Sarah & Richard's Pirates of the Carribean Wedding • Offbeat Wed (was Offbeat Bride)

The Offbeat Bride: Sarah, hairdresser

My Offbeat Partner: Richard, material handler, contractor

Location & date of wedding: Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, on my Parent's farm — July 12, 2008

What made our wedding offbeat: There are a few obvious reasons why my wedding would be considered “offbeat.” My dress was purple, my hair was red, he didn't wear a tux, my MOH's title was “zilla”, it was outside on a farm, dress code was tropical, etc.

I considered it offbeat because everyone had a job. Anyone with a specific job had creative input. For example, my sister was a photographer and I let her do her own thing. With the florist we just discussed colours and themes and left the rest up to her.

I never knew what the bouquet would look like until the day of the wedding. I didn't even know what my dress looked like until the week before.

I just chose people I trusted and left it up to them.

Our biggest challenge: I am a hairdresser, so I would discuss my wedding plans at least 5 times a day to at least 5 different people a day. So it was tough to hear the comments about my ideas. Most of my clients are traditional Italians. It finally got to me a couple weeks before the wedding. I kept thinking, “Am I making a mistake?” (Regarding the plans, not the actual marriage.) But after everything was done I was finally convinced that my wedding was exactly how I wanted it.

My favorite moment: There were so many, from the group first dance to speeches so funny my sides hurt the next day.

But my favourite moment was the ceremony. We had to start 10 minutes early because it was threatening rain all day. So we rush to the “alter” and doesn't it rain? It was almost as if the thunder was perfectly timed. Even right when he put the ring on my finger. I just told everyone that it was Nonno telling us he was there. The best part was the reading my cousin gave. She read the Apache wedding ceremony. The first line reads, ” Now you will feel no rain, for each other will be shelter for the other.” After that I just lost it. I couldn't stop laughing through the whole ceremony.

My advice for other offbeat brides: If you're going to get someone to sew, bake or create something special for your wedding, make sure you trust that person with your heart 100%. If you have any doubt in your mind then there will be a good chance you won't be pleased with the results. I think I took a risk with having little say in some design elements but it turned out perfect in the end.