The offbeat bride: Dawn Hajnos (Doula/Artist/Student Midwife)

Her offbeat partner: Jason Keil (Woodworker/Artist/Painter)

Location & date of wedding: Honeymoon Island State Park, Dunedin Fl & The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park Live Oak, FL. Oct 9th and 13th 2007.

What made our wedding offbeat: Our wedding belonged to Us. We invited only our best friends who, thankfully are married to each other and our close family friend officiant. We got married in a tide pool at Honeymoon Island State Park in Dunedin Fl. After we said our vows the four of us island hopped along the gulf of mexico. Our plans were not popular with some of our friends and family but it was what we wanted and we refused to settle….It was the most relaxing loving, perfect day with NO stress.

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Those who’ve read my book (which should be all of you *cough cough*) will notice that this wedding sounds awfully familiar. Elisa and I grew up together on Bainbridge Island, and our weddings had a lot in common! I’ve mentioned her wedding before, but here’s the full profile…

The offbeat bride: Elisa, Therapist

Her offbeat groom: Eric, Electrician

Location & date of wedding: My mom’s backyard in a clearing surrounded by Cedar trees on Bainbridge Island.

What made our wedding offbeat: We decided to go low key, fun and DIY! We had a backyard ceremony and I wore the same dress that my grandma and great-grandma wore. It was so special, I’m really glad I did! After the ceremony I changed dresses so I wouldn’t trash the antique one and we danced and hung out all night. I made many of the things for the wedding to keep it cheap and cute, with everything being our colors of bright orange, pink, red, and fushia.

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The offbeat bride: Brittany Wager, Audio Engineer (and Offbeat Bride lab rat!)

My offbeat groom: Steve Wager, Web Consultant

Location & date of wedding: August 2002 at the Buffalo Gap Camp in Capon Bridge, West Virginia — the same place where we met at the All Good Music Festival in 2000.

What made our wedding offbeat: Since we met at a music festival, we wanted to recreate that atmosphere. Once we booked the location everything else sort of fell in to place. We had the campground from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon, so we invited everyone to join us for the whole weekend — not just the day of the wedding. We had a bonfire and jam on Friday night, a cookout and open mic at the lake on Saturday afternoon, and one of our favorite bands played three sets after the wedding. Getting everyone together so far ahead of the actual ceremony was wonderful. They all knew each other very well before the “main event” and it helped to being together our different groups of friends and family into one community.

I put a lot of focus into the music and making sure that everyone would be comfortable and have a good time. I didn’t spend too much time on things like linens, centerpieces, food, etc. In the end people don’t tend to remember those things anyway.

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