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The offbeat bride: Angela – Notary Public/Office Manager
Her offbeat partner: Chris
Location & date of wedding: 1/19/2008. Ceremony was at The Marston House‘s rose garden in Balboa Park San Diego, CA. The reception was at another favorite our neighborhood bar, LEI Lounge.
What made our wedding offbeat: We have been together for a decade and I never thought we were going to get married. We wanted a very nontraditional wedding and basically a big party — or as our friends say, “Another A&C Production!” I knew right away I was going to wear a RED dress, no questions asked. And of course a tea length dress so you can see the fabulous shoes — everyone knows my obsession with shoes!
There were a few things I knew I wanted: orchids, vintage candy & chocolate bar, Casablanca themed wedding, colors needed to be black and white.
So we went looking for the ceremony site — we knew we would get married outside and in a garden. We found the Marston House which is a San Diego Historic Home. We saw the rose garden and chose that right away.
Our party location we wanted something very non traditional. I did not want to walk into a room where there were 100 round tables and everyone just sat and the only reason they got off their seats was to have lunch or dinner service. So we thought of our favorite neighborhood bar, LEI Lounge. It is a very tropical lounge which include fire pits, cabanas, belly bar tables.
All guest were instructed to wear black and white colors only with a 1940s and 1950s-inspired clothing. It was a Casablanca Affair to remember…No wedding party, no ugly bridesmaid dresses, no best main or maid of honor. Just myself and my love and a really great friend of ours that got commissioned for the day to marry us. I wrote our vows.
After the wedding, guests arrived at LEI Lounge and were greeted with an open bar, red framed pictures of Casablanca photos, the Rat Pack playing, planted orchids on each table, with family-made red and black table runners.
After lunch was served, we had our first dance. I changed into red chuck taylors so I could swing the afternoon way with my new husband. No boring slow dance — we danced to “Go Daddy O” by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy! It was a blast and that started the dance portion with everyone doing the jitterbug and swing dancing.
Then the Cuban Cigar Roller showed up. We had custom made cigar bands and we passed out cigars and all of our friends were able to light up and enjoy one of our past times.
Last but not least no traditional cake for this bride and groom. We had fresh baked JULIAN APPLE PIES. I had to have my favorite as well… ROOTBEER FLOATS!
Our biggest challenge: My dress, what a nightmare. Three weeks before the wedding the seamstress stopped returning my calls and missed several appointments. Two days before my wedding, I got an unfinished dress and my deposit of $600 back from her.
The next morning I went to a local seamstress and begged her to finish my dress. She managed to do it and my dress was wearable — but definitely missing all the bells and whistles that I had originally dreamed of. It worked and I made the best of it.
My favorite moment: Walking down the aisle to one of my favorite songs by Etta James — “At Last” — and watching the expressions on our guests face when they saw me in that fabulous RED gown! I did not realize that there were plenty of people who did not know I was wearing red and they thought that was the most amazing thing and so ANGELA!
My offbeat advice: Do exactly want you and your groom want to do. Do not let anyone else determine how your day is no matter how influential they are or how much money they are contributing!
Enough talk — show me the wedding porn: Red dress, cigars, and an adorable grampa!
About the Author: Offbeat Weditors
Working tirelessly to bring you stimulating content day after day, the Offbeat Wed editors will not sleep until you've gotten your offbeat fix.
