Jesse's New Orleans-influenced laid-back wedding • Offbeat Wed (was Offbeat Bride)

The offbeat bride: Jesse, Jewelry designer and style blogger

My offbeat groom: Jamez, Restaurant manager and musician

Location & date of wedding: March 2007 at the oldest Unitarian church in the South, the Unitarian Church of Charleston

What made our wedding offbeat: The concept for our wedding was planned over drinks in a tapas bar the night after the proposal. We decided we wanted a fun party that paid tribute to one of our favorite cities, New Orleans. Everything fell into place after that.

Flowers were largely replaced by candles, both in the decorations and in what the bridesmaids carried down the aisle.

The church was chosen for its beauty and its message of tolerance for all people and cultures. Their reception hall, which we used afterward for the celebration, was built many years ago with funds that came from a family belonging to the church. They donated the money simply because they wanted people to have a place to dance. While the venues honor joyous traditions, our clothing styles, vows, food and entertainment brought new life to these historic places.

We wrote our own vows and had a talented friend read a poem he wrote for the short ceremony. As guests left the ceremony, they were bejeweled with Mardi Gras beads, signaling to them that this was to be a laid-back, fun party. Wedding photographs were taken in the lush, overgrown graveyard. Flowers were largely replaced by candles, both in the decorations and in what the bridesmaids carried down the aisle. The groom wore a zoot suit and matching hat, and his ring was a custom made piece with skulls and crossbones on it.

I chose a short dress and red heels- the better to dance in! We didn't cut the cake or do toasts. The flow of the party was commanded by a live Dixieland jazz band, and even my grandmother got in in the action. We saw the night as not just being about us, but as being a celebration of everyone around us, our community of family and friends.

Our biggest challenge: We wanted a live band, full bar and great food. That left us with no money for anything else! The solution: I had the bridesmaids carry candles down the aisle, which was gorgeous and eliminated the floral expense. Candles also replaced flowers in the reception hall. For photography, we “hired” a talented friend. We left out anything that we were “supposed to have” but didn't care about, like a bride's room, limo, etc.

My favorite moment: The wedding guests breaking into an impromptu parade around the hall led by the band playing “When the Saints Go Marching In”.