June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 22, 2018 Two film lovers had a Hawaiian Jurassic Park wedding at the REAL film location Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom comes out today! We've got a Jurassic Park wedding that took place in one of the REAL film locations: "We didn't even know we wanted a themed (or destination) wedding until I was browsing venue sites and came across Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii. When I first saw the photos of the sweeping valley and dramatic mountains I laughed and told my partner that it looked like Jurassic Park…then we googled it…and it WAS Jurassic Park! Well, at least a few of the filming locations. We knew right then and there that we were going to Hawaii…" Read More June 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More More Recent Posts > Recent Wedding Porn June 19, 2018 Velvet, faux fur, and waterfalls at this Franklin Falls wintry elopement inspiration If there's ever a place that deserves to be photographed with lush flowers, faux furs, and black lace, it's Franklin Falls, about 50 miles east of Seattle with waterfalls, hiking routes, and tons of greenery. This wintry elopement inspiration shoot featured burgundy velvet, Jon Snow-worthy furs, jagged icicles, and a roaring waterfall. It was a three-mile walk to the area, but the breathtaking views are most definitely worth it. Go see for yourself and let me know how much you pine for that black gown… Read More June 13, 2018 Masculine suits for women, trans men, and anyone who wants to look handsome AF Hey dapper brides, trans men, and anyone else who wants to look their stylish best in a suit on their wedding day: have you found your look yet? If not, I've scrounged up a few killer options for custom-made masculine suits for women, trans men, and anyone. From butch to slightly femme, these suits are ripe for customizing to your look and measurements. Which one would you rock? Read More 1.4k June 11, 2018 Love has no size: a fat-positive inspiration shoot that may just change your life Feeling down on yourself while trying on dresses? Seeing emails in your inbox about losing weight for the wedding or worse, hearing it from people you love? It's time to take back your self-worth and own your beauty. One of our favorite photographers, Sandrachile, sent us fat-positive inspiration shoot that blew our collective minds. I may have even shed a couple of tears looking at these stunning and fierce women looking back at us like a mirror… Read More 1.8k June 8, 2018 Don't miss the mohawk and sheer dress at this chic wedding inspiration We fell in love with this chic wedding inspiration with clean lines and sophistication paired with a killer mohawk, gorgeous outdoor setting, a funky food truck, and an almost-but-not-quite scandalous wedding dress that gave us all heart eyes emojis. It's tuxedos and glitz meets rustic realness (with a tiny serving of punk) and we DIG it. Let's see the whole shoot and start taking notes on what ideas you want to steal… Read More 5.2k June 6, 2018 Kat Von D got married and it's a decadent, macabre feast for the eyes Last week, Kat Von D married musician Leafar Seyer (aka Rafael Reyes) with a macabre ceremony and reception that gives Red Wedding a new definition. Let’s feast on these decadent pics and see if we can’t find some inspiration for smaller-scale events that are equally big on personality… Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings June 22, 2018 Two film lovers had a Hawaiian Jurassic Park wedding at the REAL film location Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom comes out today! We've got a Jurassic Park wedding that took place in one of the REAL film locations: "We didn't even know we wanted a themed (or destination) wedding until I was browsing venue sites and came across Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii. When I first saw the photos of the sweeping valley and dramatic mountains I laughed and told my partner that it looked like Jurassic Park…then we googled it…and it WAS Jurassic Park! Well, at least a few of the filming locations. We knew right then and there that we were going to Hawaii…" Read More June 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More June 18, 2018 Don't miss the faux hawk at this ultra beautiful DIYed wedding Ria and Will are both tax lawyers so their wedding day was infused with lawyer jokes, beginning with their hashtag, #filingjointly. Ria also has a daring but soft side, so her hair was swept up in an amazing faux-hawk. She finished the look with her signature hot pink lipstick and vintage jewelry. Ria went wild with DIY including the cake (a spice cake with cream cheese icing!), handcrafted invitations, dried floral bouquets, and amazing centerpieces. She painted every wooden flower and picked every vintage tea cup for the tables. It was an event full of love, humor, and tons of artistry. Read More June 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 22, 2018 Two film lovers had a Hawaiian Jurassic Park wedding at the REAL film location Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom comes out today! We've got a Jurassic Park wedding that took place in one of the REAL film locations: "We didn't even know we wanted a themed (or destination) wedding until I was browsing venue sites and came across Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii. When I first saw the photos of the sweeping valley and dramatic mountains I laughed and told my partner that it looked like Jurassic Park…then we googled it…and it WAS Jurassic Park! Well, at least a few of the filming locations. We knew right then and there that we were going to Hawaii…" Read More June 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More More Recent Posts > Recent Wedding Porn June 19, 2018 Velvet, faux fur, and waterfalls at this Franklin Falls wintry elopement inspiration If there's ever a place that deserves to be photographed with lush flowers, faux furs, and black lace, it's Franklin Falls, about 50 miles east of Seattle with waterfalls, hiking routes, and tons of greenery. This wintry elopement inspiration shoot featured burgundy velvet, Jon Snow-worthy furs, jagged icicles, and a roaring waterfall. It was a three-mile walk to the area, but the breathtaking views are most definitely worth it. Go see for yourself and let me know how much you pine for that black gown… Read More June 13, 2018 Masculine suits for women, trans men, and anyone who wants to look handsome AF Hey dapper brides, trans men, and anyone else who wants to look their stylish best in a suit on their wedding day: have you found your look yet? If not, I've scrounged up a few killer options for custom-made masculine suits for women, trans men, and anyone. From butch to slightly femme, these suits are ripe for customizing to your look and measurements. Which one would you rock? Read More 1.4k June 11, 2018 Love has no size: a fat-positive inspiration shoot that may just change your life Feeling down on yourself while trying on dresses? Seeing emails in your inbox about losing weight for the wedding or worse, hearing it from people you love? It's time to take back your self-worth and own your beauty. One of our favorite photographers, Sandrachile, sent us fat-positive inspiration shoot that blew our collective minds. I may have even shed a couple of tears looking at these stunning and fierce women looking back at us like a mirror… Read More 1.8k June 8, 2018 Don't miss the mohawk and sheer dress at this chic wedding inspiration We fell in love with this chic wedding inspiration with clean lines and sophistication paired with a killer mohawk, gorgeous outdoor setting, a funky food truck, and an almost-but-not-quite scandalous wedding dress that gave us all heart eyes emojis. It's tuxedos and glitz meets rustic realness (with a tiny serving of punk) and we DIG it. Let's see the whole shoot and start taking notes on what ideas you want to steal… Read More 5.2k June 6, 2018 Kat Von D got married and it's a decadent, macabre feast for the eyes Last week, Kat Von D married musician Leafar Seyer (aka Rafael Reyes) with a macabre ceremony and reception that gives Red Wedding a new definition. Let’s feast on these decadent pics and see if we can’t find some inspiration for smaller-scale events that are equally big on personality… Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings June 22, 2018 Two film lovers had a Hawaiian Jurassic Park wedding at the REAL film location Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom comes out today! We've got a Jurassic Park wedding that took place in one of the REAL film locations: "We didn't even know we wanted a themed (or destination) wedding until I was browsing venue sites and came across Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii. When I first saw the photos of the sweeping valley and dramatic mountains I laughed and told my partner that it looked like Jurassic Park…then we googled it…and it WAS Jurassic Park! Well, at least a few of the filming locations. We knew right then and there that we were going to Hawaii…" Read More June 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More June 18, 2018 Don't miss the faux hawk at this ultra beautiful DIYed wedding Ria and Will are both tax lawyers so their wedding day was infused with lawyer jokes, beginning with their hashtag, #filingjointly. Ria also has a daring but soft side, so her hair was swept up in an amazing faux-hawk. She finished the look with her signature hot pink lipstick and vintage jewelry. Ria went wild with DIY including the cake (a spice cake with cream cheese icing!), handcrafted invitations, dried floral bouquets, and amazing centerpieces. She painted every wooden flower and picked every vintage tea cup for the tables. It was an event full of love, humor, and tons of artistry. Read More June 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More More Recent Posts > Recent Wedding Porn June 19, 2018 Velvet, faux fur, and waterfalls at this Franklin Falls wintry elopement inspiration If there's ever a place that deserves to be photographed with lush flowers, faux furs, and black lace, it's Franklin Falls, about 50 miles east of Seattle with waterfalls, hiking routes, and tons of greenery. This wintry elopement inspiration shoot featured burgundy velvet, Jon Snow-worthy furs, jagged icicles, and a roaring waterfall. It was a three-mile walk to the area, but the breathtaking views are most definitely worth it. Go see for yourself and let me know how much you pine for that black gown… Read More June 13, 2018 Masculine suits for women, trans men, and anyone who wants to look handsome AF Hey dapper brides, trans men, and anyone else who wants to look their stylish best in a suit on their wedding day: have you found your look yet? If not, I've scrounged up a few killer options for custom-made masculine suits for women, trans men, and anyone. From butch to slightly femme, these suits are ripe for customizing to your look and measurements. Which one would you rock? Read More 1.4k June 11, 2018 Love has no size: a fat-positive inspiration shoot that may just change your life Feeling down on yourself while trying on dresses? Seeing emails in your inbox about losing weight for the wedding or worse, hearing it from people you love? It's time to take back your self-worth and own your beauty. One of our favorite photographers, Sandrachile, sent us fat-positive inspiration shoot that blew our collective minds. I may have even shed a couple of tears looking at these stunning and fierce women looking back at us like a mirror… Read More 1.8k June 8, 2018 Don't miss the mohawk and sheer dress at this chic wedding inspiration We fell in love with this chic wedding inspiration with clean lines and sophistication paired with a killer mohawk, gorgeous outdoor setting, a funky food truck, and an almost-but-not-quite scandalous wedding dress that gave us all heart eyes emojis. It's tuxedos and glitz meets rustic realness (with a tiny serving of punk) and we DIG it. Let's see the whole shoot and start taking notes on what ideas you want to steal… Read More 5.2k June 6, 2018 Kat Von D got married and it's a decadent, macabre feast for the eyes Last week, Kat Von D married musician Leafar Seyer (aka Rafael Reyes) with a macabre ceremony and reception that gives Red Wedding a new definition. Let’s feast on these decadent pics and see if we can’t find some inspiration for smaller-scale events that are equally big on personality… Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings June 22, 2018 Two film lovers had a Hawaiian Jurassic Park wedding at the REAL film location Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom comes out today! We've got a Jurassic Park wedding that took place in one of the REAL film locations: "We didn't even know we wanted a themed (or destination) wedding until I was browsing venue sites and came across Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii. When I first saw the photos of the sweeping valley and dramatic mountains I laughed and told my partner that it looked like Jurassic Park…then we googled it…and it WAS Jurassic Park! Well, at least a few of the filming locations. We knew right then and there that we were going to Hawaii…" Read More June 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More June 18, 2018 Don't miss the faux hawk at this ultra beautiful DIYed wedding Ria and Will are both tax lawyers so their wedding day was infused with lawyer jokes, beginning with their hashtag, #filingjointly. Ria also has a daring but soft side, so her hair was swept up in an amazing faux-hawk. She finished the look with her signature hot pink lipstick and vintage jewelry. Ria went wild with DIY including the cake (a spice cake with cream cheese icing!), handcrafted invitations, dried floral bouquets, and amazing centerpieces. She painted every wooden flower and picked every vintage tea cup for the tables. It was an event full of love, humor, and tons of artistry. Read More June 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More More Recent Posts > Recent Wedding Porn June 19, 2018 Velvet, faux fur, and waterfalls at this Franklin Falls wintry elopement inspiration If there's ever a place that deserves to be photographed with lush flowers, faux furs, and black lace, it's Franklin Falls, about 50 miles east of Seattle with waterfalls, hiking routes, and tons of greenery. This wintry elopement inspiration shoot featured burgundy velvet, Jon Snow-worthy furs, jagged icicles, and a roaring waterfall. It was a three-mile walk to the area, but the breathtaking views are most definitely worth it. Go see for yourself and let me know how much you pine for that black gown… Read More June 13, 2018 Masculine suits for women, trans men, and anyone who wants to look handsome AF Hey dapper brides, trans men, and anyone else who wants to look their stylish best in a suit on their wedding day: have you found your look yet? If not, I've scrounged up a few killer options for custom-made masculine suits for women, trans men, and anyone. From butch to slightly femme, these suits are ripe for customizing to your look and measurements. Which one would you rock? Read More 1.4k June 11, 2018 Love has no size: a fat-positive inspiration shoot that may just change your life Feeling down on yourself while trying on dresses? Seeing emails in your inbox about losing weight for the wedding or worse, hearing it from people you love? It's time to take back your self-worth and own your beauty. One of our favorite photographers, Sandrachile, sent us fat-positive inspiration shoot that blew our collective minds. I may have even shed a couple of tears looking at these stunning and fierce women looking back at us like a mirror… Read More 1.8k June 8, 2018 Don't miss the mohawk and sheer dress at this chic wedding inspiration We fell in love with this chic wedding inspiration with clean lines and sophistication paired with a killer mohawk, gorgeous outdoor setting, a funky food truck, and an almost-but-not-quite scandalous wedding dress that gave us all heart eyes emojis. It's tuxedos and glitz meets rustic realness (with a tiny serving of punk) and we DIG it. Let's see the whole shoot and start taking notes on what ideas you want to steal… Read More 5.2k June 6, 2018 Kat Von D got married and it's a decadent, macabre feast for the eyes Last week, Kat Von D married musician Leafar Seyer (aka Rafael Reyes) with a macabre ceremony and reception that gives Red Wedding a new definition. Let’s feast on these decadent pics and see if we can’t find some inspiration for smaller-scale events that are equally big on personality… Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings June 22, 2018 Two film lovers had a Hawaiian Jurassic Park wedding at the REAL film location Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom comes out today! We've got a Jurassic Park wedding that took place in one of the REAL film locations: "We didn't even know we wanted a themed (or destination) wedding until I was browsing venue sites and came across Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii. When I first saw the photos of the sweeping valley and dramatic mountains I laughed and told my partner that it looked like Jurassic Park…then we googled it…and it WAS Jurassic Park! Well, at least a few of the filming locations. We knew right then and there that we were going to Hawaii…" Read More June 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More June 18, 2018 Don't miss the faux hawk at this ultra beautiful DIYed wedding Ria and Will are both tax lawyers so their wedding day was infused with lawyer jokes, beginning with their hashtag, #filingjointly. Ria also has a daring but soft side, so her hair was swept up in an amazing faux-hawk. She finished the look with her signature hot pink lipstick and vintage jewelry. Ria went wild with DIY including the cake (a spice cake with cream cheese icing!), handcrafted invitations, dried floral bouquets, and amazing centerpieces. She painted every wooden flower and picked every vintage tea cup for the tables. It was an event full of love, humor, and tons of artistry. Read More June 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More More Recent Posts > Recent Wedding Porn June 19, 2018 Velvet, faux fur, and waterfalls at this Franklin Falls wintry elopement inspiration If there's ever a place that deserves to be photographed with lush flowers, faux furs, and black lace, it's Franklin Falls, about 50 miles east of Seattle with waterfalls, hiking routes, and tons of greenery. This wintry elopement inspiration shoot featured burgundy velvet, Jon Snow-worthy furs, jagged icicles, and a roaring waterfall. It was a three-mile walk to the area, but the breathtaking views are most definitely worth it. Go see for yourself and let me know how much you pine for that black gown… Read More June 13, 2018 Masculine suits for women, trans men, and anyone who wants to look handsome AF Hey dapper brides, trans men, and anyone else who wants to look their stylish best in a suit on their wedding day: have you found your look yet? If not, I've scrounged up a few killer options for custom-made masculine suits for women, trans men, and anyone. From butch to slightly femme, these suits are ripe for customizing to your look and measurements. Which one would you rock? Read More 1.4k June 11, 2018 Love has no size: a fat-positive inspiration shoot that may just change your life Feeling down on yourself while trying on dresses? Seeing emails in your inbox about losing weight for the wedding or worse, hearing it from people you love? It's time to take back your self-worth and own your beauty. One of our favorite photographers, Sandrachile, sent us fat-positive inspiration shoot that blew our collective minds. I may have even shed a couple of tears looking at these stunning and fierce women looking back at us like a mirror… Read More 1.8k June 8, 2018 Don't miss the mohawk and sheer dress at this chic wedding inspiration We fell in love with this chic wedding inspiration with clean lines and sophistication paired with a killer mohawk, gorgeous outdoor setting, a funky food truck, and an almost-but-not-quite scandalous wedding dress that gave us all heart eyes emojis. It's tuxedos and glitz meets rustic realness (with a tiny serving of punk) and we DIG it. Let's see the whole shoot and start taking notes on what ideas you want to steal… Read More 5.2k June 6, 2018 Kat Von D got married and it's a decadent, macabre feast for the eyes Last week, Kat Von D married musician Leafar Seyer (aka Rafael Reyes) with a macabre ceremony and reception that gives Red Wedding a new definition. Let’s feast on these decadent pics and see if we can’t find some inspiration for smaller-scale events that are equally big on personality… Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings June 22, 2018 Two film lovers had a Hawaiian Jurassic Park wedding at the REAL film location Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom comes out today! We've got a Jurassic Park wedding that took place in one of the REAL film locations: "We didn't even know we wanted a themed (or destination) wedding until I was browsing venue sites and came across Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii. When I first saw the photos of the sweeping valley and dramatic mountains I laughed and told my partner that it looked like Jurassic Park…then we googled it…and it WAS Jurassic Park! Well, at least a few of the filming locations. We knew right then and there that we were going to Hawaii…" Read More June 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More June 18, 2018 Don't miss the faux hawk at this ultra beautiful DIYed wedding Ria and Will are both tax lawyers so their wedding day was infused with lawyer jokes, beginning with their hashtag, #filingjointly. Ria also has a daring but soft side, so her hair was swept up in an amazing faux-hawk. She finished the look with her signature hot pink lipstick and vintage jewelry. Ria went wild with DIY including the cake (a spice cake with cream cheese icing!), handcrafted invitations, dried floral bouquets, and amazing centerpieces. She painted every wooden flower and picked every vintage tea cup for the tables. It was an event full of love, humor, and tons of artistry. Read More June 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 19, 2018 Velvet, faux fur, and waterfalls at this Franklin Falls wintry elopement inspiration If there's ever a place that deserves to be photographed with lush flowers, faux furs, and black lace, it's Franklin Falls, about 50 miles east of Seattle with waterfalls, hiking routes, and tons of greenery. This wintry elopement inspiration shoot featured burgundy velvet, Jon Snow-worthy furs, jagged icicles, and a roaring waterfall. It was a three-mile walk to the area, but the breathtaking views are most definitely worth it. Go see for yourself and let me know how much you pine for that black gown… Read More June 13, 2018 Masculine suits for women, trans men, and anyone who wants to look handsome AF Hey dapper brides, trans men, and anyone else who wants to look their stylish best in a suit on their wedding day: have you found your look yet? If not, I've scrounged up a few killer options for custom-made masculine suits for women, trans men, and anyone. From butch to slightly femme, these suits are ripe for customizing to your look and measurements. Which one would you rock? Read More 1.4k June 11, 2018 Love has no size: a fat-positive inspiration shoot that may just change your life Feeling down on yourself while trying on dresses? Seeing emails in your inbox about losing weight for the wedding or worse, hearing it from people you love? It's time to take back your self-worth and own your beauty. One of our favorite photographers, Sandrachile, sent us fat-positive inspiration shoot that blew our collective minds. I may have even shed a couple of tears looking at these stunning and fierce women looking back at us like a mirror… Read More 1.8k June 8, 2018 Don't miss the mohawk and sheer dress at this chic wedding inspiration We fell in love with this chic wedding inspiration with clean lines and sophistication paired with a killer mohawk, gorgeous outdoor setting, a funky food truck, and an almost-but-not-quite scandalous wedding dress that gave us all heart eyes emojis. It's tuxedos and glitz meets rustic realness (with a tiny serving of punk) and we DIG it. Let's see the whole shoot and start taking notes on what ideas you want to steal… Read More 5.2k June 6, 2018 Kat Von D got married and it's a decadent, macabre feast for the eyes Last week, Kat Von D married musician Leafar Seyer (aka Rafael Reyes) with a macabre ceremony and reception that gives Red Wedding a new definition. Let’s feast on these decadent pics and see if we can’t find some inspiration for smaller-scale events that are equally big on personality… Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings June 22, 2018 Two film lovers had a Hawaiian Jurassic Park wedding at the REAL film location Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom comes out today! We've got a Jurassic Park wedding that took place in one of the REAL film locations: "We didn't even know we wanted a themed (or destination) wedding until I was browsing venue sites and came across Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii. When I first saw the photos of the sweeping valley and dramatic mountains I laughed and told my partner that it looked like Jurassic Park…then we googled it…and it WAS Jurassic Park! Well, at least a few of the filming locations. We knew right then and there that we were going to Hawaii…" Read More June 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More June 18, 2018 Don't miss the faux hawk at this ultra beautiful DIYed wedding Ria and Will are both tax lawyers so their wedding day was infused with lawyer jokes, beginning with their hashtag, #filingjointly. Ria also has a daring but soft side, so her hair was swept up in an amazing faux-hawk. She finished the look with her signature hot pink lipstick and vintage jewelry. Ria went wild with DIY including the cake (a spice cake with cream cheese icing!), handcrafted invitations, dried floral bouquets, and amazing centerpieces. She painted every wooden flower and picked every vintage tea cup for the tables. It was an event full of love, humor, and tons of artistry. Read More June 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 13, 2018 Masculine suits for women, trans men, and anyone who wants to look handsome AF Hey dapper brides, trans men, and anyone else who wants to look their stylish best in a suit on their wedding day: have you found your look yet? If not, I've scrounged up a few killer options for custom-made masculine suits for women, trans men, and anyone. From butch to slightly femme, these suits are ripe for customizing to your look and measurements. Which one would you rock? Read More 1.4k June 11, 2018 Love has no size: a fat-positive inspiration shoot that may just change your life Feeling down on yourself while trying on dresses? Seeing emails in your inbox about losing weight for the wedding or worse, hearing it from people you love? It's time to take back your self-worth and own your beauty. One of our favorite photographers, Sandrachile, sent us fat-positive inspiration shoot that blew our collective minds. I may have even shed a couple of tears looking at these stunning and fierce women looking back at us like a mirror… Read More 1.8k June 8, 2018 Don't miss the mohawk and sheer dress at this chic wedding inspiration We fell in love with this chic wedding inspiration with clean lines and sophistication paired with a killer mohawk, gorgeous outdoor setting, a funky food truck, and an almost-but-not-quite scandalous wedding dress that gave us all heart eyes emojis. It's tuxedos and glitz meets rustic realness (with a tiny serving of punk) and we DIG it. Let's see the whole shoot and start taking notes on what ideas you want to steal… Read More 5.2k June 6, 2018 Kat Von D got married and it's a decadent, macabre feast for the eyes Last week, Kat Von D married musician Leafar Seyer (aka Rafael Reyes) with a macabre ceremony and reception that gives Red Wedding a new definition. Let’s feast on these decadent pics and see if we can’t find some inspiration for smaller-scale events that are equally big on personality… Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings June 22, 2018 Two film lovers had a Hawaiian Jurassic Park wedding at the REAL film location Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom comes out today! We've got a Jurassic Park wedding that took place in one of the REAL film locations: "We didn't even know we wanted a themed (or destination) wedding until I was browsing venue sites and came across Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii. When I first saw the photos of the sweeping valley and dramatic mountains I laughed and told my partner that it looked like Jurassic Park…then we googled it…and it WAS Jurassic Park! Well, at least a few of the filming locations. We knew right then and there that we were going to Hawaii…" Read More June 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More June 18, 2018 Don't miss the faux hawk at this ultra beautiful DIYed wedding Ria and Will are both tax lawyers so their wedding day was infused with lawyer jokes, beginning with their hashtag, #filingjointly. Ria also has a daring but soft side, so her hair was swept up in an amazing faux-hawk. She finished the look with her signature hot pink lipstick and vintage jewelry. Ria went wild with DIY including the cake (a spice cake with cream cheese icing!), handcrafted invitations, dried floral bouquets, and amazing centerpieces. She painted every wooden flower and picked every vintage tea cup for the tables. It was an event full of love, humor, and tons of artistry. Read More June 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 June 11, 2018 Love has no size: a fat-positive inspiration shoot that may just change your life Feeling down on yourself while trying on dresses? Seeing emails in your inbox about losing weight for the wedding or worse, hearing it from people you love? It's time to take back your self-worth and own your beauty. One of our favorite photographers, Sandrachile, sent us fat-positive inspiration shoot that blew our collective minds. I may have even shed a couple of tears looking at these stunning and fierce women looking back at us like a mirror… Read More 1.8k June 8, 2018 Don't miss the mohawk and sheer dress at this chic wedding inspiration We fell in love with this chic wedding inspiration with clean lines and sophistication paired with a killer mohawk, gorgeous outdoor setting, a funky food truck, and an almost-but-not-quite scandalous wedding dress that gave us all heart eyes emojis. It's tuxedos and glitz meets rustic realness (with a tiny serving of punk) and we DIG it. Let's see the whole shoot and start taking notes on what ideas you want to steal… Read More 5.2k June 6, 2018 Kat Von D got married and it's a decadent, macabre feast for the eyes Last week, Kat Von D married musician Leafar Seyer (aka Rafael Reyes) with a macabre ceremony and reception that gives Red Wedding a new definition. Let’s feast on these decadent pics and see if we can’t find some inspiration for smaller-scale events that are equally big on personality… Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings June 22, 2018 Two film lovers had a Hawaiian Jurassic Park wedding at the REAL film location Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom comes out today! We've got a Jurassic Park wedding that took place in one of the REAL film locations: "We didn't even know we wanted a themed (or destination) wedding until I was browsing venue sites and came across Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii. When I first saw the photos of the sweeping valley and dramatic mountains I laughed and told my partner that it looked like Jurassic Park…then we googled it…and it WAS Jurassic Park! Well, at least a few of the filming locations. We knew right then and there that we were going to Hawaii…" Read More June 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More June 18, 2018 Don't miss the faux hawk at this ultra beautiful DIYed wedding Ria and Will are both tax lawyers so their wedding day was infused with lawyer jokes, beginning with their hashtag, #filingjointly. Ria also has a daring but soft side, so her hair was swept up in an amazing faux-hawk. She finished the look with her signature hot pink lipstick and vintage jewelry. Ria went wild with DIY including the cake (a spice cake with cream cheese icing!), handcrafted invitations, dried floral bouquets, and amazing centerpieces. She painted every wooden flower and picked every vintage tea cup for the tables. It was an event full of love, humor, and tons of artistry. Read More June 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
1.8k June 8, 2018 Don't miss the mohawk and sheer dress at this chic wedding inspiration We fell in love with this chic wedding inspiration with clean lines and sophistication paired with a killer mohawk, gorgeous outdoor setting, a funky food truck, and an almost-but-not-quite scandalous wedding dress that gave us all heart eyes emojis. It's tuxedos and glitz meets rustic realness (with a tiny serving of punk) and we DIG it. Let's see the whole shoot and start taking notes on what ideas you want to steal… Read More 5.2k June 6, 2018 Kat Von D got married and it's a decadent, macabre feast for the eyes Last week, Kat Von D married musician Leafar Seyer (aka Rafael Reyes) with a macabre ceremony and reception that gives Red Wedding a new definition. Let’s feast on these decadent pics and see if we can’t find some inspiration for smaller-scale events that are equally big on personality… Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings June 22, 2018 Two film lovers had a Hawaiian Jurassic Park wedding at the REAL film location Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom comes out today! We've got a Jurassic Park wedding that took place in one of the REAL film locations: "We didn't even know we wanted a themed (or destination) wedding until I was browsing venue sites and came across Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii. When I first saw the photos of the sweeping valley and dramatic mountains I laughed and told my partner that it looked like Jurassic Park…then we googled it…and it WAS Jurassic Park! Well, at least a few of the filming locations. We knew right then and there that we were going to Hawaii…" Read More June 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More June 18, 2018 Don't miss the faux hawk at this ultra beautiful DIYed wedding Ria and Will are both tax lawyers so their wedding day was infused with lawyer jokes, beginning with their hashtag, #filingjointly. Ria also has a daring but soft side, so her hair was swept up in an amazing faux-hawk. She finished the look with her signature hot pink lipstick and vintage jewelry. Ria went wild with DIY including the cake (a spice cake with cream cheese icing!), handcrafted invitations, dried floral bouquets, and amazing centerpieces. She painted every wooden flower and picked every vintage tea cup for the tables. It was an event full of love, humor, and tons of artistry. Read More June 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
5.2k June 6, 2018 Kat Von D got married and it's a decadent, macabre feast for the eyes Last week, Kat Von D married musician Leafar Seyer (aka Rafael Reyes) with a macabre ceremony and reception that gives Red Wedding a new definition. Let’s feast on these decadent pics and see if we can’t find some inspiration for smaller-scale events that are equally big on personality… Read More More Wedding Porn > Recent Real Weddings June 22, 2018 Two film lovers had a Hawaiian Jurassic Park wedding at the REAL film location Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom comes out today! We've got a Jurassic Park wedding that took place in one of the REAL film locations: "We didn't even know we wanted a themed (or destination) wedding until I was browsing venue sites and came across Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii. When I first saw the photos of the sweeping valley and dramatic mountains I laughed and told my partner that it looked like Jurassic Park…then we googled it…and it WAS Jurassic Park! Well, at least a few of the filming locations. We knew right then and there that we were going to Hawaii…" Read More June 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More June 18, 2018 Don't miss the faux hawk at this ultra beautiful DIYed wedding Ria and Will are both tax lawyers so their wedding day was infused with lawyer jokes, beginning with their hashtag, #filingjointly. Ria also has a daring but soft side, so her hair was swept up in an amazing faux-hawk. She finished the look with her signature hot pink lipstick and vintage jewelry. Ria went wild with DIY including the cake (a spice cake with cream cheese icing!), handcrafted invitations, dried floral bouquets, and amazing centerpieces. She painted every wooden flower and picked every vintage tea cup for the tables. It was an event full of love, humor, and tons of artistry. Read More June 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 22, 2018 Two film lovers had a Hawaiian Jurassic Park wedding at the REAL film location Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom comes out today! We've got a Jurassic Park wedding that took place in one of the REAL film locations: "We didn't even know we wanted a themed (or destination) wedding until I was browsing venue sites and came across Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii. When I first saw the photos of the sweeping valley and dramatic mountains I laughed and told my partner that it looked like Jurassic Park…then we googled it…and it WAS Jurassic Park! Well, at least a few of the filming locations. We knew right then and there that we were going to Hawaii…" Read More June 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More June 18, 2018 Don't miss the faux hawk at this ultra beautiful DIYed wedding Ria and Will are both tax lawyers so their wedding day was infused with lawyer jokes, beginning with their hashtag, #filingjointly. Ria also has a daring but soft side, so her hair was swept up in an amazing faux-hawk. She finished the look with her signature hot pink lipstick and vintage jewelry. Ria went wild with DIY including the cake (a spice cake with cream cheese icing!), handcrafted invitations, dried floral bouquets, and amazing centerpieces. She painted every wooden flower and picked every vintage tea cup for the tables. It was an event full of love, humor, and tons of artistry. Read More June 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 21, 2018 Two families become one at this intimate microwedding in Chicago Dora and Joel were married in Chicago. They originally planned on getting married in Hawaii, but with one daughter about to leave for the military and another about to leave for college, they decided to move their wedding date up and do it in a new shmancy hotel in the Wicker Park neighborhood, The Robey Hotel. They were married on the top floor with great views and a little rain. Thankfully, their brilliant smiles and Dora's gorgeous dress kept the day shining and lovely. Immerse yourself in this intimate microwedding that blended two families… Read More June 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More June 18, 2018 Don't miss the faux hawk at this ultra beautiful DIYed wedding Ria and Will are both tax lawyers so their wedding day was infused with lawyer jokes, beginning with their hashtag, #filingjointly. Ria also has a daring but soft side, so her hair was swept up in an amazing faux-hawk. She finished the look with her signature hot pink lipstick and vintage jewelry. Ria went wild with DIY including the cake (a spice cake with cream cheese icing!), handcrafted invitations, dried floral bouquets, and amazing centerpieces. She painted every wooden flower and picked every vintage tea cup for the tables. It was an event full of love, humor, and tons of artistry. Read More June 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 20, 2018 A crawfish boil, tacos, & musical architecture at this music box village wedding April and Kyle's wedding was the first ever ceremony and reception to take place at the Music Box Village. The Music Box Village space is an open-aired arrangement of unique pieces of musical architecture — shacks and structures designed to make a variety of sounds — accompanied by the performers' instruments and women dancers from Dancing Grounds and is completely outdoors. Read More June 18, 2018 Don't miss the faux hawk at this ultra beautiful DIYed wedding Ria and Will are both tax lawyers so their wedding day was infused with lawyer jokes, beginning with their hashtag, #filingjointly. Ria also has a daring but soft side, so her hair was swept up in an amazing faux-hawk. She finished the look with her signature hot pink lipstick and vintage jewelry. Ria went wild with DIY including the cake (a spice cake with cream cheese icing!), handcrafted invitations, dried floral bouquets, and amazing centerpieces. She painted every wooden flower and picked every vintage tea cup for the tables. It was an event full of love, humor, and tons of artistry. Read More June 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 18, 2018 Don't miss the faux hawk at this ultra beautiful DIYed wedding Ria and Will are both tax lawyers so their wedding day was infused with lawyer jokes, beginning with their hashtag, #filingjointly. Ria also has a daring but soft side, so her hair was swept up in an amazing faux-hawk. She finished the look with her signature hot pink lipstick and vintage jewelry. Ria went wild with DIY including the cake (a spice cake with cream cheese icing!), handcrafted invitations, dried floral bouquets, and amazing centerpieces. She painted every wooden flower and picked every vintage tea cup for the tables. It was an event full of love, humor, and tons of artistry. Read More June 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 15, 2018 Beards, bratwursts, beer: a NYC biergarten wedding Laura and Doug's NYC biergarten wedding had beards, bratwurst, and beer — a triple threat of awesomeness. The groom and his crew all sported beards (which should thrill a few of you pogonophiles!). Don't miss the slider station, mini Patron bottles, and huge pretzels! Read More More Real Weddings > Recent Advice June 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 21, 2018 The challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK (from an officiant's perspective!) In the UK, it isn't easy to have a secular wedding. Religious weddings have a section focusing on the couple, but there's also a big focus on their religion. With 71% of young people in Britain describing themselves as non-religious, this isn't preferred for a lot of couples. Here are the challenges of having a Humanist wedding in the UK… Read More June 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 20, 2018 How I used Google Sheets to lay out my wedding floorplan I readily admit that the hardest thing about my wedding day will be letting go of control of the entire thing. I wanted to have a hand in the layout of the rooms, even if I can't physically be there for the set up. I harnessed Google Sheets wedding planning: I made an approximate map of our venue and placed every table, chair, and decoration where I want it to be, setting the boxes up as squares and using a legend of 1 foot squared = 1 box. See how it was done! Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 14, 2018 How we're making a Swedish kissing tradition into a poly-friendly, queer-friendly wedding ritual My fiancé and I hold ethical non-monogamy as one of the values at the core of our relationship. So we are determined to make sure that value is represented at our microwedding. While researching wedding customs traditional to our ethnic backgrounds, we discovered that there actually exists a ritual that’s time-honored, joyful, culturally-specific, and non-monogamous… The Swedish kissing tradition! Read More June 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 7, 2018 Finding poly-friendly wedding songs (that AREN'T about forsaking all others) My fiancé and I practice ethical non-monogamy. We prefer this term to polyamory, but sure, you can call us poly if you want to. We had a discussion of how many songs are out there are about “forsaking all others,” something we definitely are not including in our vows. It’s a common theme in popular songs: now that I’m with you, I promise not to look at anyone else, think about anyone else, etc. Here is how we're including poly-friendly wedding songs in our playlists… Read More More Advice > Recent DIY 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
March 19, 2018 DIY this super easy ping pong ball light garland DIY weddings are more popular than ever since DIY projects can save you beaucoup bucks in the process. So if you need some seriously pretty mood lighting for your DIY decor, this easy ping pong ball light garland is your go-to DIY wedding project. Plus, they function as garland/bunting for a ceremony backdrop of for stringing along the ceiling in your venue. They're cheap, easy to make, and they look gorgeous lighting the rest of your decor (and photo ops!). The ping pong balls give off a warm, soft glow, perfect for setting the mood. Here's how to make these killer lights… Read More March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
March 8, 2018 How to DIY coloring pages from a photo for your wedding reception We've been throwing around the idea of this wedding coloring sheet for years but never had a great tutorial for how to make one yourself, which you absolutely can do. Yep, you don't have to outsource this project to someone else if you have access to a program like Photoshop, GIMP, or Pixlr. I'm going to be demonstrating it with Photoshop, but the steps are mostly translatable between each program. Here's how to do it… Read More More DIY > Recent Stuff we love June 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 22, 2018 6 unexpected moments to rock your signature song (and a song suggestion!) I know you're planning out song selections for the big musical moments: your processional, your first dance, parent dances… but what about other moments during the day that might need some soundtrack magic? I'm talking about getting ready with your wedding party, your first look — moments that might need some depth. PLUS: we've got an ultra special song tucked in our pockets that you should totally consider for one of these moments. More on that later… keep scrolling! Read More June 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 19, 2018 Connect to Your Badass: the many ways this photographer connects you to your inner best self If you've been a reader, well EVER, since 2008 or so, you've probably seen the work of our partner in memory-making, Mike Allebach of Allebach Photography. We've featured his skillful and artistic wedding work, of course, but also his insight into photography methods and how to make the most of your wedding photography. He's an institution around here and we'd trust any wedding in his capable hands. Read More 1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
1.0k June 18, 2018 Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress "I'm going through the traumatic process that is wedding dress shopping, and I'm really open-minded about what I'll consider (you have to be when white isn't in the plans). But I didn't expect to fall in love with a taffeta dress online… Taffeta?!" If taffeta (or any other traditional fabric) sounds too traditional for you, think again. We've come a long way since our rebel "fuck taffeta" days. Let's take a look… Read More June 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 15, 2018 Get ready to swoon when you see these textured, organic, & totally chic wedding rings I have been obsessed with contemporary-set, non-diamond rings for ages and I was PSYCHED when I got to ogle some gorgeous shinies from our mad talented partner, Metalicious. Just let me gaze at their unique settings, sparkly gemstones, and offbeat takes on classics all day, every day. Let's see some standouts… Read More June 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 12, 2018 Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) If you're feeling the zeitgeist of pop-up books, this throwback style will thrill you as much as it did us. The artisans at our invitation partner, Lovepop Weddings, creates custom-made 3D pop-up wedding invitations to match your theme, colors, and love story. And your guests get an interactive and totally memorable invitation to keep — score. Here's how it works… Read More More Stuff we love > Recent Wedding 101 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
2.2k 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 1.1k January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 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 January 24, 2018 Wedding venue search tips from the wedding ninjas: wedding planners Newly engaged folks: have you started your wedding venue search yet? Are you ready to pull your hair out or just the beginnings of a breakdown? Either you're in a town with so few offbeat options or you're in a big city with WAY too many options and no way to narrow it all down or find the perfect weird and wonderful venue for you between all the banquet halls. I decided to reach out to some of our favorite wedding coordinators to see what sage venue search wisdom they could impart on us to make the arduous search easier. Read More 1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
1.8k January 11, 2018 Your cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation When it comes to invitation wording, we've got you covered. But what if you just need a cheatsheet for what to include on wedding invitation? What do you HAVE to include and what's just a nice-to-have? Here's a recap of all the information you'll want on there, what bonus information helps, and what you can totally offshore to a wedding website. Let's get to cheatsheeting! Read More 1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… 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? DIY Dress Eloping Engagement Ring Feminism Geeky Harry Potter Invitation Wording Readings Ceremony Advice Fashion Reception Advice Super cute offbeat wedding invitations Invitation Ideas The DIY Art Nouveau wedding invitation books that you'll want to keep forever on your shelf Mara & Bill's ultimate electronic geek wedding Deadly gorgeous wedding invitations with a punk rock edge from Blue Tulip Design Completely customizable online wedding communications from Glö Build your wedding logo around your favorite video game Crafty, Rough, Cheap, But Ours How to make photobooth save the date cards Pop-up wedding invitations are totally a thing (and are super inclusive & customized to you!) Read More > A few of our favorite wedding vendors JC Lemon Photography Read More Cypress Valley Event Center Read More Savannah Custom Weddings & Elopements Read More Golden Door Photography Read More Find offbeat vendors in our Vendor Guide > Our infamous spreadsheets & checklists Your offbeat-friendly interactive wedding planning checklist is available! Our GIANT list of important questions to ask wedding venues Planning tools 101: your wedding vendor contact sheet 80+ free wedding printables: a huge list of downloadable DIY wedding projects WTF is "scrumming" and how can it help you actually ENJOY wedding planning Your wedding music checklist and 7 planning tips to make it dead easy Planning tools 101: wedding budget calculator Marriage legal changes you NEED to know about (in plain English, we promise!) Get planning > Offbeat dress shopping How to buy an Etsy wedding dress: 4 tips to avoid getting scammed A "short, round, and very busty" girl's guide to having a dress custom made These prom dresses can be the affordable alternative wedding dresses of your dreams Seamstress secrets: wedding dress alteration & bridal fitting advice Reclaiming traditions: you CAN love a taffeta wedding dress How a last-minute wedding dress disaster made me remember what really matters Screw "timeless" weddings, I WANT my wedding to look dated Find out how Borrowed By Design is like the AirBnB of wedding dresses! Read More > Advice for wedding guests How to write a wedding speech that KICKS ASS I'm single! Who should I bring as my plus one? What my wedding taught me about being a better wedding guest How to be the best offbeat wedding guest ever 7 modern wedding guest etiquette questions (+ bonus advice for couples!) Offbeat guest goes black tie: How do I blend into a black tie wedding? Wedding gift ideas for people who didn't f***ing register! Toasts: the wedding tradition that could probably just die and no one would care Read More > Wedding Vow Ideas Introvert wedding survival tips and weddings for shy people Trending topic: #vows Pledge your troth to these romantic (and snarky!) Jane Austen quotes I completely forgot my wedding vows at the altar, and it was perfect Keep it cosmic AND gender-neutral with this space-themed ceremony script (+ READINGS!) Mad libs wedding vows Bob Ross quotes to add some happy little zen to your ceremony Breakfast, tiffs, and hand-holding: These guys show us how to own writing personal vows Steal more ideas > We're everywhere! Follow us on social media. Get creative, offbeat wedding ideas delivered daily to your inbox! Join our newsletter SUBSCRIBE Copyright © 2003 - 2018 Offbeat Empire. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited. Contact us Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Monetized by SkimLinks
1.2k January 4, 2018 How to create your bridal shop moment with your online bought dress It's way easier to buy online than it ever has been before. This online shopping convenience comes with a tiny cost, though: you don't have that bridal store moment where you let your crew see you in the dress/outfit and ooh and ahh. The remedy? Create that shit yourself! Here are my tips to create your bridal shop moment with your online purchased dress… Read More More Wedding 101 >