I’m totally all SQUEE-y over these custom offbeat illustrations from butterflieskiss.com.

Donna, the illustrator who runs butterflieskiss.com crafts custom images that you could use on save the dates, wedding invitations, thank you cards, wedding favors … or even wedsites.

Let me let you in on a little secret: I’m tempted to commission Donna’s illustrations for offbeatbride.com! I mean, does it get any more OBB than this lovely inked bride illustration?

Donna does illustrations catered to semi-traditional wedding invitations too, but she’s got amazing images perfectly catered to diverse offbeat brides needs including goth and circus-y/vaudeville brides, lesbian brides, bollywood brides, and even pregnant brides!

And if those wedding-y illustrations too tame for you, Donna has another line — donna-matrix.com, catering to racier images perfect for bachelorette party invites or heck: even your wedding invitation if you’re planning a fetishy wedding. (HOT!)

Donna’s offering 10% off on custom illustrations when you mention offbeatbride.com — so get on that shit, ladies!

And who knows: next time I redesign, you might see some of Donna’s stuff in the header of offbeatbride.com…

We are planning a small ceremony during the day with a limited number of guests. Later that evening, we will have a party/reception for everyone to come and celebrate whether they were at the ceremony or not. What is a polite way to word the invitations to the reception-only people so that they know that the ceremony was kept small so that no feelings are hurt? -Natty

We did our wedding the same way: relatively intimate ceremony and dinner, and then wide open “Bring your friends!” crazy dance reception. We invited these reception guests via an evite that read:

Keep reading »

The offbeat bride: Nicole, Landscape Architect

Her offbeat partner: Stew, Photographer & Designer

Location & date of wedding: Hernshead Pavilion Central Park, NYC - July 13th, 2008

What made our wedding offbeat: We found out about Hernshead Pavilion, a Victorian pavilion by one of the lakes in Central Park. It cost us only $25 for a two hour permit. Since we don’t share in a fear of the number 13 (it’s one of my personal favorite numbers) we were able to get the time we wanted despite our short planning period! Hooray!

Keep reading »

I really appreciate your Offbeat Bride Blog. I find myself wanting to point friends to your blog and then resist the urge. A lot of my friends are people of color. When one hits your blog it is hard to find any weddings of people of color. Have you considered targeted outreach to photographers and brides/grooms of color?

Again, I love your work. Just wish I could spread it farther.
Warmly, Jodie

Thanks so much for the email, Jodie! This is a great opportunity to discuss an issue I’ve been thinking a lot about.

On offbeatbride.com, I aim to feature diverse weddings in terms of style, location, sexual orientation, etc. … but you’re not the only one to be frustrated by the lack of color on offbeatbride.com. I have been deeply disappointed by the lack of racially diverse offbeat weddings across the web and in my inbox. I see a bazillion tattooed white women, but very very few black hippie brides, goth asian brides, steampunk latina brides, rockabilly native american brides, etc.

I actually brought the issue up six months ago on the OBT forum (“Where are all the OBBs of color?”), and brides from a range of ethnic backgrounds weighed in with their theories on why I might be finding less offbeat brides of color online, and what I could do to attract more to the site. Here were a few of their thoughts:

Keep reading »

I’m all for white dresses, red dresses, blue dresses, purple dresses, but ZOMG I actually gasped out loud when I saw this picture of Kelly Devoto’s fantastical colorful peacock-y wedding dress — which it turns out was actually designed to be a prom dress.

Seriously, it’s like a My Little Pony and Tinkerbell totally got it on nasty-style in a magical rhinestone shop and this dress was their sparkling bastard love child. And I mean that in the very best possible way! I’m totally in love.

I’ve got a detail shot of the bodice and bouquet below, along with the bride’s story of where she got the dress. I’m looking forward to telling you much, much more about this Los Angeles wedding some day in the future.

Keep reading »

Lately, I’ve been noticing lots of short, colorful and playfully ruffled wedding dresses on offbeat brides. I’m guessing I’ll be seeing even more in Spring 2009 weddings. Here are a couple recent examples:

For more info about the wedding on the left, over to Merge Weddings’ flickr stream. For more info about the wedding on the right, head over to mi bell inc’s gallery.

(Thanks to Rachel and Mel R for sending these in!)

I love how her black dress with white sash exactly matches his black suit with white tie.

Not only were there a lot of Converse All-Stars worn at this wedding, but they got married by a monk wearing sneakers.

Lots more photos over here!

(Thanks to kittyfeliz for the photo!)

The offbeat bride: Grace, Library Clerk

Her offbeat partner: Thomas, Warehouse Material Handler

Location & date of wedding: Inniswood Metropark Westerville Ohio - October 3rd, 2008

What made our wedding offbeat: After plans for a low-key affair with family and friends didn’t quite materialize as we had envisioned it, we decided to buck tradition and “elope,” so to speak. We didn’t, however, want to sacrifice any of the romance or ritual we loved in wedding ceremonies. So we agreed to get married at an absolutely gorgeous local park.

Keep reading »