The Offbeat Bride: Sarah, hairdresser

My Offbeat Partner: Richard, material handler, contractor

Location & date of wedding: Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, on my Parent's farm — July 12, 2008

What made our wedding offbeat: There are a few obvious reasons why my wedding would be considered "offbeat." My dress was purple, my hair was red, he didn't wear a tux, my MOH's title was "zilla", it was outside on a farm, dress code was tropical, etc.

I considered it offbeat because everyone had a job. Anyone with a specific job had creative input. For example, my sister was a photographer and I let her do her own thing. With the florist we just discussed colours and themes and left the rest up to her. I never knew what the bouquet would look like until the day of the wedding. I didn't even know what my dress looked like until the week before.

I just chose people I trusted and left it up to them.

Continue reading "Sarah & Richard's Pirates of the Carribean Wedding" →

I just got this email from a reader named Katy, and thought I would share it as part of my Mailbag series…

Recently, I was looking through the offbeat photo pool and came across picture after picture of weddings with ideas I had been throwing around for a while. This cake picture especially caught my eye. Months and months ago I had found a picture of a cake almost exactly like that, the chocolate dripping down, and honestly I fell IN LOVE with it. On another site, I found that exact cake topper. Yep, exact. In my little wedding obsessed mind I had put them together and…VOILA! dream wedding cake! And here it was, at another wedding, another bride's dream wedding cake.

Now at first, I was a little disappointed, I'll admit. It's like my unique, offbeat bride bubble had burst. "But…but…how is my wedding supposed to be unique? I'd wanted that cake! I'd wanted to rent a photo booth! I'd wanted converse shoes! I'd wanted a black dress! Boo!"

But then I thought about it, and I smiled…

Continue reading "Trends vs. Super Awesome Ideas" →

The offbeat bride: Erin, teacher

Her offbeat partner: Chris, photographer

Location & date of wedding: Treasure Island Beach, Florida on November 1st, 2008

What made our wedding offbeat: We live together with our four children (two mine, two his, all ours). This wedding was not just about the two of us, but about merging to become this big, crazy, wonderful family.

I said vows to Chris's biological children, and he said vows to mine. It just formalized the incredible bond we already have with each other. We didn't have bridesmaids or groomsmen, we walked down the aisle together, and we skipped the bouquet toss and garter business, and most other expected elements of the modern American wedding.

Continue reading "Erin & Chris' Brady-Bunched on the Beach Wedding" →

Sometimes it's just the little details that I love…things like teeny skulls hidden through people's weddings. Like a skull necklace…

…or a skull ring.

…or a skull garter.

…or cake toppers!

These photos are from several different weddings, so click the photos above to view more!

The offbeat bride: Kara, Customer Service Rep – Fashion
Her offbeat partner: Loop Haro

Location & date of wedding: The Marvimon House in Los Angeles, CA – June 29th, 2008

What made our wedding offbeat: Since I am from Minnesota and my husband is from northern California, we needed an easy location that could accommodate our families and our hipper-than-hip friends.

Continue reading "Kara & Loop's Glamourous Indie-Rocker Loft Wedding!" →