My favorite thing about Offbeat Bride is that it promotes a positive attitude about body image by representing ALL shapes, heights, weights, and shoe sizes. The site celebrates the body without focusing on it alone, but instead, treat it as a canvas of expression, a place to grow babies, a physical means of connecting with your loved ones, etc.
Of course, you may have a useful post on dress alterations, finding the right wedding pants or suit, or even making bridesmaids outfits that will fit a range of sizes (and genders!). But Offbeat Bride has posts on makeup, hairstyles, and shoes. But, the focus is still on changing external factors to emphasize the beauty/confidence/creativity of the bride or groom as they are!
The topic of body image is especially relevant to me, because I work as a weight loss counselor for women. I know how great it can be to overcome personal barriers (whether they be internal, external, or both) as you strive to better yourself, your health, and your life. But, I've seen so many people put too much emphasis on their bodies in negative ways — we've all seen it! We live in a culture where eating disorders, self-hate, and weight loss products are hard to avoid.
If you are getting married your partner loves YOU just the way you are. This statement is cliché and out of place (redundant?) on Offbeat Bride. Readers here seem to already know this and, if they don't, the editors and contributors will remind them and hopefully show them that it's true. I would love to see this attitude on every wedding site… I would love to see this attitude abound in our culture. Offbeat Bride isn't a bad place to keep the movement going as it fights on the front lines of one of the bloodiest ongoing battles in the body image war — the wedding industry.
Wedding weight loss: fighting pressure to lose weight for your wedding
All of my anxieties about my mother scrutinizing my weight all through the engagement process ("No wedding dresses are going to look attractive on you... Read more
The most refreshing thing about Offbeat Bride is that the focus isn't on the dress, the venue, or the invitations but the couple and — may I be so bold to argue? — the relationship that led to the celebration and the partnership that will continue after the fact. Of course, you've got addicting wedding porn, an excellent vendors section to shop in, and (more or less) all of the ingredients that bring wedding planners to Offbeat Bride. BUT we never hear “you have to have/be/do/think THIS to be a BRIDE.”
Thank you.
