1-800-Bridesmaid

Is it a red flag if your boyfriend resents that you make more money? NYC matchmaker Anna Morgenstern joins 1-800 Bridesmaid to explain how modern matchmaking works, why your dating “non-negotiables” might be keeping you single, and why prenups are the new normal. Then they take on two listener letters: a woman who out-earns her boyfriend 3 to 1, and a woman whose matchmaker set her up with her friend’s ex.
In this episode:How matchmaking actually works todayWhy height requirements usually aren’t real deal breakersInstagram matchmaking and the new singles adsAI in dating, and the profile photo mistakes to avoidListener letter: “I make 3x more than my boyfriend and he resents me”Why prenups can lead to stronger marriagesListener letter: “My matchmaker set me up with my friend’s ex”Do soulmates exist?
🔔 Subscribe to 1-800 Bridesmaid for new episodes every other week — real callers, real wedding and friendship dilemmas, real advice.
Got a wedding dilemma or relationship question? Submit your story at 1800Bridesmaid.com.

What happens when your first engagement ends six months before the wedding and your second fiancé calls it off three weeks out? Entrepreneur and marketing consultant Hope Alcocer, founder of Wonder Woman Media, joins 1-800 Bridesmaid to share her story of two called-off engagements, a fresh start in New York City, and the Hinge match she turned down before he became her husband.
In this episode:
Hope's first engagement at 22, and why she called it off
How her second fiancé ended things three weeks before the wedding
Buying a one-way ticket and starting over in NYC
Working through panic attacks on the subway, and finding therapy
The highs and lows of dating in New York
Meeting her husband on Hinge while recovering from long COVID
The Father's Day text that brought them back together
Listener letter: "My fiancé proposed to his ex and never told me"
Listener letter: "I'm on my second engagement and want to call it off"
Cold feet, trusting your intuition, and how your cycle affects big decisions
🔔 Subscribe to 1-800 Bridesmaid for new episodes every other week — real callers, real wedding and friendship dilemmas, real advice.
Got a wedding dilemma or relationship question? Submit your story at 1800Bridesmaid.com.

In this episode of 1-800 Bridesmaid, host Jen Glantz sits down with NYC psychotherapist Jessica Zweig to unpack the messiest parts of modern dating, friendship, and relationships — and answer two real caller dilemmas live on the show.
Jessica works with clients in their 20s, 30s, and 40s on dating, anxiety, trauma, and relationship patterns, and she's bringing that expertise straight to your bridesmaid problems. Jen and Jessica cover:
- Why influencer "dating rules" (the 3-day text rule, who should chase whom) do more harm than good- When — and how — to tell someone you're dating about anxiety, depression, or mental health struggles- How to support a friend going through something you can't relate to- Caller #1: A friend ghosted her for two years, then sent a wedding invite expecting instant forgiveness — should she go?- Caller #2: Her therapist told her to break up with her boyfriend, and he's demanding she stop seeing that therapist. Who's right?- Why weddings can't fix broken friendships, and what to do when someone expects yours to- Breaking toxic relationship cycles and why change is so much harder than wanting change
Whether you're navigating a complicated friendship before a wedding, wondering if you should go to an event for someone you've drifted from, or just love hearing real advice for real bridesmaid problems, this episode delivers no-nonsense, therapist-backed guidance.
🔔 Subscribe to 1-800 Bridesmaid for new episodes every week — real callers, real wedding and friendship dilemmas, real advice.
Got a wedding dilemma or relationship question? Submit your story at https://www.1800Bridesmaid.com.

A bride's bachelorette party ends with a $1,700 surprise Venmo request — for her flights, spa treatments, and a $1,200 bottle service tab nobody agreed to. Jen Glantz and guest Sarah Becker break down whether this caller has to pay, how to handle bachelorette party costs before they spiral, and what to say when a maid of honor pushes back.
Then: a caller whose best friend only reaches out when she's newly single — and disappears the second she's dating someone. Jen and Sarah talk through how to bring this up without ending the friendship, why women's friendships take a back seat in new relationships, and how to keep a friendship alive across different life stages.
In this episode:
How to split bachelorette party costs fairly (and what NOT to agree to pay for)
What to do when you're hit with a bill after the trip is already over
How to talk to a friend who only shows up when she's single
Activity date ideas that beat dinner and drinks
Guest Sarah Becker on making friends, dating with confidence, and setting boundaries
🔔 Subscribe to 1-800 Bridesmaid for new episodes every week — real callers, real wedding and friendship dilemmas, real advice.
Got a wedding dilemma or relationship question? Submit your story at https://www.1800Bridesmaid.com.

Former Cosmopolitan Beauty Director, Carly Cardellino, on what actually works for acne-prone skin, why she's finally sold on sunscreen, and two brides-to-be who wrote in with wedding-planning red flags worth talking through.
In this episode, Carly breaks down how she decides which beauty products are worth recommending, her go-to Sephora picks, and the sunscreen habit she wishes she'd started decades earlier. She also opens up about getting married nine months pregnant, in a dress designed by a friend just days before the ceremony. Then: a letter from a bride whose fiancé keeps suggesting she change her appearance before the wedding, and one from a bride whose fiancé said she's "not his type" in front of his friends.
How to tell if a content creator is actually trustworthy — and when to be skeptical
The sunscreen advice Carly says she ignored for too long
What's a fair ask vs. a red flag when it comes to wedding "glow-ups"
Real talk on two tricky pre-wedding letters, and how each bride handled it
🎧 A Love Stories by David’s podcast, hosted by Jen Glantz, founder of Bridesmaid for Hire and author of Finally the Bride 📩 Submit your own wedding dilemma at https://www.1800Bridesmaid.com  Follow Bridesmaid for Hire & Love Stories by David’s

Why does intimacy change after marriage—and what can couples do when the spark starts to fade? In this episode of *1-800 Bridesmaid*, host Jen Glantz talks with certified sexologist Natassia Miller about desire, long-term relationships, body confidence, sex after having children, and how couples can reconnect inside and outside the bedroom.
Natassia explains why desire does not always happen spontaneously, how stress and resentment can affect intimacy more than hormones, and why staying curious about your partner can strengthen a relationship. She also shares practical ideas for creating more connection, including trying new activities together and understanding what helps each partner feel emotionally and sexually engaged.Then Jen reads a real wedding dilemma: a bride whose future father-in-law drunkenly suggested that her fiancé had cheated—and warned that the behavior might continue after the wedding. Jen and Natassia break down whether she should confront her fiancé, question his father, postpone the wedding, or trust her instincts before making a lifelong commitment.
**In this episode:**
* Why couples lose desire after the honeymoon phase* The difference between spontaneous and responsive desire* How resentment, stress and body image affect intimacy* Sex and relationships after having children* How to reconnect with a long-term partner* Why trying new activities can strengthen a relationship* What to do if you suspect your fiancé cheated* Whether you should postpone or call off a wedding over a major red flag
🎧 A Love Stories by David’s podcast, hosted by Jen Glantz, founder of Bridesmaid for Hire and author of *Finally the Bride*
📩 Submit your own wedding dilemma at 1800Bridesmaid.com
📱 Follow Natassia @natassiamiller | Follow Bridesmaid for Hire & Love Stories by David’s

Can a friendship survive an engagement? In this episode of 1-800 Bridesmaid, host Jen Glantz talks first dances, parent dances, and wedding dance confidence with Coach Maya of Maya Moves, who's taught 500+ couples her no-stress, one-lesson method.
Then Jen reads a real bridesmaid dilemma: a caller whose best friend went quiet the moment she got engaged, leaving her feeling like an outsider in her own friendship. Jen and Maya break down how to bring it up, what actually happened, and why weddings can shake up even the closest friendships.
In this episode:- How to choose your wedding first dance song- Wedding dance tips to avoid feeling awkward- Parent dance ideas (father-daughter, mother-son & more)- What to do when a friend ghosts you after getting engaged- How weddings impact friendships
🎧 A Love Stories by David's podcast, hosted by Jen Glantz, founder of Bridesmaid for Hire and author of Finally the Bride📩 Submit your own wedding dilemma at 1800Bridesmaid.com📱 Follow Maya @maya.mmooves | Follow Bridesmaid for Hire & Love Stories by David's

In this episode of 1-800 Bridesmaid, Jen is joined by Certified NYC Dating Coach, Author, and Founder of The City of Dating, Stevie Bowen. They discuss dating-app burnout, how to meet people in real life, overcoming the fear of rejection, texting after a first date and why modern dating rules may be holding you back.
Stevie also helps answer a listener’s difficult question: Should you stay with someone who is perfect on paper when the thought of your future together fills you with dread?
They discuss:
• How to meet someone without dating apps• The biggest mistakes people make after a first date• Why texting can create false intimacy• Whether you should text immediately after a date• How to know when you’ve fallen out of love• Why staying out of fear can cause more heartbreak• How to start over after ending a long-term relationship
Follow Stevie and learn more about The City of Dating on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and at The City of Dating.
Subscribe for more honest conversations about friendship, dating, relationships, weddings and everything in between.

Ring, ring! It’s 1-800-BRIDESMAID.
Author and professional bridesmaid Jen Glantz brings her hit newsletter to life in this judgment-free space for messy wedding, friendship, and relationship dilemmas.
This week, Jen is joined by Bonnie Winston — celebrity matchmaker, relationship expert, and founder of Bonnie Winston Matchmaker. Bonnie has spent years helping people outsource their love lives, rethink what they’re really looking for, and open themselves up to matches they might have completely overlooked on a dating app.
Together, Jen and Bonnie unpack what modern dating really looks like when the apps stop feeling fun and start feeling exhausting. Why are so many people burned out from dating? Are your “non-negotiables” actually helping you find love, or quietly blocking you from it? What happens when your dream partner looks nothing like the checklist in your head? And how do you know when you need to keep dating — or take a break and come back to yourself?
But today’s listener question hits one of the most vulnerable dating fears of all: what if nobody wants to date me?
A woman writes in saying she’s 34, has been single for three years, has been to therapy, used the apps, said yes to setups, gone to events, and been on 60 dates. Some went somewhere, one lasted four months, and another ended when she found out he was dating someone else the entire time. Meanwhile, her friends are married, having kids, and moving forward — while she’s going to weddings alone, leaving early, and wondering what is wrong with her.
Jen and Bonnie break down what dating burnout really does to your confidence, why “I’ve done everything” might not mean you’re dating with the right intention, and why redefining what you actually want can change the way you show up. Bonnie explains why this listener may not need to disappear from dating for six months, but she does need to stop saying yes without clarity and start advocating for the kind of love she actually wants.
And then comes the twist: the listener eventually deleted the apps, stopped tracking dates, took a pottery class, went on a solo trip to Portugal, started going to bed early, and slowly became someone she liked again. Nine months later, she met someone at a friend’s birthday dinner — and they’ve now been together for a year and a half.
Episode Highlights:
Why hiring a matchmaker is like outsourcing your love life
The difference between what people think they want and who they actually fall in love with
Why your dating checklist might be blocking the right person
What Bonnie tells clients who are too focused on height, education, location, or status
Why dating apps can make people overly judgmental
How to meet people “in the wild” without making it weird
Why saying hello, smiling, and being present still matter
The first-date mistakes that can kill chemistry fast
Why you should not trauma dump on a first date
If you’ve ever wondered why dating feels so hard, questioned whether your standards are helping or hurting you, gone on too many first dates that went nowhere, or felt like everyone else is finding love except you, this episode is full of honest, funny, and deeply human advice about dating burnout, confidence, matchmaking, and what it really means to stay open to love.

Ring, ring! It's 1-800-BRIDESMAID. Author and professional bridesmaid Jen Glantz brings her hit newsletter to life in this judgment-free space for messy wedding, friendship, and relationship dilemmas. What do you do when an ex comes back and says he made a mistake? Dating expert Erin Davis — VIP matchmaker at Three Day Rule and the "female Hitch" — joins Jen to tackle one of the messiest relationship dilemmas out there. Together they break down how to know if someone is truly ready for a relationship, why women fall in love through trust and safety (not instant chemistry), and the small dating "icks" that signal something much bigger.
Erin gets brutally honest about first-date mistakes men keep making, why your apartment could be tanking your dating life, and why the first three months of any relationship are far more fragile than people think. Plus: a listener writes in after her ex reappears six months post-breakup — apologizing, saying all the right things, and asking for another chance. The catch? She's not sure she wants the life she used to want with him. In this episode:
Why getting a second or third date is where most people lose the relationship
The first-date rule Erin thinks every man needs to hear
How women build attraction through trust and safety — not pressure
How to know if a second chance with an ex is actually worth it
Why six months of no contact can change everything
The difference between missing someone and just being triggered
Dating red flags hiding in your home (yes, really)
Why confidence beats clothes, grooming, or any dating "formula"
How to know if you've outgrown the person you thought you wanted