The Numbers on Age Gaps

The first thing the data shows is that large gaps are uncommon for most people. About 60% of married couples in the United States are within 3 years of each other, and roughly 92% are within 10. When a gap does appear, it usually goes in one direction. Census data analyzed by Pew found that 40% of married couples have a husband 3 or more years older, against 10% with a wife 3 or more years older.

Those proportions have held steady since 1970 in wealthy countries. Age-gap relationships are not rising or falling as a share of all couples. What changes is how visible they are, and celebrity culture is where they get the most attention. The gap that looks everywhere in headlines is a rounding error in the census. The visibility gap warps expectations. People absorb the celebrity version as if it were the norm, then judge their own choices, or other people’s, against a sample that was never representative. The headlines are a record of the rare, not a map of how most couples pair off.

The Celebrity Difference

Fame removes most of the practical friction that makes age gaps hard for everyone else. Money is the obvious part. A couple with separate fortunes does not argue about one person being ready to retire while the other pays down debt, which is one of the common strains in age-gap relationships off-screen.

The second part is insulation. Ordinary couples with a wide gap face daily judgment from family and coworkers. A famous couple faces judgment too, but from a distance, filtered through publicists and a public they never meet. Their social circle already spans ages and life stages, so an older partner and a younger one are not unusual inside the world they live in. The pool a celebrity selects from is wide, wealthy, and used to unconventional pairings, and all three of those lower the cost of choosing across a generation. Time works differently at that level too. A demanding career can compress or delay the usual life stages, so a 50-year-old and a 28-year-old in the same industry may be closer in daily rhythm than the numbers suggest. Shared work and constant travel can matter more than birth year, and fame tends to scramble both.

The Appeal of an Older Partner

Strip away the cameras and the motivations look more familiar. People drawn to an older partner often point to steadiness, financial security, and a partner who knows what they want. For many of them, the draw is maturity and direction, not just wanting to date a sugar daddy, as the cliché assumes. The stereotype flattens a range of motives into one tired assumption.

Older partners describe the appeal from their side as energy and a fresh perspective on things they had stopped noticing. Neither side of that is unique to the famous. The difference is that a celebrity can act on the preference without the financial and social penalties that make most people think twice. What gets lost in the gossip is that most of these choices are ordinary preferences taken to an unusual setting. A pull toward someone settled, or toward someone still curious about the world, is common at every income level. Fame does not create the preference. It only removes the friction that usually keeps it quiet.

Stigma and Social Judgment

The judgment celebrities are partly shielded from is the main obstacle for everyone else. Research on age-gap stigma finds higher rates of social isolation, stereotyping, and emotional distress than similarly aged couples report, and the wider the gap, the stronger the effect. The pressure is not imaginary. It comes from family questions, workplace assumptions, and the constant low-grade judgment of strangers who see the pairing as something other than what it is.

The weight of that judgment falls hardest on the young. Around 23% of Americans aged 18 to 34 say they worry about social judgment for age-gap dating, compared with 12% of those aged 35 to 54 and 7% of those aged 55 and older. The people most likely to enter such a relationship are also the most exposed to stigmatization for it, which is part of why the pattern looks glamorous when a celebrity does it and risky when an ordinary person does.

Stability and the Long Run

Research on how these relationships last complicates the glamorous version. Couples often start with higher satisfaction when one partner is younger, but that edge tends to fade within 6 to 10 years, and differently aged couples report steeper declines than similarly aged ones. An analysis from Emory University found that divorce risk climbs with the gap, roughly 18% higher at a 5-year difference and 39% higher at a 10-year difference.

The picture is not all warning. The same body of work finds that couples who talk openly about the gap and build around shared goals report strong, lasting bonds. What predicts success is how directly two people deal with what the years between them bring, far more than the size of the gap itself. Celebrities tend to have the resources to absorb the strain. Everyone else has to manage it in plainer terms. A famous couple can travel to escape attention and absorb a rough patch on savings most people will never have. The same rough patch, for an ordinary couple, arrives with a tighter budget and a louder crowd of opinions.

The Limits of the Comparison

The reason celebrities and age-gap relationships seem made for each other is that fame quietly removes the money worries and the social judgment that make such relationships hard for everyone else. Take those away and what looks daring becomes ordinary. The headline couple proves less about age gaps than about what enough money and distance can smooth over. The smoothness is purchased. It does not come free with the relationship, and it does not transfer to a couple living on ordinary terms.

For anyone tempted to use celebrities as a model for ordinary love, the useful move is to subtract the fame and ask what is left. Sometimes it is a genuine match that would survive anywhere. Often it is a set of conditions no ordinary couple has. The pattern at the top says very little about the odds in the middle, and mistaking one for the other is how a glossy headline turns into a hard year.

Conclusion

Celebrity age-gap relationships attract attention because they are highly visible, not because they reflect how most relationships work. Fame can reduce many of the financial and social pressures that make wider age gaps more challenging for ordinary couples, but it does not change the foundations of a healthy relationship. Shared values, honest communication, mutual respect, and compatible life goals remain far more important than the number of years between two people. Looking beyond celebrity headlines offers a more balanced understanding of age-gap relationships and helps separate public fascination from everyday reality.

The post Why Do Celebs and Age-Gap Relationships Seem to Go Together? appeared first on 12thBLOG.

The Numbers Behind the Relationships

Age differences between Hollywood partners range from a few years to several decades. Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart have 22 years between them, while their relationship has lasted over two decades. Blake Lively married Ryan Reynolds when she was 25 and he was 36, an 11-year gap that rarely gets mentioned in media coverage. These partnerships show that age gaps exist across different ranges, and the longevity of relationships varies regardless of the years separating partners.

Some couples have gaps exceeding 30 years. Dick Van Dyke married Arlene Silver when he was 86 and she was 40, a 46-year difference. Jeff Goldblum became a father in his sixties with his wife Emilie Livingston, who is 30 years younger. These examples demonstrate that Hollywood relationships span various age ranges without following predictable patterns.

How Hollywood Couples Meet Despite Age Differences

Hollywood couples with age gaps often meet through film sets, award ceremonies, or mutual friends in the industry. Some actors meet their partners through dating apps, celebrity matchmaking services, or even sugar daddy dating sites, though most connections happen at industry events or through work collaborations. George Clooney met Amal at his Lake Como home through a mutual friend, while Harrison Ford first encountered Calista Flockhart at the Golden Globes.

The entertainment industry creates natural meeting points for people of different ages who share similar interests in film and art. Age gaps become less noticeable when couples bond over shared passions for acting, directing, or producing. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones connected at a film festival despite their 25-year difference, finding common ground in their Welsh heritage and love for theater.

When Film Sets Create Connections

Movie productions bring together cast and crew members of various ages for months at a time. Johnny Depp met Amber Heard on the set of The Rum Diary when he was 48 and she was 25. Brad Pitt worked with Angelina Jolie on Mr. & Mrs. Smith when their 12-year age gap seemed invisible against their on-screen chemistry. Warren Beatty directed Madonna in Dick Tracy when he was 53 and she was 31, leading to a relationship that lasted over a year.

Directors often date actresses from their films. Woody Allen married Soon-Yi Previn, who is 35 years younger. Sam Taylor-Johnson directed Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Nowhere Boy when she was 42 and he was 18, and they married three years later. These workplace relationships develop during intense creative periods where age becomes secondary to artistic collaboration.

Working on a film set often requires long hours and emotional vulnerability, which can accelerate connection. Actors spend significant time rehearsing, traveling, and shooting together, blurring the line between on-screen chemistry and real-life attraction. This shared experience can lead to lasting relationships, as both partners understand the demands and pressures of the industry.

Financial Dynamics and Public Perception

Age gaps in Hollywood relationships often correlate with financial disparities. The older partner typically has accumulated more wealth through a longer career. George Lucas had already sold Lucasfilm for billions when he married Mellody Hobson, who runs an investment firm. The 25-year age gap between them includes a substantial wealth difference, though both partners have independent careers and notable success in their fields.

Public reaction to age gaps depends heavily on gender dynamics. Leonardo DiCaprio receives jokes about dating women under 25, while his relationships remain legal and consensual. Madonna faced harsher criticism for dating younger men like Jesus Luz and Brahim Zaibat. Male celebrities dating younger women encounter less backlash than female celebrities with younger male partners, revealing double standards in public judgment.

In recent years, public perception has started to shift. Audiences now view many Hollywood couples with more open-mindedness, realizing that compatibility relies on mutual respect, shared interests, and emotional maturity rather than birth year. As society becomes more inclusive and progressive, love stories with large age differences are increasingly normalized, especially in industries that celebrate creativity and individuality.

Legal Marriages and Long-Term Outcomes

Many Hollywood age-gap relationships lead to marriage and children. Alec Baldwin married Hilaria Thomas when he was 54 and she was 28. They now have seven children together. Bruce Willis married Emma Heming when he was 54 and she was 30, and they have two daughters. These marriages show that age differences don’t prevent family formation or relationship stability.

Some age-gap marriages end in divorce, while others last decades. Tom Cruise’s marriages to Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes both involved age gaps and ended in divorce. Meanwhile, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones separated briefly but reunited and remain married after 23 years. The success or failure of these relationships depends on factors beyond age difference, including lifestyle compatibility, communication, and long-term goals.

Career Impacts and Power Dynamics

Age gaps can affect career trajectories differently for each partner. Younger partners sometimes see career boosts from high-profile relationships. Amal Clooney’s human rights work gained more media attention after marrying George. Conversely, some younger partners pause their careers to focus on family, like Hilaria Baldwin, who shifted from yoga instruction to parenting and podcasting.

Power imbalances exist when established stars date newcomers. Harvey Weinstein’s marriages to younger women occurred alongside his position as a powerful producer, though his criminal behavior exists separately from age-gap relationships. Steven Spielberg married Kate Capshaw after directing her in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, when he had already won multiple Oscars and she was building her career. These dynamics require careful consideration of consent and agency rather than assumptions based solely on age differences.

It’s also important to note that not every relationship with an age difference stems from inequality. Many Hollywood couples emphasize mutual respect and shared decision-making, regardless of fame or career stage. As the entertainment industry grows more inclusive, more couples are redefining what love looks like — proving that emotional connection can transcend numbers and norms.

Conclusion: Redefining Love Across Generations

Hollywood couples with significant age gaps prove that love doesn’t follow a single formula. These relationships, whether enduring or short-lived, highlight that compatibility depends more on emotional intelligence, mutual respect, and communication than on the number of candles on a birthday cake.

In the entertainment industry — where fame, travel, and demanding schedules often test even the strongest bonds — successful age-gap relationships demonstrate that commitment can transcend stereotypes. As audiences grow more accepting of diverse romantic dynamics, Hollywood continues to offer examples of partnerships that challenge convention while celebrating genuine connection.

Ultimately, these relationships remind us that love’s success is not defined by age but by understanding, respect, and shared purpose. Whether separated by five years or forty, lasting relationships thrive on trust, compassion, and a willingness to grow together — no matter the generation.

The post Famous Hollywood Couples With Age Gaps appeared first on 12thBLOG.

Influence on Perceptions of Real-Life Relationships

A study by the University of Michigan involving 426 female undergraduates found that individuals who perceived romantic comedies as realistic were more prone to believe myths about stalking. These participants also viewed persistent romantic pursuit as acceptable, even when the pursued individual showed signs of disinterest. Conversely, when the same group watched psychological thrillers featuring stalking behavior, they were less inclined to perceive the behavior as romantic and more likely to recognize it as dangerous. This indicates that the comedic framing of persistent romantic pursuit in romantic comedies can convert otherwise disturbing behavior into something perceived as charming.

In a different study conducted by Saint Mary’s College of California, researchers examined how media shapes relationship expectations and beliefs. They identified “love conquers all” as the most common takeaway message from romantic comedies. This message, although aspirational, can lead to unrealistic expectations and subsequent disappointment in real-life relationships. Additionally, the portrayal of love overcoming significant obstacles often downplays the complexities inherent in real relationships.

Romantic Comedy and Relationship Satisfaction

A 2023 poll of 2,000 British adults revealed that 46% of respondents perceived romantic comedies like “Notting Hill” and “Pretty Woman” as presenting unrealistic relationship expectations. Only 29% believed these films accurately depict real-life romance. Over a quarter of those surveyed reported having argued with a partner due to situations influenced by romantic comedies, and 15% had ended a relationship because of the expectations set by these films. Despite these issues, romantic comedies remain popular, with 35% of Britons watching them regularly.

Interestingly, the poll also found that 40% of participants felt more satisfied watching a romantic comedy than interacting with their partner. This finding highlights the escapist appeal of these films and underscores the potential for viewers to set unrealistic standards for their relationships based on their cinematic experiences. Psychologist Jo Hemming emphasized the importance of self-reflection for viewers, noting that film scenarios like holding a boombox outside someone’s window might not translate well into real-life relationship practices.

Historical Context and Modern Impact

The term “date” appeared in historical records in English in 1896, around the time when urban women began earning their own money and going out independently, as noted by Moira Weigel in “Labor of Love: The Invention of Dating.” This suggests that dating, as understood today, coincides with evolving gender roles and expectations. Additionally, a 2016 study published in the journal Communication Research found that media portrayals of persistent romantic pursuit can shape viewers’ beliefs about stalking. Participants who watched romantic comedies showcasing this trope were more likely to agree with myths such as “Many alleged stalking victims are actually people who played hard to get and changed their minds afterward.”

Contrastingly, the same participants who watched psychological thrillers recognized stalking behavior as dangerous rather than romantic. This discrepancy points to how comedic framing in romantic comedies can skew the perception of inappropriate behavior.

Media Portrayals and Real-Life Expectations

In her book “Magnificent Rebels: The First Romantics and the Invention of the Self,” Andrea Wulf discusses how the ideas of the Jena Romantics in late 18th-century Germany have influenced contemporary views on love and relationships. This group, influenced by the French Revolution’s emphasis on individualism and emotional experience, contributed to the development of romanticism.

Options for finding a partner today are plentiful and varied, including everything from traditional dating to people wanting to know how to find a sugar daddy. This variety guarantees that everyone can find the method that best suits their relationship goals and preferences. Despite the prevalence of modern dating methods, the romantic ideal of spontaneous meet-cutes persists, with many young people still yearning for serendipitous connections. This highlights that while technology has altered modern dating dynamics, the underlying desires for love and connection remain largely unchanged.

Lacey Greenwell, in her research paper “The Effects of Romantic Comedies on Relationships,” explores how idealized portrayals of love in these films can negatively impact real-life relationships, noting the high divorce rate in American marriages. Although Greenwell stops short of attributing these divorce rates directly to romantic comedies, she does discuss how these films’ unrealistic portrayals of relationships contribute to dissatisfaction and unrealistic expectations.

Intriguingly, a study by the University of Rochester found that married couples who watched and discussed romantic comedies experienced increased relationship satisfaction over time. This suggests that recognition of the distinctions between on-screen and real-life relationships can mitigate negative impacts, enhancing relationship satisfaction.

In her article “In Romantic Comedies, It’s Cute. In Real Life, It’s Stalking,” Daron Taylor discusses how “romantic” movie gestures, such as a man hiring a detective to track down his prom date in “There’s Something About Mary,” would be construed as stalking in real life. This observation stresses the power of media to shape perceptions of acceptable behavior in relationships.

The Atlantic’s Faith Hill examines how dating apps have influenced expectations and experiences of romance. These apps have facilitated meeting potential partners but also introduced challenges like constant searching for better options and unrealistic expectations. While technology has significantly altered dating landscapes, the romantic ideal of spontaneous and serendipitous meetings continues to hold allure for many young people.

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(Sven Mieke / Unsplash)

Men’s physique and hence masculinity are linked to muscle. The idea of femaleness or demonstrations of womanhood is not associated with muscularity.

Consequently, there is a big misconception that a sexy fbb does not adhere to the accepted standards of femininity.

What it means to be a “real woman” is put to the test by a sexy fbb. The idea that all men are huge, strong, and powerful, and all women are smaller, weaker, and more reliant on men is questioned. The mystery of a sexy fbb femininity can be enormous.

Female Bodybuilders And Femininity

Many times, sexy fbb’s are accused of using steroids, being weird, uncertain about their sexuality, or intentionally seeking to upset people. They are accused of either having too much testosterone or not enough femininity.

They frequently hear that they are transvestites, greedy mothers, man-haters, or ugly.

On the other hand, we relate muscle to sports that are dominated by men, like bodybuilding.

Culturally speaking, bodybuilding is nearly entirely associated with men. Men participate, and their strength is the only factor considered. Their muscular bodies are contrasted based on symmetry, muscular shape, size, development, and overall presentation.

Sexy fbb’s must minimize their muscularity, unlike men who compete in bodybuilding. Only women are allowed to participate in bodybuilding or body figure competitions.

Additionally, it is a sport where the conflict between masculinity and femininity is most blatant.

Many women put in long, arduous hours of training to build strength and muscle, only to hear on competition day that they lack femininity. In contrast to men’s bodybuilding, femininity is considered while judging women’s bodybuilding.

Competitors are instructed to minimize their physique and muscle mass while emphasizing femininity, symmetry, proportion, tone, and definition.

They should also have an hourglass form, make beautiful moves, and move softly. They must dress in heels, revealing bikinis, and makeup.

Even ladies with enormous busts, who are attractive and thin, and whose muscles are hidden unless flexed, have been chosen by judges.

A feminine physique is slim, presentable, and appealing to men. Sports like body sculpting use femininity as a buffer to offset the fact that women also have muscle because the muscular female form is so difficult.

Women also develop muscle and strength when they work out and use their bodies the same way as male sportsmen. Being feminine keeps us from appreciating muscle. Muscle is not the issue.

Femininity itself is the issue. Ideas about what it means to be a woman make muscular women seem out of place. Femininity normalizes a round, soft, petite, and heterosexually attractive female figure.

Most women must expose their femininity on their bodies because it cannot be found within the body. This presentation is accomplished through minimizing muscularity, attire preference, makeup, hairstyles, grooming attention, and fingernail care.

Why Men Find Sexy Fbb’s Attractive

Without a doubt, sexy fbb’s are attractive, and men know it. However, what factors are responsible for men’s attractiveness to sexy fbb’s?

For a start, sexy fbb’s are beautiful. Men love beautiful and hot-looking girls they can always flaunt. Although female bodybuilders may lack the curves and shape of a non-bodybuilder, this has not stopped them from being attractive to many men who want them for a relationship or to satisfy a fetish.

Men have sexual desires and fetishes, and a man whose sexual fetish is a sexy fbb would no doubt be attracted to this kind of woman. However, this in no way suggests that there aren’t men genuinely interested in female bodybuilders.

Another reason men find female bodybuilders attractive is that sexy fbb’s are considered healthy and fit. This is because bodybuilding is an element of exercise and exercise has numerous health benefits.

Female bodybuilders spend several hours in the gym, resulting in a healthy body and mind.

Having a desirable body gives you plenty of confidence and boosts your self-esteem. Yes, that’s right. Men love confident women; women who have high self-esteem know their self-worth.

Now, don’t mistake this for arrogance or pride. Men don’t like arrogant women, and being a sexy fbb won’t cover up for this.

There are many other reasons men love female bodybuilders. However, the fact is these reasons vary and are completely subjective.

In addition, not all men are attracted to female bodybuilders, but many men wouldn’t mind dating a sexy fbb.

The post Female Bodybuilders And Femininity: How Men Find Sexy Fbb’s Attractive appeared first on 12thBLOG.

Regular sex isn’t only an excellent alternative to physical exercises but also helps to overcome depression, strengthen the immune system, and reduce blood pressure. If you want to bring a bit of charm and variety to your intimate life, here are eight ways to do it.

Regular workouts

It has long been proven that regular exercises are very beneficial for health and, in addition, affect the degree of sexual arousal. Exercises that make the muscles of the perineum work are especially effective. That’s why sexologists strongly recommend doing daily exercises. You can start with 20-30 minutes a day. This will help improve blood circulation in the body, overall well-being, and, as a result, increase libido.

Nuts and seeds

In addition to sports, experts advise eating pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, and almonds. They contain a large amount of arginine. This is an amino acid which increases the flow of blood to the genitals. Sexologists call it natural Viagra. It can bring back sexual arousal and greatly enhance it. In addition, you should include products with a high content of zinc, vitamins A, E and Group B to your diet. These microelements contribute to the production of sex hormones and are necessary for the health of genital organs.

Sweet Viagra

Everyone knows that chocolate is an excellent aphrodisiac which stimulates the production of sex hormones, improves mood, and positively affects certain areas of the brain responsible for pleasure. Chocolate contains phenylethylamine which increases libido. This component is also called the substance of love because the human body produces it only when the person falls in love. But only high-quality chocolate with a high content of cocoa can increase sexual desire.

Less sex

Usually, the lack of sexual attraction is the problem experienced couples face. The best option, in this case, is to say no to sex at least for a couple of weeks. You can also tease yourself by flirting with other women or going online and chatting with some Russian girls on a dating site. This should be enough to spark your sexual desire.

A night for two

Perhaps this advice sounds a bit banal, but its effectiveness is obvious. A romantic dinner for two with a bottle of good wine, surrounded by aroma candles, and accompanied by quiet music strengthens the connection between partners. In addition, it can serve as foreplay to a night of passion. You can continue the evening with some massage. Try oils-aphrodisiacs. They’ll help you spice up the process. You can choose between ginseng, sandalwood, cinnamon, geranium, or ylang-ylang oils. They have long been used as a natural remedy for the recovery and enhancement of sexual desire. Sharing a bath with a couple of drops of these oils will also help increase your and your partner’s libido.

Positive attitude

In eight cases out of ten, the main cause of low libido is depression and stress. They are the greatest enemies of libido. Stress and anxiety can increase the production of a hormone called cortisol. Increased cortisol leads to a drop in the testosterone level. Try to practice some methods for managing stress, such as deep breathing.

Sexual desire directly depends on your psychological state. The reasons for stress can be different: a conflict at work or a quarrel with your loved one. Constant negative thoughts reduce sexual desire, as well. Therefore, in order to maintain your libido or increase it, all bad thoughts need to be left outside your bedroom. Gradually getting rid of depression, you’ll return your sexual desire in a natural way.

Give up smoking

All the potential dangers of smoking are already known to us, but very few people know that because of nicotine, the blood flow throughout the body slows down. This happens due to the narrowing of the blood vessels, especially in the genital area. In addition, smoking causes bad breath and lowers energy levels.

Eat more foods that increase libido

Beet and its juice are a natural energetic for libido. This vegetable is full of nitrates which turn into nitric oxide as soon as they enter the body. Nitric oxide increases blood flow and opens blood vessels. This helps improve blood circulation in the genital area.

Here are some other products that boost your libido:

– Chili pepper (rich in capsaicin which improves blood flow);
– Cauliflower and broccoli (increase the level of testosterone);
– Mussels (contain omega-3 fatty acids);
– Pomegranates (positively affect your testosterone level).

You can also try natural supplements such as ginkgo biloba, L-arginine, acetyl-L-carnitine, fenugreek, Tribulus Terrestris, and L-citrulline. These can significantly improve your libido.

The post 8 Healthy Ways to Boost Male Libido After 40 appeared first on 12thBLOG.

Every girl wants her wedding to be unique. The sunflower wedding is a great idea for people who want to impress their guests and to make a great photo session that creates an enduring memory. Such a wedding will look fresh and sunny. Sunflower blooms can be seen throughout much of summer and fall, so choose the date during this season. Take a look at the most interesting ideas for a bright wedding.

1. The Bride’s Bouquet

It can be a simple sunflower bouquet, just 5-7 sunflowers. If you want something more interesting, you can add other flowers and decorations: lush greenery, peonies, small roses, feathers, ribbons etc. You can make a bouquet on your own, it’s simple.

2. Table Decorations

There is only one condition: sunflowers everywhere! No, it’s not too much. These flowers will create a cheerful atmosphere. Sunflowers are perfect for an outdoor wedding. Put them in little vases (or just bottles) and place on every table along with candles, you can choose yellow ones.

3. Wedding Arch

There is no need to wear a yellow dress or buy a sunflower print dress. It’ll be too much. You need to add just a little detail connected with these flowers. Small floral headbands will fit great and the bride will look tender.

Choose pretty yellow heels or grab a pair of Converse shoes. Be more creative! If you want something simple – put a sunflower on a dress and that’s all.

5. Groom Style

A small sunflower on his suit will look perfect. Another idea to improve his look is a yellow tie or bow-tie. Yellow shoes will be great too.

6. Presents for guests

You can make a great surprise for your guests after a wedding and thank them in this way. Just give every guest a packet of sunflower seeds and ask to plant their own summery blooms at home. They will remember your wedding for a long time. Such a present is a good memory.

7. A cake

Of course the cake should be with sunflowers for this kind of a wedding. If you prefer something more simple – you can order just a nice yellow cake.

Cupcakes are a good alternative for a wedding cake. This dessert is really popular now.

8. Invitations

You can put a little sunflower on every invitation.

Or choose a drawn variant

How about cookies invitations?

9. Decorations

Make a real flower wedding, put sunflowers everywhere they can look beautiful. Wood and hay will be great as decorations.

10. Photos

The last and maybe the most important reason to choose a sunflower wedding. You will be a couple with the most unbelievable photo session in a sunflower field. Take a look at these photos and no doubt, you’ll think seriously about this kind of wedding.

The post Sunflower Wedding: 10 Awesome Tips appeared first on 12thBLOG.

Some couples may think that love is all about red roses, chocolates, and sweet love notes. Married couples know better. It’s about the weird things that only the two of you will get — and this often means a whole lot of TMI. Hey, it’s kind of romantic . . . we guess? Imgur user lassann shared these hilarious notes left by couples that show what true love is all about, even if it isn’t always pretty.

The post 23 “Love” Notes That Show What Marriage Is Really Like appeared first on 12thBLOG.

1. Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato is dating Wilmer Valderama, who played Fez on That 70s Show and is also the worst and a monster and super older than her. He’s known for dating actresses much younger than he is (think “barely legal” status), so poor Demi might only have a month or two left before she ages out of the game.

2. Selena Gomez

After their break up, Justin Bieber was so torn up about Selena Gomez that he went on a rampage. He peed in janitor’s mop buckets, did drugs, hooked up with prostitutes and started acting super aggressive. Gomez saw all of this and apparently thought “Oh, I gotta get that back!”

3. Halle Berry

Halle Berry has been married three times, and every single marriage falls apart in extremely crazy ways. Her current husband, Olivier Martinez, busted up her ex-boyfriend and baby daddy Gabriel Aubry’s face on Thanksgiving morning a few years ago. Hey, maybe make sure a guy isn’t a psycho before you marry him, eh Halle?

4. Iggy Azalea

Maybe it was a bad idea for Iggy Azaela to get A$AP Rocky’s name tattooed on her, because the relationship didn’t last. Then again, after the fact, he denied ever dating her, so it’s good that she’s got proof at least. Last week, photos surfaced of Azalea’s current live-in boyfriend, Nick Young, getting handsy with some strange women. Also, Nick Young calls himself “Swaggy P” and tweeted about having to sleep on the couch. Because, you know, he’s the victim here.

5. Khloe Kardashian

Khloe is attempting to divorce her husband, Lamar Odom, but she has to find him first. Her new boyfriend, French Montana has openly admitted to using her fame to his advantage. But it’s not working too well, because I had to Google him just now and I’m still not impressed.

6. Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez dated P Diddy, and the relationship ended with an incident involving a gun. She was engaged to Ben Affleck, but that ended amidst rumors of gambling, boozing and strippers. She also has an ex-husband, Ojani Noa, who tried selling a sex tape of her that didn’t even have any sex in it. Oh, and Marc Anthony, who has a monster face. Yeesh.

7. Katy Perry

After Russell Brand reportedly asked her for a divorce via text message, Katy Perry moved on to John Mayer. Then they broke up, she dated dick-pic-enthusiast Diplo (who mocks Taylor Swift’s derriere online and just got an ex pregnant), and then got back together with John Mayer this month. Mayer has a track record of saying awful things about all of his exes, so maybe Perry got back together with him so he’d keep her secrets a little while longer.

8. Kylie Jenner

Kylie Jenner is dating a the father of her sister’s best friend’s baby, whom he left for her. Also, he’s a grown up and she’s not. It’s icky.

9. Rihanna

We’ll give Rihanna a pass on Chris Brown, he fooled all of us. Then she started hanging out with Drake, whose idea of working through issues is to air their dirty laundry in interviews and songs, and maybe to threaten strippers once in a while. Classy.

10. Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s dated her share of alleged jerks, including John Mayer, Joe Jonas and Jake Gyllenhaal (though apparently only she thinks Jake’s a jerk, as his rep is good everywhere else(. Maybe she keeps picking them up because failed relationships lead to gold records?

The post 10 Famous Ladies That Are Addicted To Dating Douchebags appeared first on 12thBLOG.

I have regular reflections in the art of relationships. I surmise over the jealousy, the fights and the troubled sex that often ensues over time. I sometimes wish that being single were a more revered way of life. I think if singlehood was more acceptable then we, as a collective society, would be much happier and at peace with being by ourselves. We would be at peace with being alone, instead of always trying to force the juice out of every union, force our ideals and expectations into every romantic interlude and feel pain and sorrow over lost connections.

Concepts such as letting one another be, acceptance, letting go and impermanence are all concepts associated with Buddhist ways of life and are ultimately ideal in getting relationships to work. But, so few people are walking around understanding, let alone embracing these concepts and ideologies. Many know and want to change. But, in the face of reality, whether it be societal prescriptions or innate urgings, often fail.

So many people are ready to be kept or tied down with a ball and chain, that I decided to compile a list of all the things I love about being single. Here are 10 reasons to embrace the fact that you are not in a relationship and love your single life.

When you are single you can do what you want, when you want and with whom you want. Being single is all about you. It is a special time to be true to yourself and be a little selfish. “You” is at the crux of embracing your single life. I am going to run down a list of reminders on why being single is not so bad after all.

1. No compromising.

When you are single, you can do whatever it is that you love, without having to compromise for someone else’s needs or desires. Maybe you like fried chicken or you like to eat cookies under the stars in a tent in your backyard. There is nothing you have to give up. You can indulge in your guilty pleasures or just simply be yourself without having to give up any part of your pleasure in order to codify someone else.

2. No explaining or justifying.

Not only do you not have to give up your pleasures, but neither do you have to explain or justify to anyone why it is you like doing them. This is liberating. Be yourself, no ifs ands or buts about it.

3. No guilt.

Guilt is something that we can definitely do without. But, so much of our relationships revolve around guilt. The aformentioned compromising and explaining are often things we do to protect our relationship from it’s demise. We fear the loss. Instead of embracing impermanence and remembering what joys singlehood can bring, we often feel bad and guilty about our “selfish” ways. This leads to self- compromising behaviors.

4. No jealousy or insecurity.

Remember this? Jealousy can come from you or your partner. When you celebrate your singlehood, jealousy and insecurity about other people fall down by the wayside. Who cares anymore? The most important person has become you. The ability to live and let live suddenly becomes within your reach. Goodbye jealousy.

5. Friends.

Partners not only want explanations and compromise, but they also may be jealous of your friends? Perhaps, partners may limit the time you have to spend with friends. In many ways friends are more important than our partners. They are there for us when our relationships hit turbulence. Being single is a great time to nurture your friendships. So, hang out with your most debaucherous friends and feel not guilt about it.

6. Develop your identity.

So often people lose themselves in other people, in their partner or in their relationship. Who are you? What is special about you? Singlehood is when you can really let yourself shine and be who you are meant to be.

7. Have “me time.”

Like I mentioned before, the crux of singlehood is the freedom to do what you want, when you want, how you want, why you want and with whom. There is no one to answer to, explain, justify and compromise for. This independence should be embraced. You want a quiet evening at home or an entire week of solitude. It is all yours. Just say the word. The act of self-care is easy.

8. Pursue your dreams.

Being single affords you the ability to pursue your dreams. Want to travel the world or join a touring circus? Guess what? Being single makes these types of dreams much easier. Single people can do the things that those in relationships cannot. Chart uncharted territory, be a trail blazer or do something that you have never done before. It might be easier to do these things without a ball and chain.

9. Financial independence.

You do not have to ever pay for anyone else. You make your own money. So, spend your money the way you want. No joint bank accounts, no one telling you how to spend your money and no one asking you where your money went.

10. Emotional independence.

This is probably the most liberating piece of all. Partners are not always supportive of our emotions. They take our emotions personally, they don’t understand them or they don’t support what we are feeling. Singles don’t have to explain why they feel happy, sad, angry, tired, moody, crabby or frustrated to anyone. Feel free to feel every emotion you have inside of you and not have to respond to anyone else about them.

Some of these things sound downright selfish. But, the irony of it is that these seemingly selfish concepts might actually benefit our relationships. We might end up feeling better about ourselves in the long run, which in the end is key for long term happiness.

The post Being Single Isn’t The End Of The World—10 Reasons Why It Rocks! appeared first on 12thBLOG.

You don’t need someone else to feel complete, because you are the only person that can truly make yourself feel whole. While cheesy, it’s the most important love lesson Cheryl Strayed teaches.

2. Never give up.

Because when you get to the finish line, it’s the best feeling in the world.

3. The right size boots are everything.

Seriously though, before you hike make sure you have the right size boots, because toenails are super important.

4. Trust your instincts.

Especially when it comes to people, it’s okay to trust people, but also keep your guard up a little bit because your gut is normally right.

5. Be rich in love.

Cheryl grew up in poverty, but her mother used to say that they were “rich in love” which is all you need. That and a large pizza.

6. You never know when you’ll need condoms.

Okay, so you don’t need a whole roll when you’re hiking the PCT, but keeping one is a good omen.

7. Always be in the driver’s seat of your life.

Cheryl Strayed’s mom Bobbi learned that lesson the hard way. She was someones wife, someones mom, but she regretted never being in control of her own life.

8. Find your best self.

Whether you have to hike 1,200 miles or write a novel or whatever it is you need, find it. Stop regretting things in the past because it got you to where you are now.

9. Sometimes the one you love isn’t the one.

Cheryl and her ex remain close throughout the movie. Even though they were in love when they split, they recognized they shouldn’t be together.

10. Life is an adventure.

Be spontaneous and wild and keep going no matter how shitty things get. Wallowing will get you no where, and if necessary leave that shitty life behind and find something better.

The post 10 Super Valuable Life Lessons From ‘Wild’ appeared first on 12thBLOG.