The Offbeat Bride: Tanya, bookseller/crafty lady

Her Offbeat Partner: Mark, administrator

Location & date of wedding: Parents backyard in Northampton, PA — 6/6/09

What made our wedding offbeat: We wanted to keep our wedding fun, whimsical, and more like an outdoor party. I made everything I thought I could, allowing me to show of my crafty side. I did the invitations, most of the decorations (except the paper lanterns), the centerpieces, and all of the flowers. All of the tables were covered in the vintage table clothes I had been collecting while planning the wedding.

I am a huge John Waters fan, hence the slight pink flamingo obsession. We had plastic pink flamingos in the yard and at our gazebo "altar."

Continue reading "Tanya & Mark's flamingo themed backyard wedding" →

The Offbeat Bride: Jessica – Sr. Office Assistant

Her Offbeat Partner: Lantrel – Business Services Manager

Location & date of wedding: Father of the bride's backyard, Stockton, CA — 06/20/2009

What made our wedding offbeat: At the tender age of 18, my husband and I snuck to the county clerks office and tied the knot, without our family's blessing or knowledge. Thirteen years later we decided we would love to reaffirm our vows and love for one another and have our families witness it this time.

Continue reading "Jessica & Lantrel's sweet & simple vow reaffirmation" →

The Offbeat Bride: Amy, full time stay-at-home mom

Her Offbeat Partner: Mike, software developer

Location & date of wedding: Fantasy Farm – Makebelieve Ballroom in Toronto, Ontario — November 16th, 2008.

What made our wedding offbeat: We wanted a wedding that would be, above all else, FUN! We did away with certain traditions — I walked down the aisle with my husband and I didn't throw a bouquet or garter, but it held most of the elements that one expects at a wedding. We tried to make it unique in the details, without straying too far from what we feel a wedding is.

Continue reading "Amy & Mike's "come for the cupcakes, stay for the wedding" Wedding" →

The Offbeat Bride: Stephanie, sustainability nerd

Her Offbeat Partner: Davyd, engineer

Location & date of wedding: BFF's parents' backyard, Caversham, Western Australia — April 5th, 2008

What made our wedding offbeat: I'm a mostly-Chinese Australian, and Davyd's a somewhat-English Australian, and we're both vegans. We wanted our wedding to reflect who we are and where we came from (to be a fusion wedding, if you will), but also to be fun and memorable. We played cricket and croquet straight after-wards, and banned black and white colours from our guests whilst trying to get them to wear hats and fascinators. In the weeks before, all planning was referred to as prep for the 'really big party,' and that's what it was!

Continue reading "Stephanie & Davyd's Really Big Vegan Party" →

The Offbeat Bride: Jen, Artist/Library Aide

My Offbeat Partner: Doug, Artist/Museum Officer

Location & date of wedding: Lingrow Farm, Leechburg, PA — 3/22/2008

What made our wedding offbeat: I think one of the things that made us so "offbeat" was how laid-back we all managed to stay about everything! We'd been friends for twelve years and partners for seven when we got engaged, and up until that point I had never really envisioned what I wanted in a wedding.

When we sat down and talked about what we absolutely had to have, the list was actually pretty short: a red wedding dress, good vegetarian food, a venue with some character, and we end up married when it's all over. Once we established that, it was pretty easy to compromise on the rest of the stuff and let go of what wasn't really important.

Continue reading "Jen & Doug's Wabi-sabi Barn Dance Wedding" →