the Muse Awards

Confessions of a Woman Comedy Writer

Allison Silverman accepts one from New York Women in Film & Television (and tells us why it's rare).

Recession Briefing 6.8

Budget weddings are in vogue this recession. The average cost of a wedding in the U.S. was $19,212 in the first quarter, down from $21,814 last year and $26,450 in 2005. (Wall Street JournalTips to recession-proof your wedding here.

Comments

With this, as with everything else...

By: kate | Thu, 06/04/2009 - 21:19

I am in favor of the choice of the mother. I acknowledge that Down's children can be valuable, honorable members of society, but it is not up to me to raise one--the burden is on the mother, and to a lesser extent the father, and I think that's the only place the line can be drawn. The tired "what-ifs?" (those lovely, illogical hypotheticals used haphazardly by both liberals and conservatives) don't matter. The daughter pregnant with her father's child, the woman on her thrid late-term abortion, both are absurd poles in a nuanced spectrum wherein the only ethical movement is to do the best we can for the mother, who in turn will do the best she can for the child. While this is not always the case, attempting to saddle other people with the burden of a severely disabled child (without, I might add, giving anything to help), is grossly immoral. It doesn't matter if YOU would keep the child. You aren't her.

Recession Briefing 6.5

The recession has sparked a growing phenomenon of people dressing up as superheroes to perform community service, help the homeless and even fight crime. Superheroes also emerged as figures in the Great Depression. (CNN, Recessionwire)

Comments

With this, as with everything else...

By: kate | Thu, 06/04/2009 - 21:19

I am in favor of the choice of the mother. I acknowledge that Down's children can be valuable, honorable members of society, but it is not up to me to raise one--the burden is on the mother, and to a lesser extent the father, and I think that's the only place the line can be drawn. The tired "what-ifs?" (those lovely, illogical hypotheticals used haphazardly by both liberals and conservatives) don't matter. The daughter pregnant with her father's child, the woman on her thrid late-term abortion, both are absurd poles in a nuanced spectrum wherein the only ethical movement is to do the best we can for the mother, who in turn will do the best she can for the child. While this is not always the case, attempting to saddle other people with the burden of a severely disabled child (without, I might add, giving anything to help), is grossly immoral. It doesn't matter if YOU would keep the child. You aren't her.

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