In defense of smokin’-hot smoking brides

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Kristen on the yellow bench.This is one of my favorite bride smoking photos of all time. It basically inspired this round-up. The photographer explained, “There was this great yellow bench out front, and Kristen wanted a cigarette. She didn't even care guests were arriving and they were going to see the bride — she wanted a good shot and the smoke break. She's the best little thing.”

It's also odd that I should be putting together this roundup, because I'm not, nor will I ever be a smoker (I have really bad asthma, that's severely agitated by smoke), but I DO appreciate some of the dramatic and fun shots we've seen of smoking brides not hiding their habit on their wedding day. That said, of course some people see smoking brides as “tacky” (yawn: aren't we done with that word yet?) or somehow setting a bad example for children at the wedding (puh-lease: brides are real people, not some sort of Disney princess character at an amusement park). Obviously, we all know smoking is bad for your health, but we support people planning weddings that are authentic expressions of who they are — and guess what? SOME PEOPLE SMOKE.

So, if you're wondering about whether or not to light up in your wedding dress, check out this roundup and decide for yourself…

IMG_8971

Such a lovely night smokin' out back danielle smoking MakingTheMoment_DG_304
Smokin hot bride alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Photo by Photo Pink
erin from eca productions alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
This is a photo of Erin and her sisters sharing a smoke and an adorable laugh.
BarrHickson_073 Bad Influence
nonfictionweddings alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Last but certainly not least: a bride with a cigar! Photo by Non Fiction Weddings

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Comments on In defense of smokin’-hot smoking brides

  1. Although I don’t smoke myself, my fiance and many of friends and family do. That’s why we’re going to put together a warming tent outside of the smoke-free cabin for the folks who want a more leisurely smoke. There’s no reason they should have to freeze!

  2. No wonder Lindsay’s husband wants that photo on his desk, she’s a BABE and that shot rocks

  3. I am unmarried because my future husband died at the age of 40 due to lung cancer from his 20 year smoking habit. Its hard for me to see smoking as romantic in any way, quite the opposite. So, I was surprised that I really enjoyed these pictures… You are right, brides are people and some people smoke. I like the contradictory assertion these photos make of what a bride is “supposed” to be- a perfect fairy tale princess. Real women are way hotter any day, and these pictures show it.

  4. I don’t smoke and try to avoid it at all costs but some of my favorite wedding photos I’ve taken have been of the bridal party smoking. I guess it’s because they are so relaxed at that moment, genuinely not giving a crap that the camera is there. LOVE the bench photo!

  5. I’m not a smoker anymore, but some of tyhose shots are stellar. The one with the yellow bench is fantastic. My friend Sam and her wine bottle is my favorite though

  6. I don’t smoke, but if I did, I would use a fancy cigarette holder like Cruella Devil from 101 Dalmatians. I’m surprised to not see any featured in some fabulous vintage-y looking shots here.

    • Didn’t feature it because no-one’s submitting a shot to us like that. As always, we can’t feature submissions we don’t have. 🙂

  7. While I’d like to submit weed photos, I understand why no one wants to put a face on that 😉

  8. I am a smoker and a bride and this post made me so happy. Thank you so much. 🙂

  9. I don’t smoke, but I think a pipe would make an awesome wedding photo prop!

    Also, so much hotness here, it’s killing me.

  10. What it comes down to in my mind is that these pictures looked pretty natural to me. IMHO that is the BEST–a natural picture.

    You can debate whether people should or shouldn’t smoke. I mean seriously, us smokers KNOW it’s bad. Really, we do.

    But you know, if that’s you then so be it. And if you can’t be yourself on your wedding day… 😉

  11. I’m with you that these brides look awesome, and that the photographers are doing a fantastic job catching moments and emotions…
    However, when I was reading this, I kept hearing “look how hot/beautiful/relaxed/awesome these smokers are!” Which, is exactly what the cigarette companies have been advertising for decades. I think my biggest qualm is the emphasis on the Cool, Smoking Photos, and not a feature on, say, Brides on Benches where one or two happen to be smoking. I think it would be better to include smoking brides in other collections/montages, as that is reality.

    • I would argue that most photos of brides aim to make them look “hot/beautiful/relaxed/awesome” — smoking or not.

      • Absolutely agree. And I gave kudoos to the photographers for doing an AMAZING job with that & succeeding. I don’t have a problem with the photographers, the poses, or the photos being taken. That would be silly.

    • I can’t read Megan’s mind, but I think what she was going for was something along the lines of “Hey, smokers! You don’t have to be ashamed of smoking just because you’re a bride! And it might be a good photo op, too.”

      It’s nice to know that there are smoking brides who don’t hide from the photographer or have to “sneak” a smoke for fear of people shaming you for it.

  12. First of all, let me say that I hate smoking. I find it disgusting and it has a nasty habit of triggering asthma attacks for me. However, I love these photos. Not because they’re smoking, but because the brides are beautiful. To me, it’s a bunch of awesome pictures of beautiful brides who just happen to be smoking. Maybe they look even more beautiful because they’re just being themselves. My favorite is the one with the bride dancing with a glass of wine and a cigarette.

  13. As a bride to be, I know how stressful planning a wedding can be. That being said I smoke and I will probably be chain-smoking the day of my wedding. If people don’t like it they can leave.

  14. Thank you for this! I smoke casually and I hate how people have picked this one habit to ostracize but other habits that people have that might cause health risks are totally not ok to pick on, I’ve never fully understood that. I have some friends who don’t smoke who are very understanding of my smoking because I have always been super polite about it, but I have other ones who are totally indignant about it and will constantly throw rude comments at me and other smokers when we are just innocently having a cigarette in a designated smoking area and not trying to bother anyone, it’s very hurtful. It’s not like we walk into McDonald’s and find people chowing down on unhealthy food and make comments about their health and eating habits, that would be outrageous! So thank you so much Megan for falling into cool and understanding category!

    • But people DO comment frequently on the eating habits of others. It is definitely outrageous, but it does happen. All the time.

  15. totally have an awesome pic of me faggin on my wedding day!!! its actually my favourite pic of the entire day!!! (could be becuase said marriage is now over, or could be because I was hanging out for that baby so bad at the time!!!!)

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