Offbeat Bride | Vendors & shopping

The average American wedding costs over $25,000 — which is completely insane. I encourage brides to find innovative, thoughtful ways to reduce their bridal budgets, and if you do choose to spend money, spend it on independent vendors and thoughtfully-made merch.

Honeymoon registry —

Less candlesticks, more honeymoon time

Fiori Floral Designs, Seattle WA
“Our designers’ input can be as small as creating the perfect bouquet and boutonniere for you. We also offer full consultation-to-installation services, rental of containers and coordination of linen and chair rentals to provide a cohesive, unified look.”

Here’s a testimonial from a happy offbeat bride Dana:

Fiori supplied the flowers for my wedding last year and they were EFFING SPECTACULAR!!!! They were also super wonderful to work with. Highest recommendations if you need flowers that are unique and dazzling.

How unique and dazzling you ask? Check Fiori Floral Design’s site for more information.

Eco-chic weddings —

New book by Emily Elizabeth Anderson

I’ve always thought that wedding china was a silly tradition — who wants flatware you’re afraid to use? And I’ve just never seen china in patterns that I actually like.

As a fabulous alternative, Sarah Cihat makes amazing rehabilitated dishware, complete with silhouettes of animals, jolly rogers, rockers, and pin-up girls.

Thanks to cuttlefish for posting this in the Offbeat Bride flickr group!

Supposedly exploitation-free wedding rings —

Cred Jewelry

Funky wedding shoes, now in virginal white —

Fluevog’s wedding shoes