Severina & Seraphim
Part of what I love so much about Offbeat Bride is that I feel like it's all about finding inspiration outside of my little aesthetic bubble. For instance, I'm soooo not a native of the goth/industrial/fetish scene, but I can find about 10 inspiring things in the wedding photo below, which is from Severina & Seraphim's Seattle handfasting:

(photo courtesy of gak photography)
... In what unexpected places have YOU found inspiration?
(Thanks to the lovely ladies of the OBT for finding this photo!)
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About Ariel Meadow Stallings
Author of Offbeat Bride: Creative Alternatives for Independent Brides, Ariel acts as the publisher of all the Offbeat Empire websites. She lives, loves, and dorks out hard in Seattle, WA.







Ella said
Was your headdress/hat/spectacular item on your head inspired by "The Fall" by any chance? I'd been thinking how gorgeous it would be to do something like Eveline's bridal headdress but couldn't think of a way to encorporate it in a small scale way….kudos!
Ariel said
Ella, if you want to contact Severina with questions, head on over to her Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/severinaxsol
Heather said
What I love the most about being inspired by the unexpected is the feeling of OPENING…and I love that "offbeat" is not equivalent to "not caring" – and that love is universal (and marriage should be too!). I am having a day of being in LOVE with self-expression! Thanks, for sharing, Ariel…you always seem to get me on the day I need it. I also wish I had it in me to carry out goth but..it's just not me! I always end up with a pink ribbon in there…
Ariel said
Heather, just as a tiny aside — one of my favorite goths in the world (Jillian of Gothic Charm School) is a HUGE fan of the pink.
lauren said
i'm inspired by her ribbon-wrapped dreads! i have dreads and don't really know what i'll do with them when/if i get married someday. wrapping some with ribbon fancies them up a little- i love that!
Steff said
I agree – ribbon-wrapped dreads rock – I love how offbeat brides can make their dreads look so pretty at weddings. I had dreads for awhile myself but they made me look like a dirty surfer chick.
ShoelaceGirl said
We have been introduced into the wonderful world of Steampunk by OBB. While it is not a lifestyle for us, it has been a great inspiration for our wedding. We had already picked our locations, including a restored car factory from the 1900s for the reception. I knew that I wanted to include D's love for all things metal: computers, guns, and especially cars. I also wanted to include my romantic side, which is rather Victorian. It dawned on me one day that our wedding was Steampunk-ish.
MsFishy said
Funny, 6 degrees of separation (or 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon which ever game you prefer). I'm planning my wedding and in love with this site. I find a pic of lovely bride Sev, whom I have never met but who is the VERY good friend of MY very good friend Johno who was at this wedding, and in photos with her left and right. And so – Id already seen the pic long before I clicked here, and of course loved them to bits!
Whats next, Kevin Bacon at My wedding? *grin*
I'm just so thrilled to see such really wonderful people like Sev and her love featured here.
*dances away all happy*
~MsFishy
Laura said
I love her bouquet and her use of the color pink!