For this Friday’s edition of The Finer Things In Life, we decided to tackle one of the very most important considerations in a Bridezilla’s life: where are you going to live? We hit up FindYourSpot.com and took the quiz to discover the ideal city in which to settle down once the ceremony’s passed and the marriage begins. Although the quiz somehow excluded important considerations like proximity to designer boutiques, availability of fresh Maine lobster, and relative attractiveness of inhabitants, we still think we managed to get a pretty representative sample of the best cities in which to exercise your Bridezilla tendencies.
1. Long Beach, California (above)
Close enough to Los Angeles for culture while still having a scene of its own, Long Beach residents have all the advantages California has to offer, epitomizing the laid-back west coast attitude while still offering the employment opportunities that mean you can afford to live there. The coastal location and year-round gorgeous climate means you’ll be living life like a movie star, principally because a lot of actual movie stars live here. Other California locations in the top ten include San Diego, Orange County, and Oakland – possibly this is because we made a big point of our allergy to snow.
2. Honolulu, Hawaii
Destination wedding? Try destination life. If you like sunshine, beaches, and gorgeousness everywhere you look, Honolulu is the place for you. It’s a large enough metropolis to make it a point of catering to the well-heeled, and there’s no shortage of Fortune 500 companies on the island to keep you and the new husband (very) gainfully employed. Plus, hello? It’s Hawaii.
3. Las Vegas, Nevada
We’ve spoken of our affection for Las Vegas before (the Wynn in particular), so it’s no surprise that the land of desert weather, swimming pools, fabulous nightclubs and unbearable luxury shows up on our list of dream cities. Real estate is completely reasonable there, and you can’t fault the prevalence of our beloved wedding industry – if the Bridezilla fever is a life-long affliction for you, you might even consider a job as a local wedding planner.
4. Baltimore, Maryland
East Coast Bridezillas will probably adapt well to the seaport atmosphere of Baltimore, a teeming harborside city that offers the best in business without the ultra-competitive atmosphere you’ll find in New York or New Jersey. It’s a big city just miles away from farmlands, so you can get away when you feel the need to pretend you’re in a pastoral. Great for the academically-inclined – after all, the more education you have, the more money you’ll make and contribute to your Marc Jacobs fund – Baltimore offers universities galore and a sports-positive atmosphere for when you need to shunt the husband off to a game while you buy out the local Neiman Marcus. Something for everyone, really!
5. Augusta, Georgia
Like Atlanta without the insane traffic, Augusta offers all the benefits of a big city without actually being extraordinarily crowded. The Southern elegance of the city is coupled with an impressively low cost of living for a metropolitan area. With an equal distance from the beach, the mountains, and the city of Atlanta, Augusta, you’ll have options for recreation – that is, if you ever want to leave.
Already selected the city of your dream? Get house-hunting for luxury real estate – or get daydreaming, whichever. And watch out, Europe – you’re hosting our next list of Bridezilla-approved metropolises.
