Ring shopping led me into the history of “black diamonds”—from novels to post-apartheid South Africa—and why I chose a different stone.

I found my wedding dress—and couldn’t afford it. A quiet, honest essay on wedding culture, money, shame, and still wanting a celebration.

A curated list of wedding fiction I’ve read—quick, spoiler-light reviews with publication details (publisher, date, genre), spanning American and African literature.

“At the end of a week of studying each other, [the] preacher got out his Bible, placed the woman’s hand on top of it, and laid his own on top of hers. Then they bowed their heads in silent prayer, and when they raised them, they were man and wife.”  — Dorothy West It was in this light with which we wished to wed. No Bible was present, but just as the Bible facilitated their union, books have always helped me figure out how I want to live my life, including how I get married.

Leaving my PhD Program

This may become a series in which I explore biblical stories. I use the Bible not as a holy text, but as a collection of stories. When the religious framing is removed, we allow ourselves to play—to interpret, to question, to see ourselves reflected in the characters rather than using it as a dogmatic rulebook to control other people. If you already know what Sephora is, and its connection to Zipporah, great. If you’re here to understand what I mean when I say I’m in my Zippo

The idea of flowers having some kind of meaning attached to flowers comes out of the victorian era. While this idea is romantic, not...

I like to say that my fiance and I are doing our paper work in vegas becase the word eloping makes it sound like thst all we are doing. We will be there for a few days and I know that I am a lip gloss girl: easy to reapply without a mirror, moisturizing, and gives just enough color. While two of NYX’s products have been a miss for me , their glosses do not disappoint. They’re moisturizing without being sticky, ergonomically efficient, and affordable. Unlike their fat lip oil

A Book review of The Wedding People by Alison Espach