
This tale is a lesson in establishing boundaries, commanding respect, and much more. What was meant to be a joyous honeymoon for me and my husband quickly transformed into a stressful trip with my problematic mother-in-law in tow. Fortunately, I devised a strategy that solved the issue effectively.
What should have been a romantic escape for my husband and me turned sour rapidly when an unwelcome guest accompanied us. Let’s rewind to explain how this all unfolded.
As my husband, Mike, and I were about to leave for our honeymoon, he nonchalantly mentioned a detour to his mother’s house.
“Why?” I inquired, bewildered. “Because she’s joining us,” he responded. Confused, I pressed, “What?” With a sigh, he elaborated, “She’s never had a vacation or traveled abroad her whole life, so it’s only right she joins us.”
I was absolutely dumbfounded! “When were you going to tell me this? What about our plans?” I tried to remain composed. “I revised our reservations and tickets a while back,” he admitted.
“The truth is she insisted, and I thought you’d be okay with it since you’re always so understanding.” That comment shifted my bewilderment to outrage! I was furious that he had made these changes without consulting me.

The thought of spending our island getaway with my mother-in-law felt like a nightmare! I was so upset I nearly canceled the whole trip. But then, AN EXCELLENT IDEA CAME TO ME! When we reached my mother-in-law’s home, Mike went out to help her with her bags.
While he was busy, I quickly made a phone call. “Mom, hi. I’m in a bit of a bind,” I started. “What’s wrong, dear?” She sounded worried. “My mother-in-law convinced Mike to bring her along on our honeymoon.”
“What?! Oh no, Elle!” my mother gasped in dismay. “She’s tagging along to the islands, and I don’t know how I’ll manage. Could you and Dad come? I’ll book your flights.” Alarmed, she asked, “How did this happen?”
“There’s no time for details, Mom. I need to act fast.” Mom quickly understood the gravity of the situation and replied supportively, “Of course, dear. Your father and I would be glad to help! Just let us know where you’ll be, and we’ll handle the rest.”
I wasted no time booking their flights online and sent all the details to my mom. She assured me she’d do everything possible to make sure I could enjoy my time with Mike without my meddlesome mother-in-law interfering.
4 times Taylor Swift went makeup-free and looked flawless

Not only is Taylor Swift famous for her musical talent and romantic endeavors, but many Swifties are also frequently blown away by her stunning makeup looks. The musician has rocked various makeup looks since her first single, “Tim McGraw,” hit the Billboard charts in 2006. She has sported dark smokey eyes, blue eyeshadow, long lashes, peachy tones, and cat eyes “sharp enough to kill a man.” And don’t forget about all the red lipsticks Taylor Swift has worn! But do you ever think about what she looks like without makeup?
As strikingly perfect as the celebrity appears, she’s had a relatable, not-so-great habit of failing to remove her makeup. “Sometimes I forget to wash off my makeup. Okay—almost all the time,” Swift admitted to Allure back in 2011. But unsurprisingly, the pop star is still just as beautiful without makeup as when she wears a full face on TV and at her sold-out concerts — and her makeup-free photos prove it.
Tied together with a smile

On January 22, 2019, Taylor Swift posted a casual selfie rocking a denim jacket, adorable dirty blond bangs swept to the side, and what looked like no trace of makeup. The singer smiled next to her “Cats” character name, Bombalurina, and appropriately captioned the post, “Meow.”
Despite not wearing makeup, the celebrity still had bright eyes, clear skin, and full lips. Between Swift’s raised eyebrows and somewhat mischievous-looking smirk, this selfie exudes a playful mood, and the lack of makeup contributed to that fun energy.
But what can we say? You’re gorgeous
On October 24, 2022, Taylor Swift proved you don’t need makeup to capture a moody photograph (or when you’re announcing the release of your newest album). Wearing no makeup, the musician looked genuinely beautiful with her hair up in a braided bun as she stared off into space, wearing a fairytale-esque ensemble.
Part of the singer-slash-songwriter’s promotional post caption consisted of, “Midnight, what a storied and fabled hour… On this sparkling evening I’ll be releasing my twist on a fairytale we all know.” Not only did this picture prove Swift looks stunning without makeup, but considering the success of Swift’s “Midnights” album, it’s safe to say she’s bejeweled inside and out.
He said the way her blue eyes shined …
Every true Swiftie knows that Taylor Swift enjoys rocking sweaters (or cardigans, shall we say?). On October 24, 2018, the musician proved that her love for turtlenecks likely outweighed her liking for makeup. In a selfie showing off her famous blond bangs and enchanting blue eyes, the pop star rocked a dark, cozy-looking turtleneck.
She captioned the post, “Here we can observe an Australian swiftlet in her natural habitat, a turtleneck.” The selfie gives off a down-to-earth, nature-focused vibe. Swift walked around an Australian nature landscape in her monochromatic black outfit in the post’s second and third photos.
It’s nice to have a friend

Everyone loves an adorable buddy picture — especially when it consists of two famous and ultra-talented musicians. On November 10, 2022, Taylor Swift focused on silly fun rather than makeup when posting a cute picture with fellow songwriter Jack Antonoff.
Swift wore a relatively casual outfit with no makeup and held up a drink as Antonoff stood in a jokingly tired-looking pose by the piano. The post’s caption reads, “Anti hero but make it acoustic.” Why bother with makeup when you already have friendship and music in the picture?
Poke that bear ’til her claws come out

Yes, Taylor Swift wore a bear costume and posted it on Instagram at the end of 2020. Of course, she went makeup-free in such an already daring and random picture. Unafraid to show off her silly side, the musician appropriately captioned the hilarious New Year’s Eve picture, “Bye 2020, it’s been weird.”
While her bangs were mostly covered by the costume, followers can still easily recognize her famous blue eyes and adorably round face shape. Not many people could look flawless wearing no makeup in a bear costume, but Swift did. Are we even surprised?
Never go out of style

Every active social media user who experienced the COVID-19 lockdowns likely posted at least one no-makeup selfie at home with a boredom-related caption. Even Taylor Swift jumped on board the Instagram trend, posting a flawless makeup-free selfie on April 27, 2020.
The pop star stared into the camera with her iconic blond curls slightly longer than her clavicle, captioning the photo, “Not a lot going on at the moment.” While the post’s caption was relatable, many viewers were likely shocked (or, let’s be honest, maybe not so shocked) by how perfect Swift looked without makeup.
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