A recent study from Rent.com reveals some interesting findings about couples' behavior regarding combining households and their personal beliefs about married life. The majority of respondents (75%) said their overall quality of life has improved since moving in with their spouse. The other quarter of survey-takers cited the following as major sources of stress: not having their own space (all the more reason to actually let him have his own man cave), sharing household expenses, and splitting up household chores. When it comes to finances, 62% of couples report that they've improved (one rent bill, score), while 22% say they've actually gotten worse as a result of moving in together.

In addition to assessing couples' attitudes about matrimony, the survey also analyzed which cities are ideal to start your first home together. They ranked them against the national averages for cost of living (calculated from a baseline of 100 from the U.S. Census Bureau), mean annual income ($44,410) and the unemployment rate (8.5%, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics) to score the following winners.

The 10 best cities to start your love nest

Photo Credit: iStock

Each week, we feature wedding music recommendations from Scratch Weddings, the nation's leader with the best wedding DJs at affordable prices. This week's post comes from DJ Center, who spreads his signature sound worldwide, rocking audiences from Los Angeles to Barcelona with infectious sets. He's performed with music icons like John Legend, Estelle and Digable Planets, among others, as well as for corporate clients like Adidas and Gucci. 

From funk, hip-hop, r&b, reggae, pop classics to Latin grooves, Center flows through genres effortlessly. As DJ Center puts it, "Weddings are very special celebrations and I'm honored to entertain on the couple's big day. I create a custom mix that will keep everyone dancing all night long and then talking about it for weeks to come.”

Photo Credit: Amanda Marie Photography

I'm a manicure addict. I love painting my nails and adding color to my life, but I hate how the polish only lasts for a day or two before it starts chipping (and that's if I don't smudge it to begin with). That's why I was thrilled to discover gel manicures, which outlast regular pro manis by two to three weeks, making them the ideal option for busy brides-to-be who don't have time for constant trips to the salon. However, the average cost for a gel manicure is about $33—not exactly affordable when you're trying to save up thousands of dollars for your dream day. 

So when a new DIY kit promised to deliver the same results for much less, the BG editors and I couldn't wait to review it, naturally. The Red Carpet Manicure ($57.94, ulta.com) is the first at-home LED gel polish system. It averages about 20 applications total, so you're only really spending $2.90 per mani. Choose from 54 shades ($9.99 each) for your bridal shower, bachelorette, wedding, and honeymoon. It takes some practice to nail down the technique, so if you aren’t ambidextrous enough to paint both of your hands without getting any polish on your fingers, ask one of your bridesmaids to help you out.

Spring is in the air: It’s daylight savings time, the days are longer and warmer and our May/June issue is on the newsstands! What could be better? I can’t wait to give you a sneak peek, because no matter where you are in the planning process, this issue has fantastic stories, great advice and a ton of ideas you can use.