Relationships Talk

Her biggest fan! Ethan Hawke opened up about supporting his 20-year-old daughter, Maya, whom he shares with ex-wife Uma Thurman.

The Oscar winner, 43, exclusively told Us Weekly at the recent New York Film Critics Circle Awards that he only offers Maya advice “if she asks.” However, “If she doesn’t ask,” he said, “then you’re a blowhard.”

Hawke also gushed over his daughter’s acting skills, adding to Us that he is “of course” a fan of her show, Stranger Things.

In April 2018, the First Reformed star raved about Maya’s career during an interview with Radio.com. “She’s the real thing,” he said at the time. “It’s been a fascinating thing to watch. … I know her and I believe in her.”

For her part, Maya told The Sydney Morning Herald in December 2017 that her A-list parents tried to keep her out of the limelight for as long as possible. 

“Both of my parents think being a professional child actor is poisonous,” she told the publication at the time. “They came to my plays, read the poems I wrote and would listen to me sing, but they kept me out of the spotlight. They were cautious about public exposure while you’re very young.”

The Gattaca costars, who divorced in 2005 after seven years of marriage, also share son Levon, 16. Hawke opened up about coparenting with the actress, 48, in his 2015 novel, Rules for a Knight. “One of the things that’s really hard about parenting from a divorced standpoint is that your kids can wreak havoc over you because there is a lot of, ‘At mommy’s house, we can have ice cream all the time’ and ‘I don’t think I’m gonna come next weekend,’” he wrote. “There are rules at school, rules at grandma’s house, rules at Mom’s house, rules at Dad’s house, nobody’s bad or has the right rules, they are just rules.”

The Dead Poets Society star married Ryan Shawhughes Hawke in 2008 and they share daughters Clementine, 10, and Indiana, 7. Meanwhile, Thurman shares daughter Luna, 6, with ex-fiancé Arpad Busson.

With reporting by Nicki Gostin

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The richest couple in the world, Jeff and MacKenzie Bezos, are divorcing after 25 years together. The pair made the announcement earlier this week in a joint Twitter statement:

“We want to make people aware of a development in our lives. As our family and close friends know, after a long period of loving exploration and trial separation, we have decided to divorce and continue our shared lives as friends. We feel incredibly lucky to have found each other and deeply grateful for every one of the years we have been married to each other. If we had known we would separate after 25 years, we would do it all again. We’ve had such a great life together as a married couple, and we also see wonderful futures ahead, as parents, friends, partners in ventures and projects, and as individuals pursuing ventures and adventures. Though the labels might be different, we remain a family, and we remain cherished friends.”

The notoriously private MacKenzie Bezos, 48, has made headlines since her husband, Amazon CEO and Founder Jeff Bezos, 54, revealed their divorce news on his Twitter account (MacKenzie doesn’t have a Twitter profile). Naturally, the internet is very curious about her—namely because over the years the media has largely relegated her to “Jeff Bezos’ wife” and also because she has kept her private life largely private.

Here, everything you need to know about Bezos—who could become the richest woman in the world.

She’s a novelist.

‘Traps’

Amazon

$14.95

Her first book, The Testing of Luther Albright, came out in 2005 and took 10 years to write, according to a 2013 interview with Vogue. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, Bezos’ mentor while studying at Princeton University, called Bezos “one of the best students I’ve ever had in my creative-writing classes…really one of the best.” Her second novel, Traps, debuted in 2013.

The couple met while working at a hedge fund in New York.

MacKenzie interviewed with Jeff in the early ’90s. After she started working at the company, they began a romantic relationship (she apparently made the first move) and were engaged after three months of dating. They’ve been married for 25 (!) years.

She’s also a mother.

Jeff and MacKenzie have four children together: three sons and a daughter who was adopted from China.

She encouraged her husband to start Amazon—and became one its first employees.

Meet the Woman Behind Amazon’s Alexa

Apparently Jeff was still writing his Amazon business plan when they decided to move across the country from New York to Seattle (where Amazon’s headquarters are currently located) to pursue this big idea. According to Business Insider, MacKenzie started as an Amazon accountant and negotiated its first freight contracts.

She founded an anti-bullying organization called Bystander Revolution.

Bezos launched Bystander Revolution in April 2014—”a website offering practical, crowdsourced advice about simple things individuals can do to defuse bullying and help shift the culture.” Monica Lewinsky is an ambassador and many celebrities like Lily Collins have been involved with the organization over the years.

She could become the world’s richest woman after her divorce is settled.

Yes, that means acquiring more money than Oprah and Queen Elizabeth. (Let that sink in.) Her husband’s net worth is currently $137.2 billion, according to Bloomberg. Jeff and MacKenzie apparently didn’t sign a prenup when they got married in 1993, a year before Bezos started Amazon. Because they both live in Washington, a community property state, that means any wealth made during the marriage can be split equally. So, right now MacKenzie would receive around $69 billion. (For comparison Oprah is worth $3 billion.) Even if she only received 1 percent, she’d still be a millionaire (though not the richest woman).

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Inside America’s Messiest Divorce

With the most popular months for weddings just a few months away, many wedding shows or expositions are scheduled early in the year. Better Business Bureau advises couples to look for ideas at shows but to be careful when booking or signing contracts for goods and services.

Some vendors may offer show specials. Before grabbing a deal, make sure you understand the details of what is being offered, and check out the vendor by going to bbb.org and looking for a BBB Business Profile. The profile will show a rating from A+ down to F, the length of time a company has been in business, any complaints about the firm and how they were resolved. Profiles also may include customer reviews showing positive, negative or neutral experiences with the firm.

Be skeptical if vendors ask you to pay most of their fees in advance. Ask about refund policies for deposits or repayments. Ask for references and contact other couples to find out how a vendor performed. When arranging for photography, music or other services, find out who will provide the services on your wedding day and when promised items will be delivered.

BBB receives many inquiries and complaints from disappointed couples. Some things to watch for include:

Unexpected fees. Some caterers, hotels or reception venues try to charge extra for “plate splitting,” “cake-cutting” or “corkage” fees, especially if you bring in a cake or liquor purchased elsewhere. Ask about any fees beyond the cost per person, gratuities or room rental, if applicable.

Dresses that don’t measure up. Brides have complained to BBB about bridal shops ordering the wrong sizes and colors of gowns as well as dresses that arrive too late for timely alterations. Make sure your order specifies new merchandise, sized to fit you and your bridesmaids. Remind the shop of your schedule as the wedding day draws near.

Transportation problems. Complaints about limousine service include poor customer service and rigid cancellation policies. Get details in writing. Ask how the company handles problems if you aren’t satisfied and what they will charge if you need the vehicle longer on your wedding night. Don’t pay the entire amount in advance.

Musician switch. Couples shouldn’t rely on a website, demo tape or phone conversation when hiring a band or other music service. Find out where you can hear the musicians play before you hire them. Ask who will actually perform at the reception and get a written commitment from the band or musician, including how long they will play and what you might pay to extend the time the night of the event.

Photographer issues. Find out when and how pictures will be delivered, whether you will have the option of getting all the images on a DVD or CD, how much time you will have to choose the pictures and whether other members of your family or wedding party will have access to them.

Floral changes. Fresh flowers are a perishable commodity, and the final bouquet or arrangements may need to change depending on what’s available on the wedding day. Make sure you spell out a minimum size or number of stems in each bouquet or arrangement. Ask how the florist will handle any last-minute substitutions and charges, especially if the value of flowers used differs from those in your initial plans.

For more information or a BBB Business Profile on an individual business, go to bbb.org.

Michelle Gleba is the regional director for the BBB.

Photo via iStock.

Wedding planning can be frustrating—especially as you see unexpected expenses start to accumulate. Why are wedding flowers so darn expensive? Do you really need a second shooter to capture those shots? Does there have to be a vegetarian dining option?

We spoke to some of the top vendors in Washington DC’s wedding community to ask them about creative ways to save money on your wedding… without feeling like you are sacrificing on your dream day or missing out on important traditions. Take the ideas you like, reimagine the ones that could work for you, and skip the ones that don’t apply to you.

Here are thirteen expert tips, wedding budgeting ideas, and insider hacks straight from the vendors who know wedding planning best.

1. “Sit down early in your planning process and determine your highest priorities. For some people it’s food, for others it’s the design of the wedding or the photography. Make sure to budget generously for these personal preferences—you’ll be glad you spent more money on the things you value most.”—Sara Bauleke, Bella Notte

 2. “Think twice about an at-home celebration. Entertaining at home can require things that add up fast. Portable restrooms (the average home toilet can’t withstand multiple flushes in a short amount of time), power (hello, generators!), and landscaping (even a slight back-yard slope can be problematic for a dance floor or tent) are just a few. The unsexy costs of structural items are necessities. Washington’s unpredictable weather also means discussing AC units and rain plans!”—Emily Butler, Karson Butler Events

Photo by Luck & Love Photography

3. “Keep it intimate—the most beautiful and meaningful weddings are always the ones with the closest of friends and family in attendance.”—Veronica Rogers, Type A Society

4. “Serve the same entrée to all guests (except those with dietary restrictions) rather than doing a choice of meal. Better yet, host a brunch wedding! Your menu will be less expensive, your bar bill will be a fraction of an evening event’s, and a brunch wedding is usually an hour shorter than an evening one, so the cost for most of your vendors (deejay, photographer) will be a little less as well. And you probably won’t need to invest in lighting.”—Janice Carnevale, Bellwether Events

Photo by Eli Turner Studios

5. “Don’t have a lot of attendants! The average bride spends hundreds of dollars for each bridesmaid on bouquets and gifts.”—Katie Martin, Elegance & Simplicity

6. “Stay organized so deadlines don’t end up costing you money. Caterers, stationery designers, florists, and bridal-shop owners will provide you with deadlines to place orders and to make changes or reductions before you are charged. Missing those deadlines could mean expensive rush fees.”—Kay Wooten, Howerton Wooten Events

7. “You may not need your primary photographer to stay too late at your reception. Instead, ask if you can extend only the second photographer to get coverage at the end of the night. Their hourly rates are typically less than a main photographer’s.”—Jennifer Domenick, Love Life Images

8. “One big benefit of a Friday wedding (besides cost savings), is it allows the couple a whole weekend to see friends and family in a more laid back setting. After the wedding, you can plan fun daytime activities on Saturday, such as going to one of the many free museums on the Mall. There are so many fun and low-cost options to make the wedding a fun weekend event.”—Margo Fisher, Bright Occasions

9. “While wedding planning, couples often put money aside for the event; after the wedding, do not let go of that habit. Keep your wedding account, and continue putting money aside—it will be helpful for your future as a couple.”—Shile Bello, RAE affairs

Photo by Bonnie Sen Photography

10. “Opt for digitally printed save-the-dates, and reserve the pretty letterpress, foil, or die cuts for the invitation suite. Always invest in great paper stock—it’s worth it!”—Lauren Niles, Lauren Niles Events

11. “Consider a Friday or Sunday wedding, or an off-season date, when you can see significant savings particularly on the cost of venues, and get more negotiating power with other vendors as well.”—Courtney Swierczek, A Sweet Soiree Events

12. “If you’re planning to purchase a wedding album, add it on when you book your wedding photographer. Album companies typically increase their prices yearly, so to get the best price, reserve a book well in advance.”—Susie Hadeed, Susie and Becky Photography

Photo by Abby Jiu Photography

13. “If your budget doesn’t allow for a seated dinner but you have your hopes set on one, consider a seated first course followed by a buffet dinner. Simple substitutions —hanger steak instead of tenderloin for example—can go a long way in cutting costs. Also, skip the full bar for beer, wine, and a signature cocktail—your favorite or something seasonal. Vodka and bourbon are most popular.”—Vicky Theodorou, Heirloom Catering and Event Design

Editor, Washingtonian Weddings

Amy leads Washingtonian Weddings and writes Style Setters for Washingtonian. Prior to joining Washingtonian in March 2016, she was the editor of Capitol File magazine in DC and before that, editor of What’s Up? Weddings in Annapolis.

Assistant Editor

Hayley is an Associate Editor at Washingtonian Weddings. Previously she was the the Style Editor at The Local Palate, a Southern food culture magazine based out of Charleston, South Carolina. You can follow her on instagram @wandertaste.