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!:
Comments on "Tiffany & Brandon's Orange Friday the 13th family blending"
27 responses to this entry · Leave a comment · Comments feed (RSS 2.0)
Jen
July 15th, 2009 · 1:34 PM · #
<<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.>>
I couldn't have said that better! That was exactly my thought process at first as well – glad to know I'm not the only one!
LOVE the orange!!
Susan
July 15th, 2009 · 2:32 PM · #
"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 like this. You don't HAVE to have crazy colored hair or a bunch of tattoos to be offbeat. I didn't have any of that and I feel that our wedding was still offbeat.
Good for you
Rebecca
July 15th, 2009 · 2:39 PM · #
How did you make your bouqet? I love it! You look sooo beautiful, perfect hair and makeup.
Stephanie
July 15th, 2009 · 3:13 PM · #
I feel like I have the opposite problem. I am trying to do all the things I think other people will love without losing myself in the process! Most of my guests are out of town and I want their trip to be worthwhile!
Sarahcidal
July 15th, 2009 · 3:38 PM · #
SO perfect! I absolutely ADORE every single thing about this wedding
the orange is soooo cute.. and the all boy-bridesmaids.. awesome 
I had similar issues with my fiance's ex.. he got full custody too! 
i know how hard it can be for the daddy to get full custody so my heart goes out to you 
and congrats on gaining full custody of the little one!!
Megan
July 15th, 2009 · 3:49 PM · #
I love your makeup. Also enjoyed seeing Kilworth Chapel, as a UPS alum who wasn't been back to Tacoma in a while.
Firstlight Photography’s Friday the 13th bride featured on offbeatbride.com «
July 15th, 2009 · 8:57 AM · #
[...] Tiffany to let me know that her wedding was featured on offbeatbride.com! Check out her story HEREg, then go check out other ideas about planning an "offbeat" [...]
Tiffany
July 15th, 2009 · 4:09 PM · #
It was super easy to make. I bought a bunch of tulle circles, about 100 of each color I used, and with about 10 at a time I twisted them up and fastened the bottoms to a styrafoam bouquet base using corsage pins. Then I randomly added the crystal pics, flowers, and peacock feathers. I finished it all off by tightly wraping the handle with orange ribbon.
Tiffany
July 15th, 2009 · 4:41 PM · #
Thanks everyone! I feel so special right now!!!
Renee
July 15th, 2009 · 4:47 PM · #
I absolutely agree about weddings not being a contest! Sometimes I have to *remind* myself of that when I'm cruising this site!
I love the story about you two getting full custody – congrats.
I have to ask, though – and I ask this with no judgement at all – why did you choose to have your wedding in a church if you're pagan? I'm a pagan who *loves* old churches and christian art, but I guess the meaning behind all art would be enough to keep me from marrying there, if only because it doesn't represent me.
Renee
July 15th, 2009 · 4:47 PM · #
oh, and yay for peacock feathers
Tiffany
July 15th, 2009 · 10:39 AM · #
The whole church thing didn't bother me. I thought it would and first said no to the place when my hubby suggested it. But after some concideration I realized that it really didn't matter where I had the ceremony and that the ceremony itself wasn't even that important to me. What was important was standing up infront of our friends and family and saying we loved eachother enough to go through the motions. Does that make any sense?
Tera
July 15th, 2009 · 7:26 PM · #
WOOO Tacoma!
Weird that I never saw you on the obt though….
Trish
July 15th, 2009 · 7:41 PM · #
I just looked at your pics-LOVE the shoes! Ok, loved the whole wedding, really glad your stepdaughter was able to be there and is now always going to be with you guys but I cannot tell a lie. I am a barefoot beach bum and I want your wedding shoes. Did you buy them or make them? If you made them you must tell us all how. If you bought them, please tell me they come in pink!
Andrea
July 15th, 2009 · 8:35 PM · #
OMG those are the most awesome shoes ever! Seriously?! Bright orange satin with black lace?! Shut the front door!
Tiffany
July 15th, 2009 · 9:30 PM · #
I bought the shoes on ebay for like $25. They are from cutesy girl and I believe they are on amazon.com and have thier own website. And yes, the shoes came in many colors, including pink. However, I bought them over a year ago so I'm not sure if they are still avalible
Brigid
July 15th, 2009 · 10:58 PM · #
She has ALWAYS loved orange!! It was great to see that she stuck with her theme!
Renee
July 15th, 2009 · 11:50 PM · #
It absolutely makes sense
Corinne L Mensforth
July 16th, 2009 · 2:28 AM · #
I love the peacock accents – the hair piece is gorgeous, I've never seen anything like it! Beautiful work guys!
Tiffany
July 16th, 2009 · 2:35 AM · #
Thank you. I bought the hair piece on etsy.com there are a ton of people there who make them.
bethjoyd
July 16th, 2009 · 3:18 AM · #
I love your hair, it looks so beautiful. I've been trying to imagine what I want my hair to look like for my wedding, and I really like what you did with yours. Also, I think the orange parasol is really cool, and now I want to carry a parasol! Your wedding pictures are beautiful! The one with the censored cigarette made me laugh.
Aurora
July 16th, 2009 · 5:49 AM · #
Congrats on your stepdaughter and beautiful wedding!
Tiffany
July 16th, 2009 · 5:54 AM · #
I had no idea what I wanted my hair to look like for the wedding. I printed out pages of pictures of hairstyles I kinda liked and the stylist took it from there. I was so happy with the way it turned out. I loved the parasol. It was a total last minute idea and I only used it for the pictures but I loved it. That censored picture is my favorite, it's actually how my parents found out I smoke.
Amy
July 16th, 2009 · 11:44 AM · #
I love the dress. Actually, the whole thing is beautiful.
Meg
July 17th, 2009 · 4:17 PM · #
Congrats on the wedding AND custody!
Tiffany
July 17th, 2009 · 5:49 PM · #
Thanks everyone!!!
Jessica_Iowa
August 1st, 2009 · 1:12 AM · #
Thanks so much for adding information about your wedding. Congratulations on you marriage and making your wedding just what you wanted. Keeping your wedding just your way seems so much harder now that I'm planning mine. Great job!
PS. Could you happen to drop the name of the Etsy seller for your sweet headband?