The Offbeat Bride: Nikki, OBT member "nikki fizer"

Her Offbeat Partner: Duncan, Musican

Location & date of wedding: mother jungle of a patio in Harrisburg, PA — 7-7-2009

What made our wedding offbeat: Our wedding was very small (13 people). The groom wore a steampunk getup with a krazy Aztec/Myan dreadlock hairstyle with dot tattoos for eyebrows, and I wore a retro polkadot dress with seamed stockings and wingtip heels. We both have dreads (mine are pink). I walked down the aisle to "Beautiful Freak" by The Eels. We used the zombie wedding vows featured on Offbeat Bride.

Continue reading "Nikki & Duncan's Urban Primitive Backyard Wedding" →

The Offbeat Bride: Emily, Graphic Designer & Studio Artist (and OBT member "TheSueb")

Her Offbeat Partner: Ian, Musician

Location & date of wedding: The Loring Pasta Bar and Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, MN — 9/20/08

What made our wedding offbeat: Our ceremony was in a restaurant that was shut down for a few hours. My girls and I walked down a giant staircase and the ceremony was held on a small stage. The best part is that we can relive our wedding anytime we want just by going out for dinner or drinks! I walked down the aisle to the "Bridal March" which transitioned into "Cum on Feel the Noise," by Quiet Riot played on the violin. My husband and I left to bagpipe music (a tradition in his family).

Continue reading "Emily & Ian's tattooed rocker wedding by candlelight" →

The offbeat bride: Jennifer, Mental Health Counselor/professional photographer/Fire Performance Artist

Her offbeat partner: Michael Canton, Professional Photographer/Tech Guru

Location & date of wedding: Beardslee Castle, Little Falls, New York. May 2, 2009.

What made our wedding offbeat: Our wedding was OURS. It was US. I wanted to wear red and have the most gorgeous flowing dreadlocks. Mike totally dug his brown suit and when I asked if he wanted to wear a boutonniere he said "…do I have to?", to which I replied, "there are no rules, nothing we have to do…wear one if you want to, don't if you don't."

…He didn't.

Continue reading "Jennifer & Michael's sexy earthy wedding" →

Hopefully I'll have more photos and the full story from the Zimtrix California forest wedding soon, but for now I must share this photo of the wedding dress, which was designed and constructed by Jessica Hinel, a costume designer and seamstress based in the Bay Area:

If you want to know more about the dress and see the amazing Wai-Ching-inspired split train, go read the designer's blog post about her design and construction process. Jessica also did the groom's styling, which she's promised to blog about soon. I'll be waiting.

Part of what I love so much about Offbeat Bride is that I feel like it's all about finding inspiration outside of my little aesthetic bubble. For instance, I'm soooo not a native of the goth/industrial/fetish scene, but I can find about 10 inspiring things in the wedding photo below, which is from Severina & Seraphim's Seattle handfasting:

(photo courtesy of gak photography)

… In what unexpected places have YOU found inspiration?

(Thanks to the lovely ladies of the OBT for finding this photo!)