reality check | Offbeat Bride

This is Offbeat Bride's archive of reality check posts.

Most Recent Posts About reality check

Does this adorable Save-the-Date have the ability to make your wedding-saturated mind go nutso? Apparently, it can and it has!

So, I'm getting married. Like, ring on finger. Like, picked a date. Like, getting magazines delivered monthly to my door, reserving room blocks, and picking out "my colors."

It's all a lot of input and should-haves and should-buys and not long after I said yes to a man, I was saying yes to websites, and wedding favors, and steak or chicken, and extra tents, and a whole lot of material things to make the one non-material thing in my life look really pretty in yellow ribbon and daisies.

And, although the semi-addicted online shopper in me enjoys parts of this exploration, it does become a glitter and bubbles-filled tornado after awhile. And I was spinning out of control.

It happened one late night while I was searching Save-the-Date postcards…

Engagement ring envy — the stuff of legend and myth? Or a nasty side effect of being engaged and the wedding industrial complex? Since the holidays are a popular time to propose, we thought we'd share Offbeat Bride reader Sarah's thoughts as she delves into her inner psyche and explores the deep annals of her engagement ring envy demons.

Since I got engaged, I've been saying that I have "open expectations," a phrase I learned here on Offbeat Bride. (Correct use of the term "open expectations" could be something like, "My expectations are not low, they are open.") At thirty-three days to go until my wedding, I've learned that the best thing about open expectations is this…

Wherein Ariel (but not that one) gives us all a little reminder that simple weddings are just as wonderful as over-the-top detailed weddings.

In which a Tribe member lines up her great wedding day expectations, along with the crushing reality of the likely wedding day scenario, and realizes that, while it's not all sunshine and unicorns, but it's still gonna be pretty fucking awesome.

In short, I realized that I never cared about formal photos before, or registries, or themed parties, or catering, florists, fancy cakes, or venues. So, why do I want a giant one-day event that doesn't reflect EITHER of us? Just because it's… you know… expected?

Planning a wedding v. planning a marriage — is there a difference? Should we separate the two? Tribe member Jana explores the idea and it just may change how you look at your wedding plans.

Tribe member monicawesome wrote some pretty down to Earth vows to herself in preparation for her wedding day. We think every bride could benefit from this little personal vow pep-talk.