February 21, 2019 A Reiki healer marries an actor in their Ojai backyard (made to look like their home!) Savannah and Nick live in Los Angeles but wanted an intimate wedding at their Ojai vacation home. Savannah, an interior designer and reiki practitioner, and Nick, an actor, had a vision of recreating the feel and look of their apartment in the garden. The wedding was special, personal, and wonderfully imperfect — exactly what they wanted. Read More February 20, 2019 Don't miss the DIYed jacket & glitter Doc Martens at this funky & chic queer wedding Sara and David live in New York City, but chose to get married at the Concord Country Club where David's mom got married a few years earlier. They had loved it and trusted them to handle an amazing wedding. They really wanted a small celebration surrounded by nature. Sara, a genderqueer bride, made that stylish leather jacket, and chose to play with other wedding traditions by wearing gold glitter Doc Martens for that something new, and Van Gogh's Starry Night socks for the something blue. Read More February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More More Recent Posts > Recent Wedding Porn February 14, 2019 The sexiest lace boots ever inspired this Valentine elopement shoot Sometimes a pair of the sexiest red boots can spawn a whole theme. This was definitely the case with this Valentine elopement shoot covered in red, lace, hearts, and rosé. Don't miss the killer crop top red wedding dress, the large gold mirror covered in song lyrics, the intricately die-cut invitations, the pear shaped ring, and the elaborate ombre cake(!) that took our breath away. Even if you hate Valentine's Day, it's easy to love these heart candies, red touches, and loving looks of this couple. Let's take Valentine's Day from kitschy to glam… Read More February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More February 7, 2019 Love is in the air with these hella romantic & quirky save-the-dates (that are 30% off right now!) The early engagement and save-the-date phase is one of the most fun and ripe for the pickings in terms of save-the-date design. Speaking of… one of our favorite paperie vendors, Minted, is having a huge wedding sale with 15% off all wedding products (like invites, menus, programs, placecards, etc.!) and a whopping 30% off save-the-dates. A big ol' discount like that deserved a bit of a look-see… Read More February 5, 2019 This viking elopement inspiration is all about untamed beauty on the coast We love a good viking wedding and this viking wedding inspiration was more wild and untamed than we'd ever seen. It's adventurous, romantic, and seriously inspiring if you're planning one of your own. Set on the beautiful Oregon coast and inspired by Nordic traditions, they rocked bold blues, silvers, and greens to match the atmosphere. There are two different looks to see, both separate love stories in themselves. Don't miss the era-inspired weaponry, the gorgeous geode cake, the cave-dotted landscape, the custom-made gowns, and the chill-inducing florals. I can almost hear the battle cries now… Read More 1.7k January 21, 2019 Vivid colors meet goth chic at this moody & quirky wedding inspiration One of my favorite combinations of styles is vivid color meets dark goth glam. And this dark & moody wedding inspiration has both in abundance. With florals ranging from purple scabiosa to black willows, a sweets table full of candy apples and a tower of macarons, and two brides rocking gold antlers, turquoise hair, and coordinating (but not matchy-matchy!) whie and gray gowns, it's a gorgeous display with an eerie and chic vibe. Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings February 21, 2019 A Reiki healer marries an actor in their Ojai backyard (made to look like their home!) Savannah and Nick live in Los Angeles but wanted an intimate wedding at their Ojai vacation home. Savannah, an interior designer and reiki practitioner, and Nick, an actor, had a vision of recreating the feel and look of their apartment in the garden. The wedding was special, personal, and wonderfully imperfect — exactly what they wanted. Read More February 20, 2019 Don't miss the DIYed jacket & glitter Doc Martens at this funky & chic queer wedding Sara and David live in New York City, but chose to get married at the Concord Country Club where David's mom got married a few years earlier. They had loved it and trusted them to handle an amazing wedding. They really wanted a small celebration surrounded by nature. Sara, a genderqueer bride, made that stylish leather jacket, and chose to play with other wedding traditions by wearing gold glitter Doc Martens for that something new, and Van Gogh's Starry Night socks for the something blue. Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 20, 2019 Don't miss the DIYed jacket & glitter Doc Martens at this funky & chic queer wedding Sara and David live in New York City, but chose to get married at the Concord Country Club where David's mom got married a few years earlier. They had loved it and trusted them to handle an amazing wedding. They really wanted a small celebration surrounded by nature. Sara, a genderqueer bride, made that stylish leather jacket, and chose to play with other wedding traditions by wearing gold glitter Doc Martens for that something new, and Van Gogh's Starry Night socks for the something blue. Read More February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More More Recent Posts > Recent Wedding Porn February 14, 2019 The sexiest lace boots ever inspired this Valentine elopement shoot Sometimes a pair of the sexiest red boots can spawn a whole theme. This was definitely the case with this Valentine elopement shoot covered in red, lace, hearts, and rosé. Don't miss the killer crop top red wedding dress, the large gold mirror covered in song lyrics, the intricately die-cut invitations, the pear shaped ring, and the elaborate ombre cake(!) that took our breath away. Even if you hate Valentine's Day, it's easy to love these heart candies, red touches, and loving looks of this couple. Let's take Valentine's Day from kitschy to glam… Read More February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More February 7, 2019 Love is in the air with these hella romantic & quirky save-the-dates (that are 30% off right now!) The early engagement and save-the-date phase is one of the most fun and ripe for the pickings in terms of save-the-date design. Speaking of… one of our favorite paperie vendors, Minted, is having a huge wedding sale with 15% off all wedding products (like invites, menus, programs, placecards, etc.!) and a whopping 30% off save-the-dates. A big ol' discount like that deserved a bit of a look-see… Read More February 5, 2019 This viking elopement inspiration is all about untamed beauty on the coast We love a good viking wedding and this viking wedding inspiration was more wild and untamed than we'd ever seen. It's adventurous, romantic, and seriously inspiring if you're planning one of your own. Set on the beautiful Oregon coast and inspired by Nordic traditions, they rocked bold blues, silvers, and greens to match the atmosphere. There are two different looks to see, both separate love stories in themselves. Don't miss the era-inspired weaponry, the gorgeous geode cake, the cave-dotted landscape, the custom-made gowns, and the chill-inducing florals. I can almost hear the battle cries now… Read More 1.7k January 21, 2019 Vivid colors meet goth chic at this moody & quirky wedding inspiration One of my favorite combinations of styles is vivid color meets dark goth glam. And this dark & moody wedding inspiration has both in abundance. With florals ranging from purple scabiosa to black willows, a sweets table full of candy apples and a tower of macarons, and two brides rocking gold antlers, turquoise hair, and coordinating (but not matchy-matchy!) whie and gray gowns, it's a gorgeous display with an eerie and chic vibe. Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings February 21, 2019 A Reiki healer marries an actor in their Ojai backyard (made to look like their home!) Savannah and Nick live in Los Angeles but wanted an intimate wedding at their Ojai vacation home. Savannah, an interior designer and reiki practitioner, and Nick, an actor, had a vision of recreating the feel and look of their apartment in the garden. The wedding was special, personal, and wonderfully imperfect — exactly what they wanted. Read More February 20, 2019 Don't miss the DIYed jacket & glitter Doc Martens at this funky & chic queer wedding Sara and David live in New York City, but chose to get married at the Concord Country Club where David's mom got married a few years earlier. They had loved it and trusted them to handle an amazing wedding. They really wanted a small celebration surrounded by nature. Sara, a genderqueer bride, made that stylish leather jacket, and chose to play with other wedding traditions by wearing gold glitter Doc Martens for that something new, and Van Gogh's Starry Night socks for the something blue. Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More More Recent Posts > Recent Wedding Porn February 14, 2019 The sexiest lace boots ever inspired this Valentine elopement shoot Sometimes a pair of the sexiest red boots can spawn a whole theme. This was definitely the case with this Valentine elopement shoot covered in red, lace, hearts, and rosé. Don't miss the killer crop top red wedding dress, the large gold mirror covered in song lyrics, the intricately die-cut invitations, the pear shaped ring, and the elaborate ombre cake(!) that took our breath away. Even if you hate Valentine's Day, it's easy to love these heart candies, red touches, and loving looks of this couple. Let's take Valentine's Day from kitschy to glam… Read More February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More February 7, 2019 Love is in the air with these hella romantic & quirky save-the-dates (that are 30% off right now!) The early engagement and save-the-date phase is one of the most fun and ripe for the pickings in terms of save-the-date design. Speaking of… one of our favorite paperie vendors, Minted, is having a huge wedding sale with 15% off all wedding products (like invites, menus, programs, placecards, etc.!) and a whopping 30% off save-the-dates. A big ol' discount like that deserved a bit of a look-see… Read More February 5, 2019 This viking elopement inspiration is all about untamed beauty on the coast We love a good viking wedding and this viking wedding inspiration was more wild and untamed than we'd ever seen. It's adventurous, romantic, and seriously inspiring if you're planning one of your own. Set on the beautiful Oregon coast and inspired by Nordic traditions, they rocked bold blues, silvers, and greens to match the atmosphere. There are two different looks to see, both separate love stories in themselves. Don't miss the era-inspired weaponry, the gorgeous geode cake, the cave-dotted landscape, the custom-made gowns, and the chill-inducing florals. I can almost hear the battle cries now… Read More 1.7k January 21, 2019 Vivid colors meet goth chic at this moody & quirky wedding inspiration One of my favorite combinations of styles is vivid color meets dark goth glam. And this dark & moody wedding inspiration has both in abundance. With florals ranging from purple scabiosa to black willows, a sweets table full of candy apples and a tower of macarons, and two brides rocking gold antlers, turquoise hair, and coordinating (but not matchy-matchy!) whie and gray gowns, it's a gorgeous display with an eerie and chic vibe. Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings February 21, 2019 A Reiki healer marries an actor in their Ojai backyard (made to look like their home!) Savannah and Nick live in Los Angeles but wanted an intimate wedding at their Ojai vacation home. Savannah, an interior designer and reiki practitioner, and Nick, an actor, had a vision of recreating the feel and look of their apartment in the garden. The wedding was special, personal, and wonderfully imperfect — exactly what they wanted. Read More February 20, 2019 Don't miss the DIYed jacket & glitter Doc Martens at this funky & chic queer wedding Sara and David live in New York City, but chose to get married at the Concord Country Club where David's mom got married a few years earlier. They had loved it and trusted them to handle an amazing wedding. They really wanted a small celebration surrounded by nature. Sara, a genderqueer bride, made that stylish leather jacket, and chose to play with other wedding traditions by wearing gold glitter Doc Martens for that something new, and Van Gogh's Starry Night socks for the something blue. Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More More Recent Posts > Recent Wedding Porn February 14, 2019 The sexiest lace boots ever inspired this Valentine elopement shoot Sometimes a pair of the sexiest red boots can spawn a whole theme. This was definitely the case with this Valentine elopement shoot covered in red, lace, hearts, and rosé. Don't miss the killer crop top red wedding dress, the large gold mirror covered in song lyrics, the intricately die-cut invitations, the pear shaped ring, and the elaborate ombre cake(!) that took our breath away. Even if you hate Valentine's Day, it's easy to love these heart candies, red touches, and loving looks of this couple. Let's take Valentine's Day from kitschy to glam… Read More February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More February 7, 2019 Love is in the air with these hella romantic & quirky save-the-dates (that are 30% off right now!) The early engagement and save-the-date phase is one of the most fun and ripe for the pickings in terms of save-the-date design. Speaking of… one of our favorite paperie vendors, Minted, is having a huge wedding sale with 15% off all wedding products (like invites, menus, programs, placecards, etc.!) and a whopping 30% off save-the-dates. A big ol' discount like that deserved a bit of a look-see… Read More February 5, 2019 This viking elopement inspiration is all about untamed beauty on the coast We love a good viking wedding and this viking wedding inspiration was more wild and untamed than we'd ever seen. It's adventurous, romantic, and seriously inspiring if you're planning one of your own. Set on the beautiful Oregon coast and inspired by Nordic traditions, they rocked bold blues, silvers, and greens to match the atmosphere. There are two different looks to see, both separate love stories in themselves. Don't miss the era-inspired weaponry, the gorgeous geode cake, the cave-dotted landscape, the custom-made gowns, and the chill-inducing florals. I can almost hear the battle cries now… Read More 1.7k January 21, 2019 Vivid colors meet goth chic at this moody & quirky wedding inspiration One of my favorite combinations of styles is vivid color meets dark goth glam. And this dark & moody wedding inspiration has both in abundance. With florals ranging from purple scabiosa to black willows, a sweets table full of candy apples and a tower of macarons, and two brides rocking gold antlers, turquoise hair, and coordinating (but not matchy-matchy!) whie and gray gowns, it's a gorgeous display with an eerie and chic vibe. Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings February 21, 2019 A Reiki healer marries an actor in their Ojai backyard (made to look like their home!) Savannah and Nick live in Los Angeles but wanted an intimate wedding at their Ojai vacation home. Savannah, an interior designer and reiki practitioner, and Nick, an actor, had a vision of recreating the feel and look of their apartment in the garden. The wedding was special, personal, and wonderfully imperfect — exactly what they wanted. Read More February 20, 2019 Don't miss the DIYed jacket & glitter Doc Martens at this funky & chic queer wedding Sara and David live in New York City, but chose to get married at the Concord Country Club where David's mom got married a few years earlier. They had loved it and trusted them to handle an amazing wedding. They really wanted a small celebration surrounded by nature. Sara, a genderqueer bride, made that stylish leather jacket, and chose to play with other wedding traditions by wearing gold glitter Doc Martens for that something new, and Van Gogh's Starry Night socks for the something blue. Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More More Recent Posts > Recent Wedding Porn February 14, 2019 The sexiest lace boots ever inspired this Valentine elopement shoot Sometimes a pair of the sexiest red boots can spawn a whole theme. This was definitely the case with this Valentine elopement shoot covered in red, lace, hearts, and rosé. Don't miss the killer crop top red wedding dress, the large gold mirror covered in song lyrics, the intricately die-cut invitations, the pear shaped ring, and the elaborate ombre cake(!) that took our breath away. Even if you hate Valentine's Day, it's easy to love these heart candies, red touches, and loving looks of this couple. Let's take Valentine's Day from kitschy to glam… Read More February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More February 7, 2019 Love is in the air with these hella romantic & quirky save-the-dates (that are 30% off right now!) The early engagement and save-the-date phase is one of the most fun and ripe for the pickings in terms of save-the-date design. Speaking of… one of our favorite paperie vendors, Minted, is having a huge wedding sale with 15% off all wedding products (like invites, menus, programs, placecards, etc.!) and a whopping 30% off save-the-dates. A big ol' discount like that deserved a bit of a look-see… Read More February 5, 2019 This viking elopement inspiration is all about untamed beauty on the coast We love a good viking wedding and this viking wedding inspiration was more wild and untamed than we'd ever seen. It's adventurous, romantic, and seriously inspiring if you're planning one of your own. Set on the beautiful Oregon coast and inspired by Nordic traditions, they rocked bold blues, silvers, and greens to match the atmosphere. There are two different looks to see, both separate love stories in themselves. Don't miss the era-inspired weaponry, the gorgeous geode cake, the cave-dotted landscape, the custom-made gowns, and the chill-inducing florals. I can almost hear the battle cries now… Read More 1.7k January 21, 2019 Vivid colors meet goth chic at this moody & quirky wedding inspiration One of my favorite combinations of styles is vivid color meets dark goth glam. And this dark & moody wedding inspiration has both in abundance. With florals ranging from purple scabiosa to black willows, a sweets table full of candy apples and a tower of macarons, and two brides rocking gold antlers, turquoise hair, and coordinating (but not matchy-matchy!) whie and gray gowns, it's a gorgeous display with an eerie and chic vibe. Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings February 21, 2019 A Reiki healer marries an actor in their Ojai backyard (made to look like their home!) Savannah and Nick live in Los Angeles but wanted an intimate wedding at their Ojai vacation home. Savannah, an interior designer and reiki practitioner, and Nick, an actor, had a vision of recreating the feel and look of their apartment in the garden. The wedding was special, personal, and wonderfully imperfect — exactly what they wanted. Read More February 20, 2019 Don't miss the DIYed jacket & glitter Doc Martens at this funky & chic queer wedding Sara and David live in New York City, but chose to get married at the Concord Country Club where David's mom got married a few years earlier. They had loved it and trusted them to handle an amazing wedding. They really wanted a small celebration surrounded by nature. Sara, a genderqueer bride, made that stylish leather jacket, and chose to play with other wedding traditions by wearing gold glitter Doc Martens for that something new, and Van Gogh's Starry Night socks for the something blue. Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 14, 2019 The sexiest lace boots ever inspired this Valentine elopement shoot Sometimes a pair of the sexiest red boots can spawn a whole theme. This was definitely the case with this Valentine elopement shoot covered in red, lace, hearts, and rosé. Don't miss the killer crop top red wedding dress, the large gold mirror covered in song lyrics, the intricately die-cut invitations, the pear shaped ring, and the elaborate ombre cake(!) that took our breath away. Even if you hate Valentine's Day, it's easy to love these heart candies, red touches, and loving looks of this couple. Let's take Valentine's Day from kitschy to glam… Read More February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More February 7, 2019 Love is in the air with these hella romantic & quirky save-the-dates (that are 30% off right now!) The early engagement and save-the-date phase is one of the most fun and ripe for the pickings in terms of save-the-date design. Speaking of… one of our favorite paperie vendors, Minted, is having a huge wedding sale with 15% off all wedding products (like invites, menus, programs, placecards, etc.!) and a whopping 30% off save-the-dates. A big ol' discount like that deserved a bit of a look-see… Read More February 5, 2019 This viking elopement inspiration is all about untamed beauty on the coast We love a good viking wedding and this viking wedding inspiration was more wild and untamed than we'd ever seen. It's adventurous, romantic, and seriously inspiring if you're planning one of your own. Set on the beautiful Oregon coast and inspired by Nordic traditions, they rocked bold blues, silvers, and greens to match the atmosphere. There are two different looks to see, both separate love stories in themselves. Don't miss the era-inspired weaponry, the gorgeous geode cake, the cave-dotted landscape, the custom-made gowns, and the chill-inducing florals. I can almost hear the battle cries now… Read More 1.7k January 21, 2019 Vivid colors meet goth chic at this moody & quirky wedding inspiration One of my favorite combinations of styles is vivid color meets dark goth glam. And this dark & moody wedding inspiration has both in abundance. With florals ranging from purple scabiosa to black willows, a sweets table full of candy apples and a tower of macarons, and two brides rocking gold antlers, turquoise hair, and coordinating (but not matchy-matchy!) whie and gray gowns, it's a gorgeous display with an eerie and chic vibe. Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings February 21, 2019 A Reiki healer marries an actor in their Ojai backyard (made to look like their home!) Savannah and Nick live in Los Angeles but wanted an intimate wedding at their Ojai vacation home. Savannah, an interior designer and reiki practitioner, and Nick, an actor, had a vision of recreating the feel and look of their apartment in the garden. The wedding was special, personal, and wonderfully imperfect — exactly what they wanted. Read More February 20, 2019 Don't miss the DIYed jacket & glitter Doc Martens at this funky & chic queer wedding Sara and David live in New York City, but chose to get married at the Concord Country Club where David's mom got married a few years earlier. They had loved it and trusted them to handle an amazing wedding. They really wanted a small celebration surrounded by nature. Sara, a genderqueer bride, made that stylish leather jacket, and chose to play with other wedding traditions by wearing gold glitter Doc Martens for that something new, and Van Gogh's Starry Night socks for the something blue. Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More February 7, 2019 Love is in the air with these hella romantic & quirky save-the-dates (that are 30% off right now!) The early engagement and save-the-date phase is one of the most fun and ripe for the pickings in terms of save-the-date design. Speaking of… one of our favorite paperie vendors, Minted, is having a huge wedding sale with 15% off all wedding products (like invites, menus, programs, placecards, etc.!) and a whopping 30% off save-the-dates. A big ol' discount like that deserved a bit of a look-see… Read More February 5, 2019 This viking elopement inspiration is all about untamed beauty on the coast We love a good viking wedding and this viking wedding inspiration was more wild and untamed than we'd ever seen. It's adventurous, romantic, and seriously inspiring if you're planning one of your own. Set on the beautiful Oregon coast and inspired by Nordic traditions, they rocked bold blues, silvers, and greens to match the atmosphere. There are two different looks to see, both separate love stories in themselves. Don't miss the era-inspired weaponry, the gorgeous geode cake, the cave-dotted landscape, the custom-made gowns, and the chill-inducing florals. I can almost hear the battle cries now… Read More 1.7k January 21, 2019 Vivid colors meet goth chic at this moody & quirky wedding inspiration One of my favorite combinations of styles is vivid color meets dark goth glam. And this dark & moody wedding inspiration has both in abundance. With florals ranging from purple scabiosa to black willows, a sweets table full of candy apples and a tower of macarons, and two brides rocking gold antlers, turquoise hair, and coordinating (but not matchy-matchy!) whie and gray gowns, it's a gorgeous display with an eerie and chic vibe. Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings February 21, 2019 A Reiki healer marries an actor in their Ojai backyard (made to look like their home!) Savannah and Nick live in Los Angeles but wanted an intimate wedding at their Ojai vacation home. Savannah, an interior designer and reiki practitioner, and Nick, an actor, had a vision of recreating the feel and look of their apartment in the garden. The wedding was special, personal, and wonderfully imperfect — exactly what they wanted. Read More February 20, 2019 Don't miss the DIYed jacket & glitter Doc Martens at this funky & chic queer wedding Sara and David live in New York City, but chose to get married at the Concord Country Club where David's mom got married a few years earlier. They had loved it and trusted them to handle an amazing wedding. They really wanted a small celebration surrounded by nature. Sara, a genderqueer bride, made that stylish leather jacket, and chose to play with other wedding traditions by wearing gold glitter Doc Martens for that something new, and Van Gogh's Starry Night socks for the something blue. Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 7, 2019 Love is in the air with these hella romantic & quirky save-the-dates (that are 30% off right now!) The early engagement and save-the-date phase is one of the most fun and ripe for the pickings in terms of save-the-date design. Speaking of… one of our favorite paperie vendors, Minted, is having a huge wedding sale with 15% off all wedding products (like invites, menus, programs, placecards, etc.!) and a whopping 30% off save-the-dates. A big ol' discount like that deserved a bit of a look-see… Read More February 5, 2019 This viking elopement inspiration is all about untamed beauty on the coast We love a good viking wedding and this viking wedding inspiration was more wild and untamed than we'd ever seen. It's adventurous, romantic, and seriously inspiring if you're planning one of your own. Set on the beautiful Oregon coast and inspired by Nordic traditions, they rocked bold blues, silvers, and greens to match the atmosphere. There are two different looks to see, both separate love stories in themselves. Don't miss the era-inspired weaponry, the gorgeous geode cake, the cave-dotted landscape, the custom-made gowns, and the chill-inducing florals. I can almost hear the battle cries now… Read More 1.7k January 21, 2019 Vivid colors meet goth chic at this moody & quirky wedding inspiration One of my favorite combinations of styles is vivid color meets dark goth glam. And this dark & moody wedding inspiration has both in abundance. With florals ranging from purple scabiosa to black willows, a sweets table full of candy apples and a tower of macarons, and two brides rocking gold antlers, turquoise hair, and coordinating (but not matchy-matchy!) whie and gray gowns, it's a gorgeous display with an eerie and chic vibe. Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings February 21, 2019 A Reiki healer marries an actor in their Ojai backyard (made to look like their home!) Savannah and Nick live in Los Angeles but wanted an intimate wedding at their Ojai vacation home. Savannah, an interior designer and reiki practitioner, and Nick, an actor, had a vision of recreating the feel and look of their apartment in the garden. The wedding was special, personal, and wonderfully imperfect — exactly what they wanted. Read More February 20, 2019 Don't miss the DIYed jacket & glitter Doc Martens at this funky & chic queer wedding Sara and David live in New York City, but chose to get married at the Concord Country Club where David's mom got married a few years earlier. They had loved it and trusted them to handle an amazing wedding. They really wanted a small celebration surrounded by nature. Sara, a genderqueer bride, made that stylish leather jacket, and chose to play with other wedding traditions by wearing gold glitter Doc Martens for that something new, and Van Gogh's Starry Night socks for the something blue. Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 5, 2019 This viking elopement inspiration is all about untamed beauty on the coast We love a good viking wedding and this viking wedding inspiration was more wild and untamed than we'd ever seen. It's adventurous, romantic, and seriously inspiring if you're planning one of your own. Set on the beautiful Oregon coast and inspired by Nordic traditions, they rocked bold blues, silvers, and greens to match the atmosphere. There are two different looks to see, both separate love stories in themselves. Don't miss the era-inspired weaponry, the gorgeous geode cake, the cave-dotted landscape, the custom-made gowns, and the chill-inducing florals. I can almost hear the battle cries now… Read More 1.7k January 21, 2019 Vivid colors meet goth chic at this moody & quirky wedding inspiration One of my favorite combinations of styles is vivid color meets dark goth glam. And this dark & moody wedding inspiration has both in abundance. With florals ranging from purple scabiosa to black willows, a sweets table full of candy apples and a tower of macarons, and two brides rocking gold antlers, turquoise hair, and coordinating (but not matchy-matchy!) whie and gray gowns, it's a gorgeous display with an eerie and chic vibe. Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings February 21, 2019 A Reiki healer marries an actor in their Ojai backyard (made to look like their home!) Savannah and Nick live in Los Angeles but wanted an intimate wedding at their Ojai vacation home. Savannah, an interior designer and reiki practitioner, and Nick, an actor, had a vision of recreating the feel and look of their apartment in the garden. The wedding was special, personal, and wonderfully imperfect — exactly what they wanted. Read More February 20, 2019 Don't miss the DIYed jacket & glitter Doc Martens at this funky & chic queer wedding Sara and David live in New York City, but chose to get married at the Concord Country Club where David's mom got married a few years earlier. They had loved it and trusted them to handle an amazing wedding. They really wanted a small celebration surrounded by nature. Sara, a genderqueer bride, made that stylish leather jacket, and chose to play with other wedding traditions by wearing gold glitter Doc Martens for that something new, and Van Gogh's Starry Night socks for the something blue. Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
1.7k January 21, 2019 Vivid colors meet goth chic at this moody & quirky wedding inspiration One of my favorite combinations of styles is vivid color meets dark goth glam. And this dark & moody wedding inspiration has both in abundance. With florals ranging from purple scabiosa to black willows, a sweets table full of candy apples and a tower of macarons, and two brides rocking gold antlers, turquoise hair, and coordinating (but not matchy-matchy!) whie and gray gowns, it's a gorgeous display with an eerie and chic vibe. Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings February 21, 2019 A Reiki healer marries an actor in their Ojai backyard (made to look like their home!) Savannah and Nick live in Los Angeles but wanted an intimate wedding at their Ojai vacation home. Savannah, an interior designer and reiki practitioner, and Nick, an actor, had a vision of recreating the feel and look of their apartment in the garden. The wedding was special, personal, and wonderfully imperfect — exactly what they wanted. Read More February 20, 2019 Don't miss the DIYed jacket & glitter Doc Martens at this funky & chic queer wedding Sara and David live in New York City, but chose to get married at the Concord Country Club where David's mom got married a few years earlier. They had loved it and trusted them to handle an amazing wedding. They really wanted a small celebration surrounded by nature. Sara, a genderqueer bride, made that stylish leather jacket, and chose to play with other wedding traditions by wearing gold glitter Doc Martens for that something new, and Van Gogh's Starry Night socks for the something blue. Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 21, 2019 A Reiki healer marries an actor in their Ojai backyard (made to look like their home!) Savannah and Nick live in Los Angeles but wanted an intimate wedding at their Ojai vacation home. Savannah, an interior designer and reiki practitioner, and Nick, an actor, had a vision of recreating the feel and look of their apartment in the garden. The wedding was special, personal, and wonderfully imperfect — exactly what they wanted. Read More February 20, 2019 Don't miss the DIYed jacket & glitter Doc Martens at this funky & chic queer wedding Sara and David live in New York City, but chose to get married at the Concord Country Club where David's mom got married a few years earlier. They had loved it and trusted them to handle an amazing wedding. They really wanted a small celebration surrounded by nature. Sara, a genderqueer bride, made that stylish leather jacket, and chose to play with other wedding traditions by wearing gold glitter Doc Martens for that something new, and Van Gogh's Starry Night socks for the something blue. Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 20, 2019 Don't miss the DIYed jacket & glitter Doc Martens at this funky & chic queer wedding Sara and David live in New York City, but chose to get married at the Concord Country Club where David's mom got married a few years earlier. They had loved it and trusted them to handle an amazing wedding. They really wanted a small celebration surrounded by nature. Sara, a genderqueer bride, made that stylish leather jacket, and chose to play with other wedding traditions by wearing gold glitter Doc Martens for that something new, and Van Gogh's Starry Night socks for the something blue. Read More February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 19, 2019 Owls, vines, & feathers at this glam Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding Chrystal and John had a gorgeous Labyrinth meets 1920s wedding at Luxmore Grande Estate. They mixed their love for rock and roll into this dreamy theme. The reception matched the ceremony area with chandeliers and candelabras. The pair chose a baroque tablecloth for their sweetheart table and more vinery adorning the front of their table. Don't miss the amazing five-tier cake covered in metallic fondant, and jewels… Read More 1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
1.1k February 18, 2019 Get ready to be blown away by this queer AF musical theater wedding We had a ceremony musical theater interlude, a Stevie Nicks themed cocktail hour, social justice and queer themed tables, bomb food, bomb dancing, and homemade wedding cakes. Our theme was to have a queer AF wedding that was hopefully as much a gift to the people we love as it was to us. We were rounding out an ambitious year: cross country move, new jobs, new careers, and a wedding all happening within a few weeks. Read More February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 15, 2019 Sci-fi meets romance at this Chicago artist loft wedding Leah and Amanda planned their wedding in just a few short months, but you'd never know it by it's loveliness. They love sci-fi movies and have sci-fi posters all over their house which inspired the reception decor — from table numbers, guestbook, and florals in science beakers as bud vases. Leah likes crafting and designed all the personalized signage for the wedding. The food at reception was fall festive and included a s'mores bar! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 13, 2019 How to plan a more ethical wedding (including an edible bouquet!) When I was preparing for my own wedding I started thinking: how could we do this more ethically? The very nature of a wedding being a one day event, and….. Read More January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
October 17, 2018 How to avoid your email save-the-date going to spam My partner and I decided to send out email save-the-dates instead of a physical card. I do, however, have a warning for you if you are planning on going the green route with your save-the-date by sending out electronic ones. If you send an email with an image, you may hit your guests' spam folders. Here are some pros and cons of going green with your save-the-dates and how you can avoid your save-the-date going to spam… Read More October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
October 3, 2018 Our delicious unity beer ceremony was… hopping (plus our ceremony wording!) Craft beer has been such a huge part of our relationship that when we were planning our wedding (featured here!), we wanted to include it somehow. I suggested a unity beer ceremony, but we couldn't find any wording online that we liked. We ended up creating our own from scratch, complete with our own unique brand of humor. Read More September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
September 17, 2018 7 fur-tastic ways to include your pet in the wedding day Like all of us who follow famous animals on Instagram, I love seeing your ring dogs, cat save-the-dates, and guinea pig cake toppers. But are there MORE ways to include your pet in the wedding day? I decided to see what was new in the realm of wedding pets. And there was! I saw so many adorable ways to add some pet fur to your day (without wigging them out, of course). Let's get to the honorable wedding puppers and kittehs (and whatever other animals y'all love!)… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
September 18, 2018 Eat 'em or take 'em: these s'mores wedding favors are a gooey gift guests will devour S'mores are a staple of outdoor weddings in any season, but especially in the fall when the weather gets chilly and a bonfire is apropos. You're cooking them up over a bonfire, adding them to your sweets table, and even making them into cakes! But a perfect way to provide a dessert AND a takeaway gift is an easy-to-make s'mores wedding favor. Here's how to make them super easily with a few staples from Michael's Weddings™… Read More 1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
1.4k July 11, 2018 A seriously easy way to make a cathedral veil from your favorite fabric About a month before my wedding, I became fascinated with a colorful floral veil in this post on my favorite wedding blog. I looked around for similar veils online, but couldn't find anything for a price I was willing to pay. So I decided to DIY my veil and it was surprisingly easy! Here's how I did it… Read More June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
June 11, 2018 Supersize your wedding flora with this big crepe paper flower tutorial We know HUGE bouquets are super popular right now, but what if we mega-size the actual flowers instead of just the bouquet size? We love a good huge flower bouquet, headpiece, centerpiece, or ceremony backdrop. The best part? You can totally make these yourself. Read More May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
May 30, 2018 Lush florals go ring-shaped with this DIY floral hoop backdrop I love a good hoop bouquet, but those handy floral hoops can be used for more than just a great alternative bouquet. I've created a series of hoops flowing with greenery and flora that can be used a wedding ceremony backdrop, reception decor, or even a place card holder. With this DIY floral hoop backdrop, you can add as many floral picks as you like to make it as lush as you can imagine. Artificial flowers let you create a backdrop that can go from wedding to living room permanently. It's the beauty of realistic artificial flowers! Here are the steps to go from a simple hoop to intricate backdrop in no time… Read More April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
April 5, 2018 In case of dementor attack, you'll need this Harry Potter wedding favor If you're a Potterphile, you know that chocolate bars have their own powers of soothing you after a dementor attack. So at a wedding with Harry Potter details (where a dementor could prey, naturally!), why not offer up some DIY Harry Potter wedding favors that will do the job nicely. Plus, it only takes some inexpensive chocolate bars, some printer paper, and a printable chocolate bar wrapper. Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 19, 2019 Winter is coming, and so are REN FEST WEDDINGS at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival Fellow nerds, history buffs, and RPGers: it's that time of year again that you and I both wait for with baited breath. Renaissance Fest season is coming! One of our favorite magical, whimsical, and Medieval-themed venues exists to rock your 16th century-themed wedding world. Let's see what your fantasy, Renaissance, Game of Thrones, or fairy tale wedding could be if you have it at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie, Texas. Oh, and we've got the biggest discount we've ever featured, totally fit for royalty, just for readers, so stay tuned… Read More February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 15, 2019 The trick to getting authentically YOU wedding photos? This stellar NY/NJ-based photographer I love it when a photographer makes me feel like I'm worthy of photographing no matter what I look like, if I'm awkward as hell, or if I deviate from the norms that dictate what we think is "right" or "pretty," or "traditional." That's why the ethos of one of our most rad partners, New York and New Jersey-based Adena at Studio A Images, resonates so much with us. Obviously we do our best to make sure all of our vendors are top notch AND totally inclusive, but sometimes they just fit so comfortably into our mindset that I've just go to introduce you. Read More February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 12, 2019 6 handcrafted engagement rings that are truly works of art You know we spend way too much time delving into the oceans of engagement ring bling at Brilliant Earth. There's just so much to see and to inspire your own ring selections. In a recent trip down the ring rabbit hole, I spied a fair few engagement rings that stood out among others as true works of art. In particular, their vintage collection has been hand-curated for exceptional quality and originality. They know that jewelry design isn't just artistry, but also architecture and engineering played out on minute scale. Read More February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
February 5, 2019 On the hunt for an industry-busting & inclusive photographer and coordinator? We've got the ultimate… Sometimes when you partner up with a wedding vendor who so totally embodies everything we hold dear about weddings and especially about our own readers, we have to introduce you. This was very much the case with Seattle/Tacoma-based photography-meets-coordination company Fuck Yeah, Weddings. Owner Kendall has endless enthusiasm for offbeat weddings of all flavors, but also provides both photography AND coordination for a super streamlined process of capturing and planning your wedding. Read More 3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
3.5k February 1, 2019 Are these alternatives to earth-mined diamonds ethical & budget-friendly? Let's find out… We may tout a lot of colored gemstones around these parts, but we know a lot of you are totally down for that classic diamond look. And these days, you really don't have to feel guilty about snagging a real diamond from ring designers who source ethical and conflict-free diamonds. But there are other options you might want to know about which are created without any impact to the earth AND are more budget-friendly. We reached out to our custom-ring wizard partners at Joseph Jewelry to get the scoop on diamond alternatives such as lab created diamonds and moissanite engagement rings. Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
January 23, 2019 6 tips for making your wedding website useful AND stylish Are you engaged? YAY! I have a feeling that a lot of you are thinking about wedding hashtags and websites and social media, oh my. Weddings are way more high tech these days and a wedding website is pretty standard fare now. When I got engaged in 2018, I went on a hunt for a really slick wedding website and have a few quick hit tips to share to make your wedding website both ultra useful and seriously captivating. Read More July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
July 12, 2018 Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart We launched a comprehensive and totally customizable document of wedding planning spreadsheets in Google Drive if you're the type to get down with spreadsheets like I am. Now we're sharing a chart that will help you compare hotel blocks if you're planning to provide that option to your guests. Hotel blocks allow you to block out some rooms and room rates to help guests grab a good deal on a hotel room. Read More June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
June 27, 2018 Avoiding wedding fights: how to plan your wedding planning Your engagement should be a joyful time. You have a lifetime ahead of you with the person you love. What could be better than to celebrate that love surrounded by friends and family? And yet, somehow things go awry. Conflicts flare. And the time that should be so happy — the build-up to your wedding — is fraught with possibilities for strife. The good news is you can avoid most of the problems by planning your wedding planning. That's right. Plan how you're going to plan. Read More 2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
2.6k April 18, 2018 I bought a colored wedding dress and now everyone's mad! What should I do? I come from a family of strict traditionalists when it comes to everything, especially weddings. I recently bought a peach wedding dress with no sleeves and expressed I wanted light blue hair and Converse to go with it. As you can imagine, things didn't go over well. When I try to stand up for my wedding choices, I'm shamed for it. Please help! Read More 4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 > Offbeat Bride: your source for wedding ideas and inclusive wedding planning We've got bajillions of creative wedding ideas, DIY projects, and wedding advice to make your wedding plans easier — and even fun! What do you need to do today? I have no idea. I need Wedding Planning 101! I need a wedding planning checklist (now in an interactive version, too!) Hook me up with free wedding fonts & printables I need offbeat wedding registry ideas I'm curious about offbeat wedding themes (geeky! boho! so many!) Reporter Name * Reporter Email * Original text Enter the original text here. Edited text* Enter your suggested copyedit here. Notes You can add a note for the editor here. * Required information. Fix Typo What wedding planning advice & inspiration do you need today? Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Floral Print Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Wedding 101 Super cute offbeat wedding invitations @offbeatbride on Insta Newly engaged? 7 things to keep in mind when booking entertainment for your wedding What the heck is a microwedding (and could it be the perfect wedding for you?) How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress Kick-ass wedding tips for chronically ill brides Is four hours long enough for a reception? Wedding Ceremony 101: Crafting your own wedding ceremonies from scratch Do you need a seating chart? When to send out all those damn wedding cards and invitations Read More > A few of our fave wedding vendors Historia Wedding and Event Planning Read More Minted Read More DJ Doug Read More Laffler Photography Read More Browse our vendor guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Impress their asses off: 5 tips for hosting out-of-town wedding guests in your home Planning tools 101: wedding venue comparison chart Planning tools 101: hotel block comparison chart 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects Planning tools 101: Your wedding guest list planner Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Stress rehearsal: Why I'm saying goodbye to the wedding photo checklist Get planning > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2019 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
4.3k March 5, 2018 Wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and beyond I'm compiling this list of wedding dates to avoid in 2018, 2019, and 2020 in case you want to avoid holidays where family and friends might have conflicting events, holidays where vendors might be especially busy and/or expensive (think Valentine's Day for florists), or religious holidays where places might be closed or guests might have other plans. Does this mean you CAN'T book your wedding for one of these days? Hell no! Read More More Wedding 101 >