Elizabeth & Randy's vintage, Star Wars, geek out wedding • Offbeat Wed (was Offbeat Bride)

We already teased you with the Han Solo cake, and then so many more sexy Star Wars details. Now, as promised, like the good and gentle lover that I am, here is the whole story on the amazing Star Wars wedding! -Megs

The offbeat bride: Elizabeth, lighting artist for video games (and Tribe member)

Her offbeat partner: Randy, Sound Designer, Video Game QA

Location & date of wedding: Lake Mary Events Center, Lake Mary, FL — August 15, 2010

What made our wedding offbeat: It was very important to me to include some Star Wars elements because my husband is part of the 501st and LOVES Star Wars. Not every Star Wars item is visible to everyone. I included the imperial logo in all of my graphic design DIYs. Can you find them?

The table runners and sashes that were on the cocktail tables and our chairs were made by my aunts. When I found the fabric, I fell in love with it and asked to have the scroll work on our cake match the scroll work on the fabric. Cut the Cake did a great job. They also made a fantastic surprise groom's cake of Han Solo trapped in carbonite.

I'm not religious at all and I did not want to be married in a church — it just wasn't for me. We asked Randy's brother to be our officiant (he's a notary). It means so much more to me to have a family member marry us than a total stranger. This also allowed us to write our own ceremony. We had lots of nerdy quotes from movies and poems. Plus it was nice and short; it just had the important details.

We also skipped some other formal details like a receiving line. I was raised by my grandmother, so we skipped the parent dances and my wonderful brother walked me down the aisle.

The bridesmaids and groomsmen walked down the aisle to the same song that I did, “Still Alive” by Lisa Miskovsky from Mirror's Edge. We all walked to the instrumental version and I was able to walk at the chorus like I wanted to, and we never even rehearsed! We also had the DJ play “So Long and Thanks for all the Fish” from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as our final goodbye song.

We had Storm Trooper helmets for some of the pictures and some fun at the reception. Our groomsmen gifts were light saber replicas.

It was very important to me that I wear a mini top hat for my reception … because they are awesome. My bridesmaids were also fashionably dressed in vintage attire and our flower girl was in dress made to go well with the bridesmaids' dresses and she carried a flower wand. Both the dress and flower wand were made by Etsy vendors.

Our biggest challenge: I think our biggest challenge would have to be distance. I live in Texas and my whole family lives in New Hampshire. Randy's family is from Florida. It was very hard to decide where we should get married and who would be able to come — we ended up having about fifty people at our wedding.

Planning a wedding from out of state is possible. I made one trip to visit some vendors and see the inside of our venue AFTER I had booked it. I had to make sure that all the vendors would communicate through e-mail with my aunt and I because that was the fastest way to reach us. I never even met the DJ in person until the day of the wedding when we entered the reception!

Being up front about planning from out of state and telling people exactly what you are looking for is the best way to overcome the distance. If the vendor takes a long time to respond to you when you send your first e-mail inquiry, expect that that is how they will be up until the wedding day. Be sure to choose someone who can use your preferred communication method.

Also the internet and wedding sites are your best friend. Read reviews before you book — they can be helpful.

My favorite moment: All the moments of planning with my aunt, and talking with my grandmother on the phone about the wedding. It meant so much to me when my aunt stepped in and helped me with everything. She is an amazing woman with a huge heart.

As my brother walked up to me in the line up, he had an odd look in his eyes. I said hello and then he couldn't speak and then he squeaked out, “Beautiful,” and that was it. We hugged and I pretty much burst into happy tears. It was a very touching moment because my brother and I fought a lot growing up.

Another favorite moment was at the rehearsal dinner when my father-in-law gave me a conch pearl necklace as a symbol of joining the family. All of the women in the family have one. I wasn't going to wear a necklace but decided to wear it on my wedding day. It really meant a lot to me.

My funniest moment: Y.M.C.A Storm Troopers!

What was the most important lesson you learned from your wedding? It's ok to let go of the past, look to the future, and enjoy your life with your family, whether blood or made up of friends. I learned how big the love in my family really is, even though I sometimes thought I had a small family.