This was originally posted as a comment to the “Your wedding is tacky” post, but I think it’s important and wanted to take the time to answer it publicly.

…While I at first did enjoy this blog’s celebration of all things unique and offbeat, Ariel’s recent increasing blowups on any negative comments is, frankly, off putting. Any post on any subject is going to evoke negative AND positive reactions from people. Freaking out whenever people comment negatively, whether using “tacky” or not, is ITSELF unwelcoming of discussion.

I enjoyed this blog because it gave me inspiration for various ideas I could ponder and decide whether to include or exclude them with my wedding. And even though it is MY wedding, I still care what other people think, because this wedding is a celebration for my whole family. They’re giving time and money and traveling a long distance to be with me, I want them to have as much fun as possible. So yes, I find value even when people react negatively to different wedding ideas, and I even find value when people use the word “Tacky”

Demanding that every comment flower praise on the couple’s wedding choices isn’t offbeat, it is typical selfish bridal behavior. -Elizabeth

Elizabeth, I totally hear you and it’s definitely a balance I struggle with when thinking about offbeat editorial and moderation strategy. Honestly: it’s not like I love every single nontraditional wedding I see. It’s not like I’ve never looked at a wedding photo and thought “Woah! Bleah!” But ultimately my goal has always been acting as a cheerleader and supporter of nontraditional couples.

From the introduction of my book:

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offbeat bride posts will resume once I stop barfing. Whee!

Today is our 4th wedding Anniversary! To celebrate, I thought I would share a few outtakes from our wedding photos.

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Expect less blog posts than usual for the coming week — things are a little crazy at the Offbeat HQ what with my birthday tomorrow, and a trip to Montana to meet my nephew and attend my brother-in-law’s backyard wedding. As always, the OBT is here to keep you company while I’m gone.

Just a quick note to let you all know that Altar Your Thinking tees are back up to full stock in both gray/lilac and bad-ass black. Oh, and extra bonus: I’ve even got black shirts in men’s XXL now, for my big teddy bear offbeat grooms! You can get yours here in the offbeat store. I’m thinking this may be the last order I place for a while (even with pre-orders, it got expensive!), so get ‘em while you can.

Also, I love y’all’s stories about how wearing your shirts to vendor meetings and (like Kat Mountain here) to the bridal salon!

I was recently interviewed for an article in the Northwest Herald, a paper in Illinois:

From tasting the cake to choosing that perfect first dance number, most wedding preparations are fun and exciting.

But there’s one task that can drive a seemingly normal couple to the brink of insanity – the guest list. For small weddings, which industry experts define as fewer than 100 people, the process is even more overwhelming.

“It’s really challenging,” said Ariel Meadow Stallings, author of the book “Offbeat Bride: Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides.” “You feel like a bouncer at a club. You’re in charge of this VIP list.”

Read the full article.

Damn! Here I thought my t-shirt stock would last a few months … but I’m already sold out of three sizes of the Altar Your Thinking tees!

But never you fear, ladies. I placed my order today and in a couple weeks, I should be fully restocked with black shirts in Men’s XL (and XXL!) and Women’s XL, and then grey shirts in M and L. Whew!

PS: special thanks to my lovely models, Crystal and blue_cowgrrrl. Remember, if you’ve got an Altar Your Thinking tee, post a shot of you rocking that shit in the Flickr pool!

My Today Show appearance is online for your viewing pleasure. (This vid includes both the taped part as well as the in-studio interview.) Who can spot offbeatbride.com in the segment?