By the time she’s reached her 20s, your daughter has developed her own style. She probably doesn’t like your clothes either.
No. (And if you’ve already coaxed your daughter into being Facebook friends, don’t comment on how ‘hot’ she looks in all her photos.)
Your son didn’t visit home for the weekend to do your chores. At least say “please.”
When what? Why were you doing this?
Translation: “I am miserable with you gone. Any chance you’ll move back?”
Wedding vow renewals are a rising trend in Hollywood, according to wedding website TheKnot.com. “Perhaps the desire to reaffirm commitment is a healthy reaction to the changing state of marriage,” writes Anna Jane Grossman, a reporter for The New York Times. But she goes on to say, “it seems that restating vows is not a panacea for the evils of divorce, and may even bring into question the sturdiness of the original utterances.”
Read about these four celeb couples who have re-tied the knot, then decide: Is renewing your wedding vows a kiss of death?
Ramona and Mario Singer
“Real Housewife” Ramona Singer and hubby-of-nineteen- years Mario got a chance to say “I do” again at their December 2009 vow renewal ceremony at the Pierre Hotel in New York City.
According to The New York Times, Ramona wore “a custom-made white satin gown trimmed with crystals and ostrich feathers” and “told Mr. Singer that she loved him more now than the first time she married him.” “You know, it wasn’t done as a fluff thing,” Ramona later told a reporter from The New York Times. “When someone does something for real, you feel it. You feel the vibrations. You could feel the love between my husband and I.”
On an episode of “Housewives,” less than two years after the couple reaffirmed their love for each other, Ramona visited a fortune teller who told her Mario was not being faithful. On “Watch What Happens Live” Ramona denied it, saying, “I never take fortune tellers to heart. I know what I have.”
Kris and Bruce Jenner
Kris Jenner, “momager” of the infamous Kardashian clan from hit reality show, “Keeping Up With The Kardashians” was married to hubby and Olympic gold medalist Bruce Jenner on April 21 of 1991. The couple celebrated their twentieth anniversary this past year with a family trip to Bora Bora and a renewal of their vows.
The romantic ceremony was filmed for their Bravo reality show and attended by the Kardashian kids (minus Khloe) and the Jenners’ two children, Kylie and Kendall. According to US Weekly, Kris shed tears during the intimate ceremony officiated by a Tahitian priest on a hilltop at the Hilton Bora Bora Nui Resort and Spa.
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Madonna and Guy Ritchie
In 2008, rumors surfaced that Madonna and hubby Guy Ritchie were on the fast track to divorce. In an effort to re-affirm their marriage, the couple re-tied the knot in a private Kabbalah ceremony in London.
“The ceremony lasted about an hour. They turned up at the Kabbalah centre in their gym clothes and changed into white robes. Everyone at the centre hopes that they will get through their recent rough patch,” according to the Daily Mail.
But, even after a wedding re-do, Madonna and Guy couldn’t “Keep It Together.” The couple split just two months later in October 2008 after seven and a half years of marriage.
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Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony said “I do,” three times in their seven-year marriage. The pair wed in 2004 and renewed their vows four years later while vacationing in Las Vegas. Two years after that, in 2008, they renewed their vows, yet again, at their estate in Hidden Hills, California.
“We realized the bets in Vegas [on whether we’d make it] stopped at five years, so we’re really looking forward to this one,” Marc Anthony joked in US Weekly.
Unfortunately for this celeb couple, the third time wasn’t the charm. J-Lo and Marc Anthony divorced just over one year after vow renewal numero tres.
“Love Don’t Cost a Thing,” but didn’t anyone tell “Jenny from the Block” that all these expensive ceremonies do add up!?
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Heidi Klum and Seal
Weddings are fun, so why not have one every year a la supermodel Heidi Klum and musician-hubby Seal. This celeb couple renews their wedding vows every year around their anniversary with different theme parties.
Past vow renewal celebrations have included a white trash ceremony, a retro-themed party and a “brides and grooms” night. Coinciding with their six-year anniversary this year, the couple renewed their vows at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., with a masquerade style theme, according to New York Magazine. Heidi dressed in a Victorian mask and Seal in a pirate headdress.
“It’s our time – a lovely family time,” she told Redbook. “It’s about remembering this moment of love we gave to each other and reinforcing it.”
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Loading ...Image Sources – Ramona: Zimbio, The Hollywood Gossip / Kris: Zimbio, Bossip / Madonna: Girliegossip, TonicGossip / Jennifer: Zimbio, PopSugar / Heidi: Zimbio, Scoop
Bill Clinton, Bill Cosby and Gene Simmons all cheated on their FOF wives. But, even after highly-publicized scandals, their wives took them back… would you?
Bill Cosby
“Through all the years of my marriage, my love for Camille, like my stomach, has steadily grown.” -Bill Cosby in his book Love and Marriage
“America’s favorite dad”–Yes. “America’s best husband?”–Not so much. In 1997, after a bizarre turn of events, Bill Cosby confessed he cheated on his wife of over forty years, Camille Hanks Cosby. Following the murder of Bill Cosby’s son Ennis, a woman named Autumn Jackson claimed Bill Cosby was her father and threatened to expose the comedian for cheating on his wife with her mother, Shawn Upshaw. Cosby admitted to a “rendezvous” with Autumn Jackson’s mother, but it was determined Autumn was not Cobsy’s daughter. Autumn later served jail time when she was accused of attempting to extort $40 million from Cosby. Sheesh. Give this guy a break? Or would you break up with this man who once referred to marriage as “a gift from the gods”?
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“I did not have sex with that woman.” –Bill Clinton
Despite her husband’s multiple infidelities (Jennifer Flowers, Paula Jones, Monica…), and a national impeachment hearing, Hillary Rodham Clinton stood by her husband. “A vast right-wing conspiracy,” she initially called the charges. But, when the evidence of his affair with Lewinsky became undeniable, she issued a statement “reaffirming her commitment to their marriage” but privately was reported to be furious at him. According to Carl Bernstein’s biography, A Woman in Charge, “Hillary wrote…’I could hardly breathe. Gulping for air, I started crying and yelling at him, ‘What are you saying? Why did you lie to me?’ I was furious and getting more so by the second. He just stood there saying over and over again, ‘I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I was trying to protect you and Chelsea.'”
In the end, Hillary took Bill back. “I really had to dig down deep and think hard about what was right for me, what was right for my family. I never doubted Bill’s love for me ever… The momentary feelings — you know, you are mad, you are really upset, you are disappointed — all of that goes through your mind,” Hillary told Tyra Banks, according to Hollywood.com. “I have found you really shouldn’t make decisions in the heat of those moments.” But, did Hillary make the right decision?
Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.Gene Simmons
“ All relationships are open. Don’t believe there’s any difference between a monogamous and a polygamous relationship. Those are all just big words, like ‘gymnasium.'” – Gene Simmons
Kiss bassist and vocalist Gene Simmons (nickname: “The Demon”) and FOF former Playboy Playmate girlfriend Shannon Tweed have been living in sin for… 28 years. Gene and Shannon, who once described themselves as “happily unmarried,” even have two grown children and their own reality show, Family Jewels. This season, the show has “documented their troubles and family therapy sessions stemming from Simmons’s claim that he has slept with thousands of women,” according to People.com. Since Gene Simmons proposed to Shannon Tweed on the season finale in July, Shannon says their relationship has unraveled. “I wish someone had let me know it was an open relationship. If I’d have known, I’d have been doing the same thing, but he didn’t let me in on the secret,” says Shannon in an interview with a PostMedia News reporter. It is still unclear if the two will ever tie the knot, but Tweed says Simmons has stopped cheating since she threatened to leave but still hasn’t admitted he’s done anything wrong. “He’s still lumping himself into groups, like, ‘We men, we’re not made that way,’” Shannon said. “Don’t say ‘we.’ I don’t want to hear about other men. I don’t care what other men do.”
Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.Sources: Wikipedia, NY Daily News, ABC News, NY Times, TV Guide, Huffington Post, PostMedia News, People.com, Wikipedia
Image Sources: Bill Cosby, Bill Clinton, Gene Simmons
On June 24, gay marriage became legal in New York State. Or, to put it more realistically, marriage became legal for everyone in New York State. The first couple to be wed in New York City on that Sunday were FOFs Connie Kopelov, 85, and Phyllis Siegel, 77. We had the pleasure of chatting with Phyllis last week, and we learned that she and Connie were never looking to be pioneers or heroes. They simply took advantage of an opportunity to feel equal.
How did you and Connie meet?
We met at SAGE, sometime in the late 80s. (Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders). We were both attending a women’s discussion group. At first we knew each other just enough to say hello–we never had conversation. A year or so after that, we were both at another SAGE event–a Christmas social. We found ourselves standing next to each other, and we started to talk. We talked for a very long time. I couldn’t tell you how long, or even what we talked about. As they say, the rest is history.
Had you ever been married prior to meeting Connie?
Never married. I had a 16-year relationship before. In between that, I was just dating.
Did the subject of marriage ever come up between you and Connie before recent events?
No.
How come?
It wasn’t an issue for us. There were civil unions, but I thought that was like throwing a bone at us. It didn’t stand for anything, it didn’t have any entitlements.
And then came Governor Cuomo, who many people credit with making this happen. Do you agree?
I listened to Cuomo’s inaugural, and everything he said came through to me – about balancing the budget; how he was going to do that. And I said to myself, ‘This guy is a doer.’ I didn’t have a problem believing him, which is kind of unusual with politicians. I don’t remember what he said specifically about the gay community, but somehow I had knowledge that he was pro. He stands right up there and he rears up and he roars and he says what he means, so far.
Did you watch the state legislature vote?
No.
So how did you find out?
TV, radio news maybe.
When did you start to think seriously about it?
When he signed the bill (two weeks before it became law), I thought, ‘Do I want to do this? I have a right to do this. What do I think about this?’ I let it roll around in my head. I felt I wanted to be married. And a couple of weeks before the 24th, I said to Connie, ‘Hey, what do you think about this?’ She shrugged her shoulders. I waited for some time to pass and I asked her again, and she grinned from ear to ear. I took that as a positive sign.
What made marriage so appealing to you suddenly?
I’m not sure I can answer that. I felt good about being an equal person. It was there for me to have, so I just took it. And I’m glad that I took it. I love Connie dearly. The county clerk who married us – I listened to his words, as I’d never listened to them before, and they got through to me. I took it seriously. This is not a whim.
Once you decided to do it, what did you have to do?
It was the last week before (the law came into effect). I went down to City Hall, to the licensing bureau, and I said ‘What do I have to do to get married?’ A man explained it to me and gave me a piece of paper, and I said ‘Well, Sunday would not be a good day to come down here. Maybe we should come later in the week when it isn’t so mobbed.’
And yet, you and Connie turned out to be the first ones married–and there was a lot of fanfare. You were in all the New York papers. How did that happen?
After I went to the courthouse, I had occasion to speak to a friend. I told her ‘We’re thinking about getting married.’ An hour later, she called back. She said she had spoken to somebody, maybe the executive director at SAGE, and the next thing I know, we’re whisked away on this. We didn’t have to do anything. Christine Quinn’s office, and people at SAGE, did everything. (Quinn is the Speaker of the New York City Council.)
Why do you think SAGE chose you?
I think they were looking for an older, female couple. And there we were. I didn’t ask any questions. They sent a car service for us and whisked us down to City Hall. And they filled out all the papers and took wonderful care of us. It was so surreal and wonderful.
How far in advance did you know it would happen?
May have been 24 hours.
In a few weeks you went from not really thinking about it to being married.
Yes.
Did you have any sort of reception?
No. It was so sudden. Nobody besides the people around me knew about this. And then there it was on television, newspapers, everybody.
How does it feel to be the first?
In a nutshell – I’ve been a private person and suddenly my privacy has exploded. I’ve been getting calls from radio stations across the country, all congratulating me and wanting me to say something over the air. Most of them want me to be encouraging, but I can only say what I feel.
How do you feel?
I’m very happy to have done it. But I don’t usually advertise, I don’t wear a sign. If it comes up in conversation, I do mention it, it’s there. And since this happened, people in my building have come up to me and congratulated me. People on the street have come over to me and congratulated me.
What’s it like to know you’re an inspiration to others?
I have to tell you, it feels good to come out. And it feels good to be noticed for a positive reason, in a positive way. And I want to say that if you’re in high school, if you have a problem, talk to your guidance counselor. Talk to an older person who is compassionate, who can understand you. Please do that before you do anything else.
What makes you say that?
We know that for many people, high school is when they realize they’re gay. It scares them, and they think they’re being unnatural. There is nothing unnatural about feeling love.
When did you first realize?
I may have been a day or two old.
So your whole life.
Mmhmm.
When did you come out originally?
I’m not sure if that happened.
It was more fluid.
Yes.
Has there been any downside to marriage thus far?
This is good. There is nothing negative. This is all good stuff.
Was this a life-altering event or does it fit in seamlessly because you weren’t striving for it?
I’m not sure. It is life-altering to some extent. The relationship now is formal. It’s legal. It’s mutual. Everything is a “we.” “I” becomes “we.” I don’t have to parse my words anymore.
For many FOFs, a second marriage or a late-in-life marriage is a chance to redefine tradition. Starting with . . . the dresses. Take a look at the outfits that each of these 5 FOF celebs donned on their big day and tell us: I do! or I don’t!
Was this her…something blue? The fifty-year-old “Hot in Cleveland” star rocked a turquoise dress for her New Year’s Day Malibu wedding to financial planner Tom Vitale. The dress was designed by David Meister who had just two weeks to put it together. According to People magazine, it was “a nod to 1940s old Hollywood glamour with a plunging neckline and draped sleeves, the gown also offered a front leg slit for a dose of ‘modern sexy.'” Valerie paired it with strappy Jimmy Choo shoes. The wedding is Valerie’s second — she wore white at her first wedding to Eddie Van Halen, whom she divorced in 2007.
Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.
In August of 2008, just two months after same-sex marriage became legal in California, Ellen DeGeneres and longtime love Portia de Rossi became lawfully wedded wives. Ellen was 50 and Portia was 35. The wedding was held at their $29 million Beverly Hills home. Portia chose a backless pink dress with a full skirt and Ellen chose white pants, a sheer white shirt and white vest. “I want to shout out to Zac Posen; he designed our outfits and they were absolutely gorgeous,” said Ellen on her talk show following the wedding. “You’ve chosen right if you’ve married in white. You’ll be forever blessed if you’re married in a vest. So I chose a vest.”
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When Marcia Cross’s Desperate Housewives character, Bree Van de Kamp, got married, she wore a dress by designer Reem Acra. It was then that Marcia knew she wanted Reem Acra to design the dress she would wear for her own wedding to stockbroker, Tom Mahoney. “It was just a beautiful dress and she [Reem Acra] was kind enough to… make me another one that’s sort of similar,” said Marcia. Marcia accessorized her white custom Reem Acra gown with a cathedral-length veil and Neil Lane platinum-and-diamond jewelry. The couple was married in San Gabriel, California, in 2006. She was 44 and he was 50. The couples first dance was to Etta James’s “At Last.” “You had to pick that one if you’re our age,” she joked.
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Everything seemed to go wrong for the 2005 wedding of Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Charles. Was Camilla’s dress the only success? Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, was 57 when she married Charles in an elegant cream chiffon dress designed by her favorite designer, Anna Valentine. It was hemmed with appliqued disks from Switzerland and paired with an oyster-colored coat. The outfit was such a hit that Camilla reportedly wore it again two years later for the opening of the Welsh Assembly. There’s nothing wrong with a little royal recycling… is there?
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What did the woman who swore she’d never walk down the aisle… wear down the aisle? At their Nantucket beach wedding, Candace Bushnell donned a white Ralph Lauren cocktail dress and hubby Charles Askegard wore a white Prada suit. Both were barefoot. Candace once denounced marriage as a “male institution that leaves women alone and unhappy,” according to the New York Times, but the couple married just eight weeks after they met. Candace was 43 and Charles was 33. When the couple tied the knot on the Fourth of July, a wedding-goer proclaimed it “Lose-Your-Independence Day.”
Loading ...Sources: People, New York Times, E! Online, People, About.com, The Daily Mail Online, People, StarPulse
Img Sources: Valerie- Period Media / Ellen- Celebrity Wedding Buzz, Urmy Celebrity / Marcia- Cool Spotters, People / Camila – Britannica Online Encyclopedia, Tres Sugar / Candace- New York Post, Jodi Hilton Photography
FOF Elizabeth Larson and Steve Steele met in Minneapolis in their 20s and dated briefly. Although the two broke up and lived miles apart (Elizabeth moved to Denver and Steve stayed in Minneapolis), they remained best friends for almost 20 years. After losing touch for 13 years, they reunited in 2009 and married in 2010, both were age 52. Read their heart-warming love story, below:
(Waterproof mascara and tissues recommended!)
In 1986, 28-year-old Elizabeth Steele was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia, a particularly aggressive form of cancer. She underwent rounds of unsuccessful treatment. Defeated, Elizabeth decided to leave her life in Denver and move home to be with her family in Wisconsin.
Her best friend Steve (living in Minneapolis), flew to Denver and drove a terrified Elizabeth home to Wisconsin. “Despite the gravity of the situation, we had a grand time,” says Elizabeth. A few months later, as a last resort, Elizabeth opted for a bone marrow transplant, a new and extremely risky procedure at the time. “The odds of survival weren’t in my favor,” says Elizabeth.” Again, Steve flew from Minneapolis to be by her side. He spent the weekend with Elizabeth, which she thought might be her last. “[It was] a last hurrah,” she says.
Elizabeth survived the treatment (“a miracle,” she says) and at that point she knew Steve was more than her best friend. He was her true love. Steve knew it also, and Elizabeth moved to Minneapolis, the two married and lived happily ever after…
Wait, not so fast. Life is more complicated that that… After Elizabeth’s treatment, she did move to Minneapolis to be with Steve. They tried to make it work but it was the wrong place and the wrong time. “The job market [in Minneapolis] was bleak, so I applied for and was offered a job back in Wisconsin. I accepted it and moved.”
More distance, another failed romance… but again, Elizabeth and Steve remained friends. Elizabeth became engaged to another man. Her fiancee, jealous of Elizabeth’s friendship with Steve, urged her to cut off communication with him. They lost touch for 13 years.
In 1996, Elizabeth terminated her engagement. “[It was] for many practical and serious reasons,” says Elizabeth. “But the greatest one was that he wasn’t Steve.” Still wondering about his whereabouts, Elizabeth searched for Steve to no avail.
Then in 2009, Elizabeth found a man’s profile on Facebook, she believed could be him. “It sounded like his humor, so I took a chance and asked him to be friends,” said Elizabeth. “Within minutes, he responded: ‘I had to hit the “accept” button because they did not have a “you bet your ass button!”‘” “I was certain he was married with kids,” she says.
He wasn’t. And after a few visits, getting to know one another again, Steve told Elizabeth that his past relationships had always been missing something. They didn’t measure up to his relationship with her. Elizabeth told Steve she felt the same way.
“I never believed in a million years that I would marry the man I loved and dreamed of for most of my life,” says Elizabeth. The two had a small wedding celebration in 2010. “I look at my wedding ring and still can’t believe it. Steve has commented on how well I sign my new name (Elizabeth Larson Steele). I tell him that I’ve been practicing it for decades!”
Sometimes love really is better late than never. 3 FOFs share their heart-warming love stories.
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FOF Gerri Shute found love in her late 40s…
“After I left an 11-year relationship, my friend Curt introduced David and me. We hit it off from the beginning.
I wanted to be married though [and didn’t think he’d marry me.] When I told him this, I thought he was going to end it. Instead, a week later he took me to the International Club and made a formal proposal. We both wept. He said, ‘I cried all week long thinking of what my life would be without you.’
We traveled, we entertained, we did everything. It could not have been a better 20 years. My friends said we used to look at each other in a way that said, ‘Boy, I sure won the prize.’
Then he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. The last three years or so of his life were very trying for him. He never once complained. I felt privileged that I was the one taking care of him when he got sick. It was a love affair to the end.”
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FOF Sherry DeRosa found love in her 50s…
“I met Michael at a Super Bowl Party in 2001. He was explaining how hard it had been to get health insurance for his assistant. I said, ‘So you arranged health care for him? I don’t mean to be rude, but that had to cost a fair amount of money.’ And Michael said, ‘Yeah, but it’s the right thing to do.’ I remember thinking, ‘there’s a person who puts his money where his mouth is.’
When I got cancer, I remember him saying, ‘We have breast cancer and we are going to fix it.’ And I said, ‘If you’ll still have me and we get through this, will you marry me?’ And so on April 25, 2009 we got married on an ocean terrace in Laguna Beach surrounded by all the people we love.”
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FOF Mary Nedvins found love at 51…
“I met Skip on Match.com in 2005. After two or three dates, I realized that I was head over heels. All I talked about morning, noon and night was Skip, Skip, Skip. He was handsome, he was smart and he was well made.
Then he went away for almost seven months. He called me once and said only, ‘I have to go away, I can’t tell you where I am. I can’t tell you what I’m doing.’
I was heartbroken. I just didn’t understand why God put somebody in my life and all of a sudden he was gone. I was still on Match.com dating my ass off, literally trying to forget him. I remember one sweet fellow said to me, ‘Is there somebody else in your life? No matter what I do I just can’t seem to get to you, you’re in there but you’re not there.’
One day I was in T.J.Maxx, my phone rang and the caller ID said ‘Skip.’ Someone came up to me and said ‘Do you need a chair, you look like you’re gonna pass out.’ I was going to pass out. I could not believe it was him.
I answered the phone and told him, ‘I’m upset, you just left and I feel like you dumped me.’ He explained that his top-secret government job had kept him from telling me the whole story. ‘Well you know there wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t think about you, and I had your picture with me all the time,’ he said. We haven’t been apart since.”
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Do you have a late-in-life love story? Share it with us, below.
“FOFs tell me they want to get married, they want to find love… but first, you need to be open to dating and having fun,” says expert Cheryl Savage.”
Cheryl warns against going somewhere with the sole purpose of meeting “the one.” Instead, she has this sage advice: “Go for fun, go for adventure and if you see an interesting man…go talk to him!”
Here are her top picks for places where single FOF men congregate…and where FOF women have the best chance of meeting them!
1. Golf Course Bars and Restaurants– After finishing up a round of golf on a Wednesday or Thursday night, many FOF men will unwind at the restaurant at the 18th hole. Many of these men might be married, but there certainly will be some singles amidst the group. Recruit a married girlfriend to accompany you. Married or happily-in-love friends can often be quite encouraging.
2. Car shows – Here’s a spot FOF men, many of them single, gather. Similarly, they gather at car races and sport races. Grab a girlfriend and carouse around. Approach a man you find interesting… If you don’t know much about cars or sports, use it to your advantage. “What do you think is the best car at the show?” is a great conversation starter.
3. A restaurant with bistro tables – Don’t hide in a booth in the back. Sit at a tall table or at the bar. It’s okay to go alone. It is easier for men to approach you when you are at eye level and by yourself. They won’t approach you if they have to bend down to a table or if you are engaged in conversation with someone else. If you’re in a group, turn away from them periodically. I call this, “separating from the herd.”
4. Sports Bars– Especially during big games, men congregate at sports bars. Go with a girlfriend, not another man, even if he is gay or your brother, because a man who wants to approach you may not know that.
5. Bike Riding Groups– Many single, professional FOF men go cycling on Saturday mornings and then head to coffee shops after.
Are there any places FOF singles should avoid? “Sitting home on your couch cuddling two men by the name of Ben and Jerry!” says Cheryl. “My best advice is to get out and have fun. The chances are better than when you don’t.”
Image via Millie Motts
