Category Archive

Real Weddings: Midwest US

There are some people who think offbeat weddings don’t happen in the fly-over states. These people will be surprised. Behold a few of our favorite weddings from the Midwest including Chicago weddings, Iowa weddings, Ohio weddings, Michigan weddings, and more. Submit your wedding for consideration via offbeatwed.com/submissions.

sdfds alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

A flamingo-filled vow renewal at a renovated brewery (with unity pizza-cutting ceremony!)

Remember Minerva from her insightful guest posts? We’ve got her epic vow renewal that made us love her even more, if that’s possible. This flamingo-filled vow renewal at a 19th-century renovated brewery featured a unity pizza-cutting ceremony, donuts, lots of rosé champagne, and a fun couple’s boudoir shoot!

Queer rustic barn wedding as seen on @offbeatbride

Lovingly written vows and touching tributes at this queer rustic barn wedding

What was once going to be a simple, budget-friendly backyard wedding turned into a lovely barn wedding with rustic details, carefully chosen music, and lovingly written vows. Don’t miss the funny wedding party entrances, the serendades, and the touching tribute to the Orlando shootings. This queer rustic barn wedding is full of epic moments.

Level up at this board games, arcade, quest wedding as seen on @offbeatbride

Level up at this arcade adventure quest wedding

This pair totally embraced the alternative reception concept with a no-dancing, board games, arcade-style, bowling celebration at their adventure quest wedding. You’ll never believe how detailed their wedding quest was. Custom dice, tons of games, loads of awesome break-the-ice quests, all after a gorgeous forest preserve ceremony.

Harry Potter + Star Wars wedding as seen on @offbeatbride

Lightsabers vs. wands: don’t miss this Harry Potter meets Star Wars wedding

Andrea and Ron both have true passions for Harry Potter and Star Wars. They’re convention fiends and travel all over the U.S. to celebrate their fandom faves. It was only right to incorporate that at their Harry Potter meets Star Wars wedding. Spot the references in their themed place cards and table numbers, the R2-D2 made completely out of flowers for the place card table, the EPIC handmade Marauders’ Map programs (that took over 40 hours to create!), and wand vs. lightsaber battle.

A curious masquerade wedding of oddities and glamour as seen on @offbeatbride

A curious masquerade wedding of oddities and glamour

The theme started out as just “masquerade,” as I’ve always wanted to have or attend a masquerade ball, but as we began to brainstorm ideas, we started working bits of ourselves into the details. My husband and I have a large collection of antiques and oddities, and we ended up incorporating different pieces from our home into each of the centerpieces and the decor. Thus, “The Curious Masquerade” was born. Maps, medical models, scientific instruments, antique candelabras, and other various things all got (carefully!) flora-fied and bedecked.

Nerdy pre-deployment wedding (with Game of Thrones cosplay!)

Nerdy military pre-deployment wedding (with Game of Thrones cosplay!)

The groom was set to be deployed, so he proposed less than three weeks before the ceremony. Queue the nerdy, Star Wars and Game of Thrones quick wedding! On a beautiful veranda by a pond, the cosplaying pair had a nerdy military pre-deployment wedding to thrill everyone.