Tiffany & Brandon's Orange Friday the 13th family blending

The Offbeat Bride:
Tiffany, Librarian
(and OBT member "TippyLooHoo")

Her Offbeat Partner:
Brandon, Electrician

Location & date of wedding:
Friday the 13th, March 2009
Kilworth Memorial Chapel in Tacoma, WA & BPIC in Browns Point, WA.

What made our wedding offbeat: One of the biggest things that made our wedding offbeat was that it was on a Friday the 13th. And our colors reflected that: orange, black, purple, and white. We tried to do everything as cheap as possible. I bought most of our decorations, supplies, etc. on Ebay. We decorated everything ourselves. I made my very own nearly flowerless bouquet. We didn't use tradition music for the ceremony. Oh, and all of my bridesmaids were men.

Our biggest challenge: Our biggest challenge was getting my groom's daughter in the wedding. She was set to be our flower girl but the day before the wedding her mother decided that she wasn't going to allow it. My groom's step-mom spent hours on the phone trying to work out a deal and finally had to agree to drive my now-stepdaughter 6 hours away and take an hour ferry ride after the reception to give her back to her mother. We didn't see her for weeks after that. But it all worked out in the end because two weeks later a judge granted my hubby and I full custody!

My favorite moment: My favorite moment was right as I was getting ready to walk down the isle. I walked to "Chapel of Love" by the Dixie Cups and as soon as the song started playing I could hear everyone laugh and cheer, it was just perfect.

My advice to other offbeat brides: You don't have to be a freak to be offbeat. When I first started planing my wedding I spent months trying to come up with ways to out do all the offbeat weddings I had seen. But in the end it just wasn't me. I didn't dye my hair a funny color, I actually dyed it back to its natural color. I had my wedding in a church, even though I'm pagan, but used fun music instead of the traditional wedding music. My point is be true to who you are because you don't have to be over the top to be different. [Editor's note: AMEN! Remember, everyone: YOUR WEDDING IS NOT A CONTEST!]

Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?:

• By far the best vendor I had was my photographer, Kier Smith, with Firstlight Photography. I really just can't say enough good things about him.
• Food: New York Catering. Ed was really nice and the food was cheap and excellent!
• Dress: Bellevue Bridal Boutique
• Cupcakes: Hello Cupcake
• Most of the decorations were purchased on Ebay and a few, including my awesome peacock headband were bought on Etsy.

Enough talk — show me the wedding porn!: