10 6 / WOMEN’S HEALTH
1
SHOP EVERY-
THING EARLY
The flight, the gift
registry, the hotel,everything—like, as
soon as you know
you’re going. You’ll
have prime access
to cheaper options.2
SKIP THE
SHOWER
It’s mainly for her
mom’s friends any-
way. Send a card,“sit in” via FaceTime,
and call it a day.
3
CHIP IN
TOWARD AN
EXPERIENCE
The couple is less
likely to notice how
much you contrib-uted to their honey-
moon massage
than how much you
spent on a cheap
set of towels.
(Plus, memories
last forever!)All hail the best nugget
of wisdom ever: Yo u
can—and should!—
make a vacation out
of a wedding.
Hear us out: You
took time off work.
You’re in a new (hope-
fully pretty) place.
You’re surrounded by
young love. All of which
makes it the perfect
environment to rekin-
dle yours. So arrive a
night early and make
a fancy dinner res (be-
cause the next fancy
meal is on them). Hire
a babysitter even if
kids are allowed (just...
trust). And always rent
a car (the added cost is
negligible next to what
you’ve already spent).
Not only can you ex-
plore, but your partner
can also do their own
thing when you’re
stuck with wedding
stuff. That’s powerful.
Oh, and speaking of
your partner doing
their own thing? Here’s
another gem from the
therapist’s couch: Let
them sit one out.
“Both parties tend to
be happier when they
aren’t forced to attend
events they don’t want
to go to,” says Bonior.
You can have more
fun when you’re not
worried about whether
they’re having a good
time. Not saying you
should fly solo for every
wedding, but once in a
while, consider giving
your other half a pass—
your sanity and wallet
will thank you too.SAVE YOUR
WALLET
Stats say the average guest
shells out $400 to $1,000-plus
for a single wedding extrava-
ganza. Lessen the blow:
4
ASK FOR A
TRAVEL BUDDY
The betrothed
will know who is
based in your area
and might want to
coordinate a road
trip or shared suite
to split costs.
(Psst: This is also a
polite way to let
them know you’re
on a budget, so you
can get off the hook
for other things.)5
PLAY
DRE S S - U P...
IN YOUR
FRIEND’S
CLOSET
Think about it:
You’ve been to
half a dozen wed-
dings, and so has
she. Trade dresses,
clutches, state-
ment necklaces,
and bam, you’ve got
yourself a whole
new look—for free.SAVE YOUR
’SHIP
Constant commit-
ments, especially
when they’re mostly
from your crew, can
put a lot of pressure
on your bond. Pre-
vent the drama...