5 Post-Wedding Must-Dos

Brides, you know how it is. When you’re prepping for your wedding — the to-do list is two-miles long. And we kind of hate to tell you this, but after the big day, there are still things to do. But the good news is… as far as we can tell… there are only five major things you need to do. Most of them revolve around those beautiful photos that you hired that totally pro photographer to take of you, and that’s why we’ve partnered with Blurb to bring you this post. Blurb is your one stop shop to make the most of those photos by turning them into heirloom quality books. And let’s be real about these to-dos, looking at that day over and over again isn’t really the worst thing in the world, now is it?

1. Set Up a Hashtag: Take it from a bride who DIDN’T set up a hashtag, set up a hashtag! This is the best way to collect all of those personal experience on your big day in one place. Not only are you going to want these images for your own perusing, but they’ll come in handy when you’re trying to make an Instagram photo book of your friends’ sweet shots, posting photos to Facebook or just reminiscing about your big day while you’re riding the bus. It’s not a bad idea to ask one of your friends or family members to take photos directly from your phone, so you can Instagram as you please when you’re waiting in the airport to jet off to your honeymoon.

2. Thank You Notes: So… the wedding happened, and your besties and awesome fam showered you with lots of gifts, love and support. Show them that you appreciate all of their help! Handwritten thank you notes are lovely and heartfelt but for your biggest supporters, try doing something a little more special. How about a mini 7×7 Blurb thank-you photo book, sporting pics from your big day? This could be anything from a uberpersonalized book of you and your loved one prepping for the wedding (from dress shopping to cocktail testing to bachelorette partying to holding your bouquet while you said your I do’s) or several copies of one awesome mini book that holds those epic photo-booth snapshots and the most memorable moves on the dance floor. Using Blurb’s free platform, you can pull images from Facebook, Instagram or any old place with ease.

3. Preserve Your Things: Chance are, you’ve been keeping your dress under lock and key and handling it with white gloves to make sure that it’s absolutely pristine for your big day. But once the wine starts flowing, the toasts start popping and the music starts pumping, you’re going to let loose and let the good times roll, which usually results in a dress with a dirt-lined hem and a wine stain or two thanks to your overly zealous and clumsy cousin.

Make sure you talk to your dry cleaner before the nitty gritty goes down. Most cleaners suggest dropping off “The Dress” within 24 hours of the par-tay. Rather than just getting a regular old dry cleaning job done, make sure they preserve your dress. Depending where you go, wedding dress preservation usually rings in around $150. The process should include hand cleaning, to get out stubborn stains; inspection and rewashing if necessary; mending and repairs; steaming and pressing; layering with acid-free tissue paper and storage in a fabric box that is sealed to prevent any moisture or humidity from getting in. Other things you’ll likely want to preserve and store away include any DIYed items, family heirlooms, cards, cake (for your one-year anniversary!) and maybe even your bouquet.

4. Create Your Own Wedding Book: It’s going to seem like an eternity until you get those wedding pictures back, and once you get them, you’re going to look at them at least three times per day for the first week, two times per day for the second week and then just one time per day going forward for the REST OF YOUR LIFE. Eventually, you’ll get sick of going into Dropbox to do that. What you need to do is make a photo book.

Lots of photographers offer photo books as part of their packages, but those can be spendy add-ons. It’s not only more affordable to DIY it, it’s fun making your own book on Blurb. If the task seems daunting, use their templates. If the task doesn’t seem quite that daunting, Blurb experts are at the ready with design tips. If you want total creative freedom, the tool is totally free to use as you please.

5. Gift Your Wedding Book: Full disclosure: I didn’t make my Blurb book after my wedding. My husband did. He gifted it to me six months after our ceremony as a holiday gift. If I said I didn’t shed a little tear of joy when I got it, I would be lying. What’s better yet? He ordered additional books for both sets of our parents (and an extra one for us… just in case.). I thought my parents might be like, “Why are you giving us a photo book of yourself?!?!” But no. Both sides of our family were extremely sentimental and so excited about the book. My mom kept picking it up and looking at it all weekend long. It was also fun for me to see the reactions of family members who couldn’t make it to the wedding.

Basically, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. And the best part is you only have to make one and just have as many printed as you want. If you want to make tweaks, that’s easy enough, too, seeing as your book will forever be stored in your account for you to print or tweak forever and ever and ever.

Ready to make your own Blurb book? Enjoy 20% off your next book! Code: BRITCO

Offer valid through August 25, 2014 (11:59 p.m. local time). Valid for first-time customers purchasing printed books only. A 20% discount is applied toward your product total with no minimum purchase required. Maximum discount is $75 off product total. This offer is good for one-time use, and cannot be combined with volume discounts, other promotional codes, gift cards, or used for adjustments on previous orders.

Have any post wedding tips of your own? Tell them to us in the comments below!

This post is brought to you in partnership with Blurb.

Spring 2025 beauty is all about bold yet wearable, polished yet playful looks. From the return of the lip liner to fresh, nature-inspired nail and eye colors, this season’s trends blend nostalgia with modern minimalism. Expect soft, dramatic eyes, skincare-infused makeup, and lip liner that enhances without overpowering. These trends are all about embracing your natural features in an elevated, beautiful way so you glow, and look your best, all season.

Here are spring 2025 beauty trends to try this season.

City Lips® Defining Liner

Liner Revival

The lip liner trend for spring 2025 embraces bold definition with a fresh, modern twist. This season, it's about pairing rosy nudes with soft, lighter lip colors and rich, warm tones with deep browns and cherry reds for a sculpted, high-impact look. City Lips Defining Liner is our favorite new lip liner. It prevents color fading, smudging, and feathering, so you can keep your look intact all day or night! It’s available in two pretty shades: Blush, a soft, rosy nude that pairs beautifully with pink hues and lighter lip colors, and Willow, a rich, warm-toned nude that complements brown tones and deeper shades.

City Beauty

Multitasking Makeup

The trend toward skincare-infused makeup is making your beauty routine work harder with nourishing ingredients. City Lips Defining Liner features vitamin E, helping to keep the lip line smooth while subtly enhancing its shape for a fuller, more defined look. For the ultimate plump and polish, pair the pigmented liner with City Lips Plumping Gloss — a duo that gives you a naturally voluminous pout, plus extra hydration.

Shutterstock

Pastel Pop

From butter yellow to sage green, this season’s nail trends are embracing soft, yet statement-making hues that bring a fresh pop of color. Alongside these chic shades, almond-shaped nails are offering a sleek, elegant look that flatters your mani aesthetic.

Monserrat Tosca | Dupe

'90s Nostalgia

A softer, smudged take on the classic cat-eye is making waves, with eyeliner staging a bold comeback in full, effortless sweeps. Blue eyeshadow is also back and better. Expect a nod to cool-toned, ’90s grunge eyes, a trend that lends itself to easy, minimalist lines, like a single, clean swipe of liner, proving that less can truly be more.

Claire Craig | Dupe

Lobs, Bobs & Natural Manes

Haircut season is in full swing, and lighter, fuss-free bobs at all above-shoulder lengths, plus natural curls, are making their way in and out of salons for spring. We couldn't be happier for the low-maintenance 'dos!

Katie Mansfield | Dupe

Satin Skin

This understated look highlights healthy, natural skin with a soft-matte finish — radiant, yet never flat or overly glossy.

City Beauty

Glossy lips, instead, shine this season. Upgrade your lip routine this spring with City Beauty’s new City Lips Defining Liner and lip glosses for a refreshed look.

Millions of people are painfully aware of the struggles that come with being an adult in today's economy (hello, cost of eggs?!).

The average salary in the United States is just over $66,600, according to data from the Social Security Administration. Meanwhile, mortgage rates are still above 6%, and food prices have risen a whopping 31% since 2019.

Being able to afford outings like date nights or brand-name clothing, let alone going on family vacations or buying a home, has become a privilege. But, for people who grew up in affluent households that didn't have to worry about finances, privilege can be an invisible force that shapes their lives in ways they don't even realize.

When you grow up surrounded by other individuals just like you, it's easy to assume that everyone has the same opportunities. However, once you venture outside your "bubble," you might experience a wake-up call or a defining moment that opens your eyes to the disparities that exist beyond your own upbringing.

So, people who grew up wealthy recently took to Reddit to share their own personal wake-up calls, which made them realize just how privileged they were compared to others. Here are 10 of the most intriguing revelations.

Scroll to see the wake-up calls that made these wealthy people finally see the real world...

1. Not everyone's parents can put them through college. 

"My parents are wealthy, but I grew up in a place where many of my peers' parents were super, duper, crazy wealthy, so I had a skewed understanding of wealth," shared one user.

"It was really eye-opening for me when I went to college. I didn't have to take out student loans; my parents were able to just pay for it. But I had friends who, even with financial aid, had to work their [behinds] off year-round to cover the cost of school. I realized pretty quickly just how privileged I was and that I did, in fact, grow up with wealth."

2. Country clubs aren't the only kind of "clubs" out there. 

"When I was confused about people on Maury complaining their spouse was at 'the club,' and I couldn't figure out what type of country club would let people like that through the front security gate," admitted another user.

3. Not everyone views their parents as good role models. 

"Becoming an adult and realizing that I have extremely good role models as parents because when they have disagreements, they talk them out, and I have never, ever, heard them argue or badmouth each other," one user revealed.

"I also realized that as a kid, my parents got me mental health help that I needed even though it was expensive and continued that care for as long as I have needed it," they added.

"A third [wake-up call] that doesn't seem like much but has had a huge impact was being taught financial literacy from a young age; to budget my money and only buy the things I really, really want."

4. Many people have never left the country.  

"My parents loved to travel. By the time I was 16, I had been to every continent aside from Antarctica. I didn't realize that this was privileged behavior until I went to university, and most of the guys I met had never left the country," a user shared.

"In fact, I grew up thinking I was less privileged because everyone at my school was just obscenely rich. Like, all their stuff was high-end designer stuff while I was in Converse."

5. Some families cannot afford to have pets. 

"My dad was an engineer, so professional wealth, but... probably hearing about a kid whose family had to give his dog away due to the cost in elementary school," another user remembered.

"Giving away our dog wasn't on the radar or even on the table. But it was only out of the question because my parents had the money for it to be out of the question."

6. Owning multiple properties is not the norm. 

"When I learned that not everyone has a summer cottage or trust fund, and not all grandparents have weekend and summer homes," a user noted.

7. Exposure to cultural education isn't a given. 

"I didn't think I grew up in a wealthy family, but when I started high school, I was part of a group of girls who became close friends with me. Apparently, they thought it was very weird that I knew things that I considered cultural knowledge, like the history of some important building in the city or the fact that I actually knew about art and went to museums quite often," detailed a user.

"All this because my parents made me go to museums and theaters my whole life growing up. Apparently, that's not a normal thing for normal parents to do with their kids, and asking your parents if they can take you to the ballet is not something a teenager would normally ask."

8. Some people have never been able to fill up their tanks at the gas station. 

"In college, I went on a road trip with friends, and one asked how much money he should put in the gas tank. I told him to fill it up," recalled a user.

"He kept asking, 'Okay, how much should I pay?' and I kept saying, 'Fill it up!' It turned out he had only ever put $10 to $15 at a time, and it had never occurred to me that some people never fill their gas tanks to the top."

9. Seeing how families abroad make do.

"I realized how privileged I was when I spent a summer with my great-grandmother in a small village in rural Hungary. No indoor running water, the only phone was at the church, and everyone came out to touch the rental car we drove there in. This was in the late 1980s," recalled a user.

10. Learning that not everyone takes their first flight as a child.

"I have been flying around the world since I was 4 months old. When I was 16, my friend told me she'd fly for the first time in an airplane, and I was shocked," said another user.

"I told my dad that I couldn't believe it took her 16 years to fly! I got a stern talk after; my dad is very humble despite it all."

Looking for more lifestyle stories? Be sure to sign up for our newsletter!

This post was updated.

In our Take 5 series, sponsored by Verizon, we ask women in business about unexpected challenges, their inspirations, recent wins, and how the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program has helped propel their business forward.


In this segment, Paige Wiese, founder & CEO of Tree Ring Digital in Denver, CO, walks us through some of the ways she encourages clients to double down on marketing when business is slow. Paige built her business as a solopreneur graphic designer to a team of 15, helping clients with SEO, online ads, and social media management. Here’s her Take 5, plus more tips for surviving the business lulls below!

What's a recent small win for you and your business?

Paige: A recent small win has been just seeing business pick up again. I am seeing businesses start to engage with their marketing efforts and really trying to get to the root of why their website might be underperforming. We look at what they can be doing to see their money actually go to a place that it should be going.

What's a big piece of advice that you give to your clients?

Paige: A lot of them want to back off anytime there's a little bit of scarcity. I really think that's the time to double down, whether it be your digital presence, your website, or just adjusting how you're spending your money. But instead of just saying, ‘Hey, we're going to stop [investing in marketing],’ ask ‘How do we double down in the correct way and make sure we're seeing measurable results out of it?’ I do it myself anytime business is a little slow. I think we have to either change or we need to be doubling down. A lot of clients come to us when the pipeline is already dry and money is tight and they’re hoping for a quick fix. Marketing, unfortunately, isn't a quick fix.

See more tips for surviving business lulls below!

What's an unexpected business challenge you’ve faced and how did you overcome it?

Paige: I think one of the bigger challenges that we've run into has been more on the employee side, some of the retention or the hiccups that come along the way and then just learning from them. So how can we be a better, stronger company coming out of this and how do we use it as a growing opportunity?

How has the Verizon Small Business program helped propel your business forward?

Paige: I learned about the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready program through the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). It's a free resource that’s self-paced and very digestible. The variety of topics it covers is a large gamut for any size business. The Selling with Storytelling course, especially, was really valuable to me, just really getting your messaging out there. I laugh that I sometimes enjoy the marketing ones a little bit more just because it is a refresher or another take on how we do this.

Thanks Paige!

Here Are More B+C Tips For Surviving The Small Business Lulls

Photo by Kampus Production

  1. Refine Your Strategy
    • Review your business plan and goals. Are you on track? What can be improved?
    • Analyze customer feedback and sales data to spot trends and areas where you can grow.
  2. Boost Your Marketing Efforts
    • Refresh your website or social media profiles. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready’s free Put Your Website to Work course will help you get started with best practices for building your business website.
    • Create engaging content through blogs, videos, and newsletters. Verizon’s free Creating Compelling Content course can help you create consistent, quality content for your target customers.
    • Offer promotions or limited-time discounts to attract new customers.
  3. Invest in Learning
    • Take an online course related to your industry, like Verizon’s free Planning for the Unexpected course for building resiliency in your business.
    • Stay updated on industry trends and innovations.
    • Engage with customers too. Send personalized emails to loyal customers or clients. Ask for reviews!
  4. Improve Your Processes
    • Streamline operations or explore new tools to increase your efficiency.
    • Organize your workspace and declutter your digital files.
  5. Self-Care and Rest
    • Take advantage of the slower pace to recharge. A refreshed mindset is exactly what you need to bring forth fresh ideas!

Learn more about the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program and Tree Ring Digital.

Illustration by Daniela Jordan-Villaveces.

The internet loves pitting celebrities against each other because people were convinced Gwyneth Paltrow and Meghan Markle had a growing rivalry. For a while, we wondered if something was wrong since the growing "evidence" about it seemed to confirm suspicions. But no one could've predicted how quickly the CEO of Goop and With Love, Meghan host would shut down rumors.

Although we didn't see this coming, we're glad Gwyneth decided to poke holes in the "theories" about her alleged feud with Meghan.

Scroll to revisit the rumors that led to Gwyneth Paltrow & Meghan Markle's epic collab

Wait, why did people think Gwyneth Paltrow & Meghan Markle were feuding?

Adam Rose/Netflix

People have been finding ways to rip With Love, Meghan to shreds and have accused Meghan of copying Pamela Anderson's Pamela's Cooking with Love show (via Page Six). PEOPLEalso alludes to a growing call out that Meghan's show imitates Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop. However, the source of Gwyneth and Meghan's rumored feud stems from a reel Paltrow posted a few days ago.

Giving us a peek at what feels like a "soft girl" morning, Gwyneth made "gluten-free buttermilk biscuits, not-so-perfectly cooked over-easy eggs, and crispy bacon #boyfriendbreakfast," per her caption and gave her dog sweet kisses. While some of the comments appreciated a glimpse into her life, some people couldn't help but bring up Meghan Markle.

Here's a few of the standout comments:

  • "I was not a Paltrow fan, until today. This is what authenticity looks like. ♥️ the background song (super trolling Meghan Markle) was a nice touch. Gwyneth’s own home (not a rented mansion) actually cooking like we all do and broke a yolk 🤦🏻♀️ Love it. I’m here for it."
  • "Meghan has become the laughing stock of the world. It doesn’t take much to shade her these days😂"
  • "It's bad enough that women are pitted against each other but it's unforgivable when women do it themselves. I thought Gwyneth had more class but I guess she was just acting."

How did Gwyneth shut down the rumors? 

According to PEOPLE's recent article, Gwyneth sat down to chat with her fans via Instagram Stories yesterday to answer a series of questions from fans. One person asked, "Are you comprehending the Meghan Markle beef that social media says you two have?" Gwyneth didn't waste time by saying, "I genuinely do not understand this at all, whatsoever," before asking someone, "Do you understand this?"

As she moved the camera over, Meghan could be seen eating with a smile on her face. Her responses indicated she didn't know what people were talking about either.

Has Gwyneth addressed the similarities between Goop and 'With Love, Meghan?'

In her Vanity Fair interview, Gwyneth didn't hesitate to share how she really feels about Meghan. She said, "[if] there’s noise about certain women in the culture, I do have, always, a strong instinct to stand up for them."

But, what stands out is what the actress and entrepreneur said next. "I was raised to see other women as friends, not foes. I think there’s always more than enough to go around. Everybody deserves an attempt at everything that they want to try."

Specifically, her mother, actress Blythe Danner, imparted valuable wisdom to her during her younger days that Gwyneth remembers well. During a moment of jealousy, she made a comment about another young woman to which Blythe said, "Another woman is never your competition" because she knows "what is right for you will find you."

Thank God for moms who raise their daughters to be girls girl!

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As much as I love a little skincare splurge, I’m at the point where simplifying my routine takes priority. This means simpler products, gentler ingredients, and most importantly, cheaper options. Turns out, checking all three boxes is possible – I’ve just been looking in all the wrong places.

This Reddit thread highlighting the best “old school” beauty products helped me uncover some seriously underrated finds (for not a lot of money) and gather helpful tips about investing in skincare that really works – way better than the luxury-leaning products of today. A lot of the recommendations are also ahh-mazing for preventing or healing signs of aging. Score!

Scroll on to discover the 8 best “old school” beauty products that feel like a total treat for your skin, all recommended by skincare enthusiasts.

Amazon

1. Pond's Cold Cream

Forget the makeup wipes, and forget the micellar water! Operating as both a makeup remover and cleanser, the Pond's Cold Cream has been around for ages – and for good reason. Per Pond's, it "melts away all traces of your toughest makeup, while infusing skin with vital hydration."

This product has a cult following and around 3,000 5-star ratings on Amazon alone, even though you may think it's too "old school." Here's what Redditors had to say about it (it was mentioned over 20 times in the thread!):

  • “I have been a nurse for 15 years and I promise you every single woman over her '90s with great looking skin. I always ask what products they use.... Every single time it's Pond's."
  • “My grandmother started spending her pocket money on it as a young girl in the 1930’s and had beautiful skin until she died in her 90’s.”
  • “My grandmother lived to be 100. In her assisted living the staff asked me how her skin looked so good...what was her secret? I told them Pond's. She always swore by Pond's cold cream.”
A pack of three 3.5-ounce tubs goes for $15 on Amazon, so that's just $5 a tub – a total steal, if you ask me.

Target

2. Pond's Dry Skin Cream

Another Pond's product was touted for its approachable cost and effectiveness: the Dry Skin Cream. While the Pond's Cold Cream works as a makeup remover and cleanser, you can think of this product as a simple moisturizer to follow up with.

“I always come back to Pond's," one Redditor wrote. "It is affordable and one jar lasts MONTHS because the cream is so thick you don't need a lot to put on your face.” Talk about value!

I was using this product as a moisturizer both morning and night and found it to be super thick, but quick-absorbing. My skin always felt supple and hydrated after every use. Suddenly, I'm convinced to drop my current skincare routine in favor of this simple tub!

One 6.5-ounce container goes for just $6 at Target.

Amazon

3. Jergens All-Purpose Face Cream

One skincare enthusiast noted that the Jergens All-Purpose Face Cream is an “even more frugal” version of the cult classic Pond’s Cold Cream.

Meant to provide a deep cleanse and soften your skin just like the ever-popular Pond's option, a little goes a long way when it comes to this cream. You can currently find a 15-ounce tub on Amazon for $15, which will last you forever.

Amazon

4. Pears Face & Body Soap

I had never heard of this soap before discovering it via Reddit. After seeing it described as a "great, mild, glycerine soap," I might just have to give it a go because mildness is the top quality I look for in a soap or cleanser – I never want my skin's natural moisture to be washed away.

In fact, the official product description says the formula is designed to "attract long-lasting moisture to your skin."

The Redditor that brought this $9 (for a 2-pack on Amazon) soap up also said it's easy to find at the dollar store. BRB, headed there right now.

Amazon

5. Nivea Tinned Creme

Already being a big fan of Nivea's lip balm, I need to try this cream that comes in a convenient $10 13.5-ounce tin. Its provitamin B5-infused formula seems like a perfect fit for healing dry skin, which is especially helpful because I live in a cold climate.

While I might have overlooked this product if I was shopping by myself, it was these Reddit reviews that really flipped a switch in my mind:

  • “This is what I use on my face and it's been amazing. I've noticed some of the finer lines on my forehead and neck have been less noticeable and the Nivea is the only thing that's changed about my skincare recently so it's definitely doing something!”
  • “I had been traveling recently and ran out of my night time moisturizer so, bought a tin of old fashioned Nivea and have been using that at night. It is a revelation. It could be just wishful thinking but it really looks as if it has made a difference to some of the lines on my face and neck."

Amazon

6. Queen Helene Cocoa Butter Cream

When it comes to body lotion, I've found success with both cheap and expensive formulas alike. My go-to is the Palmer's Coconut Oil Body Lotion, and this "old school" pick looks like a great, similar option! Knowing that the formula is very simple (includes natural cocoa butter and pure lanolin) encourages me to try it out even more.

“I swear by Queen Helene Cocoa Butter lotion," one Redditor wrote. "A huge bottle is about four bucks at WalMart. I love it because it is on the thinner side and doesn't make me feel slimy and greasy. It's so old school, I don't think they've changed the logo or packaging in decades.”

A 3-pack of 15-ounce tubs goes for $29 on Amazon, putting each one roughly under $10.

Amazon

7. Albolene Cleansing Balm

Like Pond's Cold Cream and the Jergens All-Purpose Face Cream, Abolene is another reliable makeup remover and cleanser that comes in a creamy balm form. It gets the job done gently, thanks to its sulfate-free, phthalate-free, paraben-free, alcohol-free, and dye-free qualities. It's also hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic, which is friendly for sensitive or acne-prone skin types!

“I love Albolene for makeup removal, cleansing, and moisturizing!" one Redditor wrote. "My grandmother always swore by it.”

“When I was doing theater, Albolene was the very best for removing tough stage makeup," someone else responded. "Way better than other cold creams, so I would sure recommend it for waterproof or long-wear makeup.”

One 6-ounce tub goes for $8 on Amazon!

Amazon

8. Bag Balm Skin Moisturizer

Dry skin-havers will adore this $9 tin. It's made with only a handful of simple hydrating ingredients to nourish dry spots in all sorts of places: cracked hands, chapped lips, split heels, calluses, sunburns, cuticles, tattoos, and "much, much more," per the brand.

“Bag Balm is a favorite of mine!" one Redditor said. "Good for rough patches of skin like elbows and heels. Cheap, too!”

“Bag balm is absolutely amazing for everything!!" another person noted. "It also works great for hot spots on dogs. That green tin is worth its weight in gold!”

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Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.