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Distraught bride explains why no one showed for her wedding

<p>The heartbroken bride who went viral after no one showed up to her wedding has updated her followers on the events leading up to the big day. </p> <p>Kalina Marie, a bride from the US, went <a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/relationships/what-did-we-do-bride-shares-heartbroken-reaction-to-empty-wedding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">viral</a> after she took to TikTok to share the gut-wrenching video of the moment her and her new husband Shane stepped inside the lavishly decorated hall with their son, as they tried to come to terms with the fact that only a handful of people showed to celebrate with them. </p> <p>“FIVE PEOPLE SHOWED UP!!!!!!! Like, are you kidding me!?!? As you see in the video, we enter the venue. And no one is there," she wrote in the caption of the video before adding, “It just makes me think, like, why? What did we do? Am I that bad of a person?"</p> <p>Her video raked up millions of views with many people sharing words of encouragement, and thousands of people asking for an update on the situation.</p> <p>Hundreds of comments asked Kalina if she had heard from any of the invitees who didn't show up, wondering if they had provided her with a reason. </p> <p>In response to the comments, Kalina made another video to share some context with her followers.</p> <p>She first explained that and her husband, who have been together for nine years, got engaged in 2019 and weren’t able to have their wedding when they had intended to, due to the pandemic.</p> <p>In January this year, they announced they were finally tying the knot in October and for the past 10 months, Ms Marie said she has been “blabbing about it” all over Facebook.</p> <p>“I created a Facebook event and invited everyone I could and also sent out over 25 invitations to our elders and those not on social media to make sure they were included as well,” she said in a video.</p> <p>Ms Marie said she received notice from 40 who said they would be coming to the big day, so she planned for that number by setting up the venue accordingly and ensuring her mum had catered enough food.</p> <p>She also made sure to check in with everyone the week of to confirm their attendance, and said “at least 20 people” had gotten back to her saying they were coming, leaving her asking why those people chose not to show up at the last minute. </p> <p>“If I could answer that, I would tell you. And no, I haven’t really received a lot of messages explaining why people weren’t there or giving me excuses,” she said.</p> <p>However, the newlywed said she was actually grateful for this because it meant she could get a clear understanding of who actually cared about her and her husband.</p> <p>“We’ve been having to deal with the grief of deleting a lot of people out of our lives,” she admitted. </p> <p>“For the most part, we’ve done a lot of re-evaluating our lives and just spending a lot of time appreciating what we have and what we had.”</p> <p>To anyone who has had something similar happen to them, Ms Marie says: “I am truly very sorry as I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.”</p> <p>The comments section of the video was again flooded with words of support and encouragement for the newlyweds, as one person wrote, “My heart aches for you,” while another called it “cruel” and “unbelievable.”</p> <p>Others emphasised that it was a powerful learning moment: “You really find out who your friends are when you have a wedding. Sorry, you went through this,” insisted one commenter.</p> <p>“The people who didn’t turn up you don’t need in your life,” another reassured.</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

Relationships

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Jane Fonda reveals why she’s not having sex anymore

<p>Actress Jane Fonda has openly discussed her sex life in the past. At the age of 74, she famously broke age stereotypes by saying that she had “never had such a fulfilling sex life”.</p> <p>Now, at the age of 80, Fonda has announced that she has “closed up shop down there”.</p> <p>"I'm 80," Fonda told entertainment news show <em>Extra</em> at the LA premiere of <em>Book Club</em> – her new movie also starring Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen.</p> <p>"It's about very important things: friendship and sex," Fonda described about the movie which follows the story of older women reading <em>Fifty Shades of Grey</em> in their book club.</p> <p>"And that it's OK for older women to have both."</p> <p>But she added: "I'm not dating anymore, but I did up until a couple of years ago. I’m 80. I’ve closed up shop down there.”</p> <p>Last year, data collected from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, found that men and women over 80 reported more shared sexual compatibility and emotional closeness than those in their 50s, 60s and 70s.</p> <p>Co-author of the report, Dr David Lee, told <em>The Guardian </em>that sex was not defined by penetration.</p> <p>“We saw quite a lot of adaptation in the older people, saying they no longer had penetrative sexual intercourse and were more content with kissing and cuddling and general intimacy. We kept a very broad definition of sex. We saw what appeared to be adaptive behaviour in the older members of our sample."</p> <p>However, Dr Lee also found that only 10 per cent of women aged 85 or older, and less than 25 per cent of men aged over 80, had a sex life.</p> <p>"They're a minority, clearly, but they're an interesting minority," said Dr Lee.</p> <p>"Among those who were [sexually active], it was quite interesting that they seemed happy with their sexual lives."</p> <p>A survey released from the University of Michigan a few days ago found that 84 per cent of men and 69 per cent of women believe sex is important to a relationship at any age.</p> <p>Over half of men and just under a third of women said they were sexually active in some way.</p> <p>"I think it's important for everyone to know that people in their 70s can be sexually attractive and sexually active. They don't have to be ... and lots of people have opted out of that, but they can be,” Jane Fonda said. </p>

Movies

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Dating horror stories from the Over60 community

<p>The path to love is fraught with bad dates, amazing dates, and completely forgettable dates. Then there are those rendezvous that redefine the meaning of the word “bad” and remain planted in your memory for the rest of your life!</p> <p>Last month, we asked the Over60 community to share their dating horror stories, and honestly, some of them are enough to put us off dating for a long, long time…</p> <p><strong>1. A really “hot” date</strong></p> <p>“I'd never eaten spicy food before (it was the 70s) and a lovely young ambo took me to a Malaysian restaurant. The dishes he chose were so hot that my lips and mouth went completely numb, so it was some time before I realised my nose was dripping onto my plate. He looked horrified. Then, on the silent trek back to his car later, my English-food-accustomed gut started growling and making gas. I tried so hard to keep it in but was horrified when I popped a real cracker. I scraped my foot along the ground, trying to make the same sound but he wasn't fooled. Never asked me out again.” – Toni Sands</p> <p><strong>2. A not-so-happy New Year</strong></p> <p>“Where do I start? I was left in the car on New Year's Eve while my new boyfriend went to see if we could crash a party. We could. Actually, he did. Half an hour after midnight he came back. Another time, I was going to a party with my boyfriend (another one) and we were accosted by a girl demanding why he hadn't picked her up. I'm now too old for this crap!” – Noni Primrose.</p> <p><strong>3. Not quite Prince Charming</strong></p> <p>“About three years after my husband passed away, a friend set me (then 53) up with a blind date – apparently this guy had seen me at one of her get-togethers and asked for a 'meet up'. The 'date' was in a group situation at her boyfriend’s darts club championship (at a pub), so I said ‘OK’ despite not being much of a drinker.</p> <p>“So here I am, sitting with a group of people I had barely met before, when she gets a stricken look on her face as she stares across to the bar. I turn slightly to see a man front up to the bar dressed in work gear (I have nothing against tradies – I married one), ratty shorts, a bogan shirt over a singlet, concrete encrusted work boots and socks – he obviously hadn't gone home to shower and change after work despite it being 8pm and hours after dark.</p> <p>“He proceeded to sit and stare at me for over an hour and a half, drinking beer after beer – she was mortified at his behaviour as he slumped lower and lower on the bar stool – finally, he stood (like a sapling quaking in a raging storm), took one step and fell flat on his face out cold, where he stayed until the darts tournament finished and a couple of the guys loaded him into the back of his ute and took him home. He did not say a single word to me – a few days later he apparently asked my friend for another 'date' with me but I declined.” – Natasha Devereux.</p> <p>Do you have a disaster date story? Share it with us in the comments below!</p>

Relationships

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5 benefits of age-gap friendships

<p>Most of us tend to stick to our own age group when it comes to socialising, but intergenerational friendships are not only good for you, they bring many benefits. Here are just five reasons why you should befriend a younger person.</p> <p><strong>1. They can expand your horizons</strong></p> <p>Do you know what a sushi burger is? Or what #fitspo means? It’s easy to dismiss ‘youth culture’ as terrible and firmly believe that things were better in your day. A younger friend can help you see that there’s actually plenty to love about popular culture today. They will encourage you to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new. Who knows, you might even like it.</p> <p><strong>2. They can get you out of a rut</strong></p> <p>Ah, the rut. But it’s so comfortable, we hear you say! As we age we have a tendency to do things the way we’ve always done them. Over time, this moves from comfortable familiarity to a restrictive malaise. Younger friends will encourage you to shake things up, do things differently and kiss that rut goodbye.</p> <p><strong>3. They allow you to pass on wisdom</strong></p> <p>Younger people might like to think that they know everything, but we know that’s just not true. As an older friend you have the opportunity to pass on your years of wisdom, whether that be in relationships, finance or work. The key is to find a way to do this without sounding patronising or (horror of horrors) like you’re their parents. It can help to share some of your failures too – these build life experience just as much as success.</p> <p><strong>4. They cultivate different perspectives</strong></p> <p>Age-gap friendships are a two way street and your relationships can open both of you up to new perspectives. These can be on everything from movies and music to politics, the economy and religion. Social and cultural mores have shifted over time, so different generations will have different opinions on universal topics. Speaking to someone who is unlike you can broaden your mind and make you more open to a different way of thinking.</p> <p><strong>5. They can help you live longer</strong></p> <p>The effects aren’t just psychological. Studies have shown that people with a diverse group of friends have been found to live longer and that companionship is directly linked to longevity. While this applies to friends of any age, younger friends are likely to be more active and in good health themselves, which can buoy older companions.</p> <p>Do you have younger friends? Share your experience in the comments below.</p>

Relationships