BellaOnline Forums Computers PHP Hopefully not a stupid question

I'm still learning PHP and chugging along. I've got a content managers page up and a forum for my site.
I want to ask a question because it sounds real logical to me but experience may say other wise.
Why is it so necessary to install a bridge to your forum from your content manager's page. I'm tempted to leave them as two separate units with two different databases. I know I will have to connect with a link from a page rather than letting the bridge handle it but here are my reasonings.
!.) I have the registration turned off of my forum and content manager's pages because it is a paid site and I'll handle that and the members will just have to log in. It will be a small site and I don't think that will be a lot of work to registring on my own.
2 ) It seems to me if I install the bridge and something goes wrong with one of the pages then won't the other be effected as well if it has to do with the data base? It would be like buying a dvd/vcr/tv all in one and if one goes out then the other two are going to the shop as well even though there is nothing wrong with them?
What do you think?
Grace

If you don't think you will need that part of the program, you certainly can make any changes you wish. Just test the final results to be sure you have no bugs before you go live with the forum. If you get any problems from making the change, just post the details here and we can work on it together.