Category Archive

In the news

Offbeat Wed and its founder Ariel Meadow Stallings have been featured by the New York Times, NPR, the Today Show, CNN, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Seattle Times, and many more. Take a look at how mainstream news media tries to wrap its brain around nontraditional weddings.

Gifts, loans, and student debt: wedding budget advice

Gifts, loans, and student debt: the importance of being clear about money

Ariel was recently quoted in an “Ask Brianna” article over here. The issue was how can someone pay for a wedding while they’re really trying to pay down their student loans at the same time. It’s a sticky issue with the hugely rising costs of college AND weddings.

Here’s what Ariel had to say about communication regarding financing with your family.

squirrel with piggy bank on offbeat bride alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Are your parents helping pay for your wedding? Have them read this.

The only rule is to talk openly and honestly about expectations clearly before accepting any money — is the money a loan? A gift? If it’s a gift, does it come with stipulations or expectations? Talking about money is uncomfortable and awkward for everyone, but it’s critically important for parents who might be contributing to weddings to be VERY clear about what their expectations are… and to watch out for predatory marketing that targets parents…

Offbeat Bride interview about Renaissance weddings on NPR's Here & Now and Houston Public Radio

Offbeat Bride interview about Renaissance weddings on NPR’s Here & Now and Houston Public Radio

As a lifelong Renaissance Faire goer, I always have a soft spot for Ren Faire and fantasy weddings, as evidenced by the abundance of them (13 pages!) in this archive.

We love to jam about wedding trends, so when Houston’s Public Radio and NPR’s Here & Now wanted to talk shop about geeky fantasy weddings and weddings at Ren Faires, we were so down.

audrabayette unpluggedwedding alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Offbeat Bride interview about unplugged weddings on New Hampshire Public Radio

I first wrote about unplugged weddings way back in 2011, with a two-post series. The posts went crazy viral and in the three years since then, the idea has picked up major steam. The Huffington Post noticing the trend in 2012, and New York Times picking up on the concept in 2013. I’m happy to say that the concept is now popular enough that it’s no longer seen as “offbeat” in any way.

i love you flag by snaptacular photos alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

“Not an effort to be unique, but an effort to be us”

The New York Times recently ran an article called Your Hand in Marriage, and Offbeat Bride got a nod for our DIY posts. That’s cool, but what really caught my eye was this quote from a bride named Lauren Ireland:
“I felt like there’s such a movement to homogeneous wedding styles with Pinterest and Etsy, which are wonderful tools but do seem to make things seem very similar,” she said.
Her wedding, she added, represented “not an effort to be unique, but an effort to be us.”

Photos by Genevieve Leiper alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

In the New York Times: Grandmas as flower girls

Remember about a year ago when I wrote about grandmas as flowergirls? Well, the New York Times interviewed me for a story about the trend…