The whole wedding planning bonanza is a bit like thrusting your head in a cannon and waiting for it to blow… there is just SO much anticipation and worry. To DIY or not? Should you go all out or pinch pennies? What about decorations and favors?

If your head is swimming with possibilities and your palms start sweating at the mere thought of diving into the planning, take a look at these tutorials. They might just save your wedding — and your sanity!

Continue reading "Tutorials that could save your wedding" →

OBT member "Zephyr" created ring books as an alternative to ring pillows — and the book loving, English major in me is freaking out over them! Luckily for all of us book lovers, she gave us the details on how to make them yourself…

Being the book geek that I am, I couldn't resist bringing books into the wedding! Here's the step by step creation of my own ring bearer books…

Continue reading "How to make a Ring Book" →

The Offbeat Bride: Monica, system analyst and jewelry-maker

Her Offbeat Partner: Eric, animator and artist

Location & date of wedding: Cross-town Los Angeles – ceremony at Immanuel Presbyterian, reception at The Proud Bird — 1/31/09

Continue reading "Monica & Eric's Artsy Craftsy Disney Infused Wedding" →

Getting lingerie from my future MIL in front of a room full of near strangers wasn

Ah, the "wedding shower" — A wonderful tradition rife with feminist solidarity and celebrations of love, marriage and family bonding?

…Or torture in the form of humiliating games and awkward, voyeuristic present-opening rituals? If I were to answer this from my own experience (see the picture of me to the left, taken during my nightmare wedding shower), I'd have to say a little of the former and whole lot of the latter.

But fear not this same cruel fate! Because OffbeatBride.com is here to tell you that it doesn't have to go down like that!

Future brides, family members, bestest friends and future-in-laws, put down those rolls of toilet paper and read this:

Offbeat Bride's list of (dare we say it?)
FUN & TORTURE FREE WEDDING SHOWER IDEAS…

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The Offbeat Bride: Kristi, pre-school teacher at a German Immersion pre-school and a previous example of why rainy day weddings = gorgeous weddings!

My Offbeat Partner: John, IT guy at a middle school

Location & date of wedding: Columbia Manor, Minneapolis, Minnesota — May 10th, 2008

What made our wedding offbeat: We really tried to make our wedding "us" in every way that we could and also fun!

We had a very limited budget- which worked out okay because I'm all about DIY or getting someone to do it for you for cheap!

Continue reading "Kristi & John's Crafty Rainy Day Wedding" →