u/Anonymouse_7701

Hi everyone. My fiance and I are getting married next spring. We’re originally from Virginia, but we were looking for venues in NC to be closer to his family. I’ve only found a few venues that I like in Virginia, but of course, they’re out of our budget. We’re looking at no more than 50 people, and in all honesty, it’ll probably be way less than that.

Does anyone have recommendations for a somewhat affordable wedding venue in NC? Here are some things are nice, but not required:

- All inclusive (seems less stressful)
- Has a pretty view (I.e. mountains, a lake, etc) or a whimsical, fantasy vibe
- Maybe has a space to set up some games?
- Lodging or nearby Airbnb are a plus, but again, not required
- Friendly and nice staff
- Not opposed to “hole in the wall” or “alternative” wedding venues

A photographer is the one thing I’m willing to splurge on. I want someone who is experienced, reliable, and friendly. I also want someone who can take really nice portraits, while also capturing the fun and emotional moments throughout the day. I’m not set on a certain photography style yet, but I do enjoy the editorial and photojournalism. I would love to hear any recommendations you all may have!

Thank you so much for your help!

I’ve always had nightmares, which I think became more intense around 2018 when my sister passed away. Over the years, I’ve worked through my grief, trauma, and mental health challenges in therapy, and I’ve been on medication for bipolar disorder for a few years. For a while, it seemed like the intensity and frequency of my nightmares started to decrease.

However, despite the work I’ve done to maintain a healthy nighttime routine, my nightmares have gotten significantly worse over the past year or so. My doctor prescribed prazosin, and I worked up to 8 mg before having to decrease the dose because it was causing my blood pressure to drop. Since lowering the dosage didn’t help and I was still having nightmares, she prescribed propranolol for anxiety and stress.

I don’t feel any more stressed or anxious than I have in the past, and I’ve worked really hard to get to a good place mentally, but these nightmares are so persistent. They’re wreaking havoc on my life. In fact, the only time I feel anxious or stressed now is after I’ve had a nightmare. They’re vivid, sick, and twisted, and they leave me feeling uneasy for the rest of the day. Sometimes I wake up screaming and sweating, and I usually can’t fall back asleep afterwards.

Last night, I even had to get up and leave the light on just to fall back asleep because I was so scared—and I’m a 26-year-old woman.

Does anyone else experience nightmares like these? What causes them? And what have you found to be effective in reducing or getting rid of them?

So for background, I have around $40,000 in federal student loans. One year, I didn’t get financial aid, panicked, and took out a private student loan for $27,000 from Sallie Mae. Despite making consistent payments and refinancing with Earnest, I now owe roughly $48,000 with no end in sight. My monthly payment for the private student loan alone is $427. It was steep, but still affordable for the first year of two. But now, my fiance and I just moved and our housing situation is ridiculous, but we didn’t have a choice because this was the ONLY pet friendly rental within a reasonable distance between our two jobs (and that’s with me having an hour commute). Anyway, our monthly rent is $2,300 a month, so now I’m struggling to make payments on my private student loan. I genuinely don’t know what to do. Does anyone have any advice or assistance options for rent or private student loans?