We're back with another new jewelry feature from Turtle Love Committee where we feature some of our favorite from their new lines of necklaces and earrings. Again, I feel the need to point out that we love them because they focus on jewelry that’s eco-conscious and made by independent artisans. Really, these people are good eggs — you can read about the people and the TLC philosophy and see for yourself.

Offbeat Discount: OBB readers that subscribe to the TLC mailing list will get a 20% off coupon, good through 12/20.

Like the miniature lithographs necklaces that we featured a little while back, these lovebirds necklaces are made by a husband-and-wife team in their home studio using at least 50% recycled silver. And the sweet thing about these babies is that they can worn all symbolic-like to represent you as a couple!

Or, added bonus, they can also represent family ties… they come in single parent or a two-parent team. A perfect gift option for the new moms or step-children in your life as you build your own nest through marriage.

Go check it out, lovebirds!

You know Turtle Love Committee from our past introductions. We LURVE that they specialize in affordable and eco-friendly non-diamond engagement rings and wedding bands. But now there’s even more reason to lurve them… TLC now has a whole slew of really unique necklaces and earrings. We'll be featuring our favesies from their new jewelry lines that would make perfect (and AFFORDABLE!) wedding party gifts.

Check these beautiful and moody silver lithograph pendants. Each piece is hand-inked and hand cranked on an antique printing press and then strung on super subtle gray cord. They're like cool tiny art pieces!

They also do double duty of conveying complicated sentiments without being cheese-tastic. Like, the house and the nest are perfect for celebrating, well, housing and nesting. My personal favorites, the bridge and the railroad tracks are a great way to symbolize the journey and connections that weddings have a crazy way of bringing about. And the adorable little girl on the swing just makes me smile all goofy-like.

Head over to Turtle Love Committee get your own goofy-like smile going.

Made from upcycled materials like Scrabble tiles and bottle caps, these wedding-themed pendants from Recycled Treasures are adorable and obviously unique wedding party gifts.

Ooh, think about how perfect one of the Scrabble tile pendants would be for a bride to wear at her gamer geek wedding!

And budget brides, take heart: at $6 per pendant, you can actually afford to buy wedding party gifts that are handmade and personal.

Recycled Treasures also does custom orders (aside from bridal party position, name, or initial) — if you can scheme it, Recycled Treasures can make it. So head over to Etsy and start dreaming up something fun for your wedding party!

I LOVE THIS. What better gift for your zombie betrothed than a hand-painted zombie portrait of the two of you by artist Rob Sacchetto, author/illustrator of The Zombie Handbook: How to identify the living dead and survive the coming zombie apocalypse.

The photo above shows a before & after of one Offbeat Bride-reading couple. On the left: their lovely wedding portrait. On the right? ZOMBIFICATION.

The process is pretty simple: you send Rob a clear, high resolution jpeg of you and your beloved (or your bridesmaid, or your groomsmen, or your mother-in-law), and he'll works his illustrative magic. This is definitely a, uh, one-of-a-kind gift.

Special Offbeat Wedding Packages:

• Bride and Groom couple's portrait $160
• Maid of Honor and Best Man singles portrait $80 each
• Each additional portrait order $60 for single, $140 for couples
• Group of six (head and shoulder shot) 20" x 30" $480
• Group of six (full body shot) 20" x 30" $520

Send Rob your photo today — and yes, they do rush orders!

Oh and PS: If you're into Zombies, obviously you should snag a copy of Rob's new book, The Zombie Handbook.

I've gotten a few questions lately from brides seeking the perfect offbeat groomsmen's gifts. I've resisted weighing in because no two dudes are the same — and I really don't dig the gender-normative trends in groomsmen gifts. It seems like it's assumed that groomsmen are interested in booze (flasks!), titties (pin-up cufflinks!), tools, and sports. I mean sure: you know your dudes best. Maybe they love these things. But are we really so sure our guy friends are so narrow in their interests?

So, in putting together my list of awesome groomsmen gifts, I'll recognize that some dudes might be into a flask or cufflinks, but others would be much happier with a Star Wars flash drive, pedicure, or leather wrist-cuff. My ultimate test for groomsmen gifts: would a badass Best Woman like it too?

That in mind, here are a few of my favorite nontrad groomsmen gifts, some more mainstream, some tongue-in-cheek, and some totally out there:

Continue reading "Unexpected groomsmen gift ideas" →