Congratulations on your engagement!

My name is Ariel and I'll be your partner in crime as you navigate the wilds of planning your wedding, wherever it may be on the offbeat spectrum. Take a deep breath and let Offbeat Bride hold your hand and stave off that impending bridentity crisis.

Here's how to get started with your wedding planning and Offbeat Bride:

Get Organized

• Print out the official offbeat check-list.
• Start designing your wedding website.
• Snag a copy of Offbeat Bride the book.
  (Oh and here's why you should buy the book and not just read the website.)

Get Connected

• Sign up to get a dose of Offbeat Bride in your inbox every morning:
  
• Get social with us on Twitter, Facebook, LiveJournal.
  (Oh and of course we have an RSS feed.)
• Join our forum, the Offbeat Bride Tribe.
  It's a private forum/social network to share your wedding planning adventures.

Get Inspired

• Read a few Offbeat Bride manifestos.
  They'll help you get a feel for what this site is really all about.
  If you only read one post on this site, read this one!
• Immerse yourself in the Offbeat Bride gallery.
  It's filled with over 10,000 photos of real offbeat weddings, with new photos added every day!

Get Going

• Find vendors in your area in our international Offbeat Vendors Guide. We'll help you find vendors who love offbeat brides, even if you live in a tiny conservative town.
• Search Offbeat Bride to find what you need.
  Use Offbeat Bride's built in search to find local ideas for your city or state or your wedding's theme. You'll find a search box near the top right of every single page of offbeatbride.com. Scroll up and you'll see it!
  
• Get your partner involved! For grooms, that could mean emailing him about offbeat groom posts, or encouraging him to join the Tribe.
• Read back in the offbeat archives.
  Filled with four years of inspiration, the archives are full of great topics like wedding advice, ideas to steal, wedding fashion, and perhaps the most useful of all: PERSPECTIVE. (Seriously: if you're freaking out, click here for a reality check.)

And finally … don't forget to take a deep breath and appreciate the awesomeness of love and commitment. Planning a wedding doesn't have to be high drama or terrifying — it can be fun and awesome. We're here to help with that.