Creative Alternatives for Independent Brides

Lots of DIY was happening in the Offbeat Flickr Pool and Offbeat Bride Pinterest account this week. We've got ruffled skirts, copper-leafed candles, Lebowski-style save-the-dates, and some save-the-dates written on faces! It just a DIY kind of week.

After a wedding (or two) under their belt, it was time to make this one their own: Vikings, a fiery red dress, belly dancing performers (who dragged everyone up to dance!), and a processional song written by the groom. Join us (and Geoff Peterson) in reading about this backyard shindig.

The Sweetheart Shout Out is a labor of love for husband and wife team, Phillip and Tara. Much like all of you, when they were planning their wedding they looked at the all ribbon-y, glittery, silk flowery, overpriced stuff that are the mainstay of most invitation companies, and decided there had to be a better option! Thankfully (for all of us) they're both graphic designers with a passion for killer wedding invitation design.

Now that we're done with 2011, I thought I'd take a look back at the ENTIRE year's worth of affiliate sales, and see what you ladies love. See, here's how it works: when you click a link in one of my shoe posts, and then you buy something, I can see what you buy — I can't see WHO bought it, but even if you buy something I didn't link (ie, not a pair of shoes), I can see the sale. This means that while I may love shoes like this, I can see that y'all are a bit more fond of these. That's cool, man. We don't have to like the same things.

This in mind, I thought I'd share a few of of the styles that are most popular with Offbeat Brides. I've got shoes, a few dresses, and some random accessories like mustache necklaces and mushroom lamps.

This couple had a very small, private ceremony on the first day, and then an entire day of festivities the following day. They had chalk drawing contests, a giant frame photo booth, a big ol' chocolate heart-shaped cake, and the cutest damned pink and black dress EVAR!

Fairy wedding with mushrooms and gnomes? Fantasy wedding with renaissance touches? This makeup tutorial may be just what you've been looking for. Rich color plus glitter, all from a way cute male makeup artist.

Obviously in the past Offbeat Brides have gotten REALLY creative with their ring pillows. But what if you don't have time to make a Lego ring box or the skills to create a ring bearer outfit for your dog? That's okay: for the craft-challenged, here are some ring pillows (way beyond the pretty white satin ones), and ring pillow alternatives (roses, eggs, dog wings…) that are available to you RIGHT EFFING NOW!

Snowglobes are super rad. I Iove making 'em just as much as I love shaking 'em. Here is a quick tutorial on waterless snowglobes. If you want to put water in your globes, Martha Herself has a tutorial. But here's how the Offbeat DIY Editor rocks her some Martha-inspired crafts.