Offbeat Bride | My halloween costume: YOU!

After working on offbeatbride.com for almost two years now (and Offbeat Bride the book for another year before that!) I've started to see some definite trends in offbeat bride styles.

I mean yes: we're all doing our own thang, but there are definitely elements that seem to pop up repeatedly in offbeat weddings.

To celebrate this, I decided that this Halloween I would dress up as, well, YOU! I wanted to see how many offbeat bride trends I could pack into one outfit.

No one in Seattle will get this costume at all — "goth drag queen?" "weird mary poppins?" — but I don't care. I did it for y'all because I love your style.

SO, how many offbeat trends can you see in these shots? We'll start easy: Red wedding dress? Check. Actually a prom dress? Check. Purchased off eBay? Check!

Oh, but there's SO much more…
Tiny top hat? (Also from eBay!) Birdcage veil?
That MAC lipstick everyone keeps raving about on the OBT? Check.

Rockabilly-style tattooed chest-piece? (Granted, fake.) But check!

Peacock feathers? Check.

Hipster mustache? Check!

Fleuvogs and skull detailing? Check!

Headless groom/groveling bride? Check.

Headless bride/groveling groom? Check.

Coordinated wedding dog? Check.
(That's my Li'l D, Sassafras!)

Christy's classic "Just a minute, hon!" book shot? Check.

And of course then there are the cupcakes. Offbeat brides looooove cupcakes, but perhaps none as much as me! (I recommend sliding the slideshow speed to 1 second/photo for maximum CUPCAKE HORROR!)

And last but not least, Kambriel jacket for the full goth feel? CHECK!

Very special thanks to my dear friend Ben Haley who so graciously took the time to play bridal portraiture with me to get all these ridiculous photos.

SO! Offbeat Brides … any trends I missed? Maybe I'll do this every year, and we'll see what offbeat trends show up for Halloween 2009…

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Comments (102)

On October 30th, 2008 at 10:53 PM
Sarah said

You rock. This made my day!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 12:11 AM
natty said

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh i want that dog, that cupcake and that hat. and that lipstick. and whatever that awesome building is you're jumping in front of…

yeah, i'll take that too.

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On October 31st, 2008 at 12:23 AM
Dana said

Ooh! Ooh! Where'd you get the hat/veil combo? Or did you make it?

I covet thee, oh tiny tiny hat of cuteness!!!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 1:11 AM
Sarah said

Ariel, you look so seriously, drop-dead gorgeous!!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 1:36 AM
Kit said

Awww, you're so cute! For full OBT goodness, I would say you should cut your hair short and dye it crazier colors, but I wouldn't want to change your lovely hair just for a costume.

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On October 31st, 2008 at 3:19 AM
Rachel said

What a fantastic dress! Love the colour (and all the detail you've included – especially the fabulous book shot)

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On October 31st, 2008 at 3:22 AM
Jennifer said

Oh man! I was all excited about my husband and I going as Maverick and Goose… I even had my fake moustache ready, but now I wanna go as an OBB! Next year… next year….

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On October 31st, 2008 at 3:25 AM
Jill said

um…. you look better in your halloween costume than most people on their ACTUAL wedding day.

freakin awesome.

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On October 31st, 2008 at 3:45 AM
sandy said

This shows how much you care about all OBBs *sniff*

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On October 31st, 2008 at 4:12 AM
Caressa said

you crack me up! this is great! i believe you have personified all of us OBB quite nicely!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 4:38 AM
Rosalied said

Ha! Awesome, the mustache shot and the cupcakes -love it, Happy Halloween Ariel.

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On October 31st, 2008 at 4:39 AM
rachel said

well-written and well-observed. clever.

don't forget the husband in medieval/star wars/pirate costume as well…

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On October 31st, 2008 at 5:18 AM
Roxie said

Best Halloween Costume Ever!
This just made my very early morning. Too funny.
Oh, but you forgot polka dots. I think thats one of the new big ones (and not just because of the polka dot dress hanging in my closet

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On October 31st, 2008 at 5:39 AM
Bmorenicky said

Fantastic! I don't think you missed a thing!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 5:53 AM
Crystal said

O M G Ariel you f**king (edited because I'm at work!)rock!!! Not only are you gorgeous (like always), but it all goes together which is really freaking funny!! Awesome costume girl!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 6:58 AM
Jaimee said

So I definitely covet your outfit. you rock. way to represent the OBB's!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 7:05 AM
Marquesa Jen said

VERY awesome! Totally made my morning!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 7:06 AM
Aim said

HA!! What a great idea!

(and some of us in Seattle will get it if we were to see you out and about)

For the person who asked, I believe the little top hat with veil is from Torrid. They tried to sell me a red one yesterday.

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On October 31st, 2008 at 7:10 AM
teneisha said

radness!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 7:18 AM
laura said

oh you look like you had SO much fun doing this. you ROCK!!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 7:20 AM
laura said

Also, I'm getting married tomorrow… and have been a visitor to your site since I got engaged. Thank you so much for all of the inspiration!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 7:45 AM
Carling said

too TOO awesome!!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 7:52 AM
Siobhan said

Thanks so much for the giggle, Ariel. I've just been watching news clips on BBC of what's happening in Congo, and was sitting here crying. Thanks for the comic relief.

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On October 31st, 2008 at 8:00 AM
Stephanie said

Ariel – you bring a special light to my day, even after my wedding. Thanks for being silly and embracing all that we as OBBs have to offer!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 8:08 AM
Dixie said

You smite me with your unrelenting adorability. xoxo

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On October 31st, 2008 at 8:14 AM
jek in the box said

oh! this is beyond delightful! it looks like you had a lot of fun and you are rocking the offbreat bride costume!

if only i knew about the tiny top hat, wee pup and mustaches… then i would have had an upbeat offbeat wedding!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 8:14 AM
Starna said

This soo rocks! Great Job, I think you hit them all!!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 8:15 AM
April said

dyed crinoline perhaps? but otherwise, that was awesome, now I want to go destroy a cupcake, darn this no carb diet!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 8:16 AM
Fae said

Hilarious!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 8:19 AM
Lady Davonia said

That's awesome!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 8:29 AM
amber aka akaisha said

oh my god, this is hilariously awesome.

and your dress is hawt!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 8:37 AM
gwen said

awesome hot and soooo fun! whee!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 8:46 AM
Jessica said

Damn, Ariel! You look FANTASTIC! This is SO much better than the usual IT'S HALLOWEEN I WANT TO DRESS LIKE A NAUGHTY NURSE/SECRETARY/COP/MAID/BLAH BLAH BLAH!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 8:51 AM
Stephanie said

Ariel, this is fantastic, and utterly perfect! You look great, and the coordinated wedding dog looks very proud!

Happy Hallowe'en!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 8:58 AM
Kelli Ann said

lol that's too cool! Happy Halloween!
@~>~~

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On October 31st, 2008 at 9:16 AM
Amanda said

First, you look awesome! Second Happy Halloween! And third, I'll second Rahel with the fantasy/medieval/star wars LARP outfit!

Your dog is adorable!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 9:22 AM
Kate said

Hahaha! You are so cute/awesome!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 9:28 AM
Becky said

that's so fabulous! you are gorgeous and i have dog/hat/lipstick/hair/cupcake envy!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Lani said

I keep giggling at "Hipster Moustache." You rock! I love this site so so so much.

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On October 31st, 2008 at 10:15 AM
Lani said

I also can't stop laughing at the cupcake shots. Ha!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Karolynn said

Hilarious cupcake slide show!!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 10:25 AM
gillian said

i am honored to be sister to such a perfectly perfect offbeat bride! and aunt to offbeat dog, of course!
the 'just a minute, hon' shot is my favorite. props to dre for representing hellgate!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 10:30 AM
Ariel said

HA, GILLIAN!

To explain my sister-in-law's comment: "Hellgate High" is the name of my husband's high school Alma Mata. NO JOKE!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 10:35 AM
RedDress said

*GASP* You're stealing my wedding!!!! and my pictures!!!! LMAO that's an awesome Halloween costume.

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On October 31st, 2008 at 11:03 AM
amir said

great dress! love the eyemakeup and sas looks hot.

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On October 31st, 2008 at 11:08 AM
everysecretthing said

Wow, you totally nailed it! You might consider making that chest piece permanent. GREAT photos too!

With our wedding only two weeks behind us, I was considering going as a dead version of us as bride and groom, but figured it'd be bad luck or something. This is much more fun.

Thanks for all the inspiration!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 11:10 AM
BlueyJ said

Hey, you forgot unmatching bridesmaids!! Otherwise, dead on! Heehee.

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On October 31st, 2008 at 11:12 AM
TMae said

yay yay yay!!! Inspired I say!

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On October 31st, 2008 at 11:12 AM
katie said

Oh lord, I'm feeling a bit admonished! Offbeat is not seeming so offbeat… Now to nix the peacock feathers, fluevogs and cupcakes from my plans!

Just kiddin'. This is flipping hilarious.

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On October 31st, 2008 at 11:18 AM
Anne said

HA!! Girl – you crack me up!! I love it! You look uber hot too!! DAMN!!! HOT HOT HOT!

The new offbeat: a white dress with red roses and traditional poses. HA!

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