Remember Layer Cake Films, the awesome Super 8 wedding video company from Los Angeles?

Well, good news for my East Coast brides! Michelle, the adorable cup-cake loving founder of Layer Cake, is moving back East in March. When I asked Michelle why she was moving, she simply said, "I can't take LA anymore." As someone who lasted only a year living in LA, I hear ya, girl.

Anyway, Michelle's relocation means that — while she can travel where-ever you need her — she's extra available to shoot weddings in:

• New York City
• Washington DC
• Philadelphia
• Baltimore
• Asheville & Charlotte, North Carolina

There's still a team of amazing Layer Cake shooters staying in LA, so us Left Coasters can still get in on the action … but if you're on the East Coast (especially New York!) you've got easy, local access to one bad-ass videographer.

Ooh, and remember that Layer Cake Films does a 5% discount for Offbeat Brides. Just mention you saw the ad here, and reap the sweet rewards.

There are lots of books for different sorts of nontraditional brides — indiebrides, anti-brides, offbeat brides … and now there's a book for DIY brides!

I recently had the chance to interview Khris Cochran, author of The DIY Bride: 40 Fun Projects for Your Ultimate One-of-a-Kind Wedding and editor of diybride.com.

Keep reading for her take on the projects that didn't make it into the book, how to overcome "DIY-er than thou" competitive issues, and what one project even the most enterprising of DIY brides should probably hire someone else to handle.

Continue reading "Khris Cochran, author of DIY Bride" →

Hey, ladies! So me and my black dress will be on the Today Show tomorrow sometime between 10am and 10:30am. It's a super brief appearance and I won't be talking about Offbeat Bride, but if you want to find out what my next book might be about, it's worth tuning in!

My Today Show appearance is online for your viewing pleasure. (This vid includes both the taped part as well as the in-studio interview.) Who can spot offbeatbride.com in the segment?

I am a totally offbeat bride wanna-be … completely trapped in a semi-traditional girl. Last week I sent out save the date cards. Awesome — designed using my Photoshop skills, picture of us, love it. Then came the mailing. I went to Target to buy a sharpie to write the addresses on the envelopes. I almost paid $12 for a pack of 15 Sharpies because I wanted the brown one. Why the brown one? Because it matches the wedding color scheme.

Sometimes I need to be saved from myself. Thanks for the site — it really helps me keep perspective sometimes and be true to who we are and what we want. From reminding myself that it's much more sane to buy a $1 black sharpie to making me feel like it's ok not to want to talk about my wedding 24/7, you're doing wonders for us girls who haven't quite crossed the "I'm wearing a red dress if I damn well please" line yet. So thank you for supporting my semi-independentness. — Les

P.S. I realize that purchasing a black sharpie over a brown one doesn't make me an independent bride, but it shows me that I haven't completely gone over to the dark side.

Les, you are so welcome for the inspiration and perspective. To me, offbeat isn't a toggle switch — it's not an are or aren't. It's not a contest. It's all shades of grey and what's important is thinking for yourself and making decisions based on your own beliefs and values instead of the defaults that are spoon-fed to brides everywhere. Regardless, this site is here to inspire and challenge all brides who need a little more offbeat in their lives … not just the red dress wearers.

The offbeat bride: Brit, Admin

Her offbeat partner: Cecilia, Accountant

Location & date of wedding: Historic building outside Boston, MA, October 13, 2007

What made our wedding offbeat: We made the decision early on that we would keep whatever traditional wedding elements we liked, and ditch those we didn't! This meant the white dress was out, along with "tossing" of anything, but the ceremony and reception with all our friends and family were in. We had a modest budget, and incorporated lots of DIY. I made all of our paper products, centerpieces and my bouquet. We also used rented audio equipment and mix cd's for the music and did all the decor ourselves. Other things that puzzled our families included walking down the aisle together, not having a bridal party and planning the entire thing ourselves.

Continue reading "Brit didn't let getting sick ruin her wedding!" →