Comments on: Planning a sincere-but-theatrical wedding http://offbeatbride.com/2009/06/theatrical-wedding Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:25:20 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: sam http://offbeatbride.com/2009/06/theatrical-wedding/comment-page-1#comment-47662 sam Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:08:33 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/?p=2388#comment-47662 What a great <a href="http://www.readymade.com/projects/categories/wear_it" target="_blank">Shabby chic</a> wedding gown! Who is the designer? What a great Shabby chic wedding gown! Who is the designer?

]]> By: Kaci http://offbeatbride.com/2009/06/theatrical-wedding/comment-page-1#comment-46424 Kaci Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:10:13 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/?p=2388#comment-46424 My fiance and I are both improvisational actors. We met through improvisation and perform/teach/direct/produce improv all the time. He even owns a theater now that I work at. Needless to say we're surrounded by it, engulfed in it. Our performer friends on the guest list overtake family and non-performer friends 2-to-1, I think. That being said, we definitely weren't planning on getting married on a stage in a theater (we spend too much time on those anyway) and our engagement was a private two-person thing even though we had friends constantly trying to get us to propose to each other during shows, the goofballs. But, we are performers at heart and can't help but throw some theatricality in our wedding. Our ceremony will have symbolic elements unheard of, some completely ridiculous and some sentimental. We're getting married at a fun location (The Cathedral of Junk) in Victorian clothing. We definitely want to have the first dance/s and the toasts, which in my mind are more attention-grabbing aspects of a wedding, but also nice and memorable things that don't feel too fabricated. We love the spotlight, each other, and our friends and family. The community of performers we surround ourselves with are just as important as our family and we can't wait to include them all on our wedding day. The wedding is an awesome party at it's core. My fiance and I are both improvisational actors. We met through improvisation and perform/teach/direct/produce improv all the time. He even owns a theater now that I work at. Needless to say we're surrounded by it, engulfed in it. Our performer friends on the guest list overtake family and non-performer friends 2-to-1, I think.
That being said, we definitely weren't planning on getting married on a stage in a theater (we spend too much time on those anyway) and our engagement was a private two-person thing even though we had friends constantly trying to get us to propose to each other during shows, the goofballs.

But, we are performers at heart and can't help but throw some theatricality in our wedding. Our ceremony will have symbolic elements unheard of, some completely ridiculous and some sentimental. We're getting married at a fun location (The Cathedral of Junk) in Victorian clothing.
We definitely want to have the first dance/s and the toasts, which in my mind are more attention-grabbing aspects of a wedding, but also nice and memorable things that don't feel too fabricated.
We love the spotlight, each other, and our friends and family. The community of performers we surround ourselves with are just as important as our family and we can't wait to include them all on our wedding day. The wedding is an awesome party at it's core.

]]> By: Celeste http://offbeatbride.com/2009/06/theatrical-wedding/comment-page-1#comment-45878 Celeste Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:01:41 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/?p=2388#comment-45878 Ooh, maybe this is where I found it to begin with! Haha. Ooh, maybe this is where I found it to begin with! Haha.

]]> By: Favors Balance http://offbeatbride.com/2009/06/theatrical-wedding/comment-page-1#comment-45829 Favors Balance Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:12:22 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/?p=2388#comment-45829 And I totally have tears in my eyes right now from watching Jen and Scotto's vows and the serenade. Their wedding was over-the-top, but they were both totally committed to it and as was abundantly clear, equally committed to each other. And I totally have tears in my eyes right now from watching Jen and Scotto's vows and the serenade. Their wedding was over-the-top, but they were both totally committed to it and as was abundantly clear, equally committed to each other.

]]> By: Favors Balance http://offbeatbride.com/2009/06/theatrical-wedding/comment-page-1#comment-45827 Favors Balance Sun, 21 Jun 2009 15:41:55 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/?p=2388#comment-45827 I've always thought it was nice to play homage to theatrical roots in one deliberate moment and then have the little details of the wedding reflect the couples' theatrical interests - as they should for any couple! For example, a dancer might perform a special, choreographed dance with her partner at the reception, a singer might sing a special song for their beloved, a poet might read a special poem. But then the couple can relax and mingle without concern for "the show". My own DBF and I between us are: dancer, writer, living statue, circus performer, actor, and musician. But while dancing and singing and juggling are part of what we do, there's more to who we are, and I'd want our wedding to reflect the "at-home snuggling on the couch" part of us as much as the "soaking up the limelight" part of us. What makes guests uncomfortable is when they wonder if the love between the couples is sincere, or if that's part of the performance too. Love is the real theme of the day, and that should come across no matter how shy or theatrical the newlyweds may be. I've always thought it was nice to play homage to theatrical roots in one deliberate moment and then have the little details of the wedding reflect the couples' theatrical interests – as they should for any couple! For example, a dancer might perform a special, choreographed dance with her partner at the reception, a singer might sing a special song for their beloved, a poet might read a special poem. But then the couple can relax and mingle without concern for "the show".

My own DBF and I between us are: dancer, writer, living statue, circus performer, actor, and musician. But while dancing and singing and juggling are part of what we do, there's more to who we are, and I'd want our wedding to reflect the "at-home snuggling on the couch" part of us as much as the "soaking up the limelight" part of us. What makes guests uncomfortable is when they wonder if the love between the couples is sincere, or if that's part of the performance too. Love is the real theme of the day, and that should come across no matter how shy or theatrical the newlyweds may be.

]]> By: Jennifer Hoover http://offbeatbride.com/2009/06/theatrical-wedding/comment-page-1#comment-45678 Jennifer Hoover Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:35:53 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/?p=2388#comment-45678 I have been involved with theatre literally since i was in the womb (concieved and birthed during 2 different productions), but while my boyfriend is not as much into theatre, he still loves the performance aspect of my life and what he can do (i'm a dance major). however, as much as i would love to make our wedding (if it comes; hey, we've been together 8 years next week, sop i'm not a TOTAL loony) a 'performance', i doubt it would happen that way. For one thing, it is not 100% us; there are other things/thoughts/themes/ideas that scream "brian & jennifer/gabbie" than theatre. however, i am inspired by a few of the weddings that have occured in the last few years between some of our family friends who are theatre-geeks. one had the wedding program read like a performance program with a cast and crew list, act & scene listing (readings), and other fun stuff like that. in another, my sister told me that you could tell that most of the guests at another wedding were theatre people because this backyard wedding had a lightening-fast turn around from ceremony to reception. she said the theatre guests (who were asked to help) had chairs taken down and tables set up in a matter of moments. The wedding clean-up also took no time due to the same wonderful friends and family who are use to doing the same thing......dressed in black with the lights off *wink* I hope to get the same amount of help as my 'nups. I have been involved with theatre literally since i was in the womb (concieved and birthed during 2 different productions), but while my boyfriend is not as much into theatre, he still loves the performance aspect of my life and what he can do (i'm a dance major). however, as much as i would love to make our wedding (if it comes; hey, we've been together 8 years next week, sop i'm not a TOTAL loony) a 'performance', i doubt it would happen that way. For one thing, it is not 100% us; there are other things/thoughts/themes/ideas that scream "brian & jennifer/gabbie" than theatre. however, i am inspired by a few of the weddings that have occured in the last few years between some of our family friends who are theatre-geeks. one had the wedding program read like a performance program with a cast and crew list, act & scene listing (readings), and other fun stuff like that. in another, my sister told me that you could tell that most of the guests at another wedding were theatre people because this backyard wedding had a lightening-fast turn around from ceremony to reception. she said the theatre guests (who were asked to help) had chairs taken down and tables set up in a matter of moments. The wedding clean-up also took no time due to the same wonderful friends and family who are use to doing the same thing……dressed in black with the lights off *wink* I hope to get the same amount of help as my 'nups.

]]> By: rachelleybob1 http://offbeatbride.com/2009/06/theatrical-wedding/comment-page-1#comment-45647 rachelleybob1 Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:22:54 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/?p=2388#comment-45647 My FH and I both have theater degrees and therefore are surrounded almost daily by talented actors, designers and improv comedians. While we'll be doing a little bit of performing ourselves (we're reenacting the ceremony in fast forward for everyone who couldn't come to the private ceremony) we've decided to put our friends to work at the reception when it comes to entertaining. It'll be ten times as special for us and ten times as special to them because they're doing it for us. The people in our lives have come to expect theatrics from us and our friends and would be totally confused if we didn't entertain them in a big way. My FH and I both have theater degrees and therefore are surrounded almost daily by talented actors, designers and improv comedians. While we'll be doing a little bit of performing ourselves (we're reenacting the ceremony in fast forward for everyone who couldn't come to the private ceremony) we've decided to put our friends to work at the reception when it comes to entertaining. It'll be ten times as special for us and ten times as special to them because they're doing it for us. The people in our lives have come to expect theatrics from us and our friends and would be totally confused if we didn't entertain them in a big way.

]]> By: Laura http://offbeatbride.com/2009/06/theatrical-wedding/comment-page-1#comment-45635 Laura Thu, 18 Jun 2009 03:41:08 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/?p=2388#comment-45635 We're musicians marching band, pit orchestra, woodwind quintet types. Our quintet is playing before the ceremony (to give me something to do so my mind doesn't go "boing") and - after the ceremony and lunch - we are having a do-it-yourself-band concert. We've rented a picnic area and band shell, we're playing music from the various groups we are in, and it should be a lot of fun We have everything from my Dad on triangle to kids just learning trumpet to a bass sax to a banjo to bassoon. about a third of our guests will be playing, which gives us about 100 audience members. (We are also playing a first duet rather than having a first dance - my Sweetie wrote it for Trumpet and bassoon) We're musicians marching band, pit orchestra, woodwind quintet types. Our quintet is playing before the ceremony (to give me something to do so my mind doesn't go "boing") and – after the ceremony and lunch – we are having a do-it-yourself-band concert. We've rented a picnic area and band shell, we're playing music from the various groups we are in, and it should be a lot of fun We have everything from my Dad on triangle to kids just learning trumpet to a bass sax to a banjo to bassoon. about a third of our guests will be playing, which gives us about 100 audience members. (We are also playing a first duet rather than having a first dance – my Sweetie wrote it for Trumpet and bassoon)

]]> By: Jess http://offbeatbride.com/2009/06/theatrical-wedding/comment-page-1#comment-45632 Jess Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:12:04 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/?p=2388#comment-45632 I was a musical theater major too! But I didn't make it so far... I never even got accepted to school for it. BUT I do have that love of the meaningful theatrical element. Looking forward to incorporating it into my wedding day :) I was a musical theater major too!

But I didn't make it so far… I never even got accepted to school for it. BUT I do have that love of the meaningful theatrical element. Looking forward to incorporating it into my wedding day :)

]]> By: Sabrina http://offbeatbride.com/2009/06/theatrical-wedding/comment-page-1#comment-45626 Sabrina Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:40:55 +0000 http://offbeatbride.com/?p=2388#comment-45626 I am a performance poet and included one poem as part of our ceremony, and one as part of my speech. We also had a musician friend sing and play the piano while we did the signing. Then I danced back down the aisle, I was so happy! Definitely know the "can't keep away from a stage" feeling and I really did think of our guests as an audience hehehe. I think whether it's singing, dancing, theatre, improv whatever, if it means something to you both and is connected to the wedding or your relationship in some way, your guests will love it and will enjoy the uniqueness of it! Plus they know and love you so will enjoy seeing "you" as a couple come through in your ceremony. I hope that whatever everyone decides to do, they will have lots of fun with it! I am a performance poet and included one poem as part of our ceremony, and one as part of my speech. We also had a musician friend sing and play the piano while we did the signing. Then I danced back down the aisle, I was so happy! Definitely know the "can't keep away from a stage" feeling and I really did think of our guests as an audience hehehe. I think whether it's singing, dancing, theatre, improv whatever, if it means something to you both and is connected to the wedding or your relationship in some way, your guests will love it and will enjoy the uniqueness of it! Plus they know and love you so will enjoy seeing "you" as a couple come through in your ceremony. I hope that whatever everyone decides to do, they will have lots of fun with it!

]]>