Stacy & Daniel's Episcopal Dr. Seuss wedding • Offbeat Wed (was Offbeat Bride)

The offbeat bride: Stacy, Seminarian and Preschool Teacher (and OBT Member)

Her offbeat partner: Daniel, Computer Geek and Silly Monkey

Location & date of wedding: Fremont Abbey in Seattle, WA — May 15, 2010

What made our wedding offbeat: For starters, our wedding was Seuss-themed, and because I couldn't find anything other than baby showers and birthdays that boasted the Cat in the Hat and friends, I had to rely on my own creativity.

Daniel immediately chimed in and said we needed a three foot Cat in the Hat over the altar (in our progressive Episcopal church). So we got one off of Ebay. Most everything either came from Ebay or Etsy, from the men's Seuss ties to the custom wedding bands my hubby designed; the button bouquets to the hi-top Converse sneakers I wore for stylin' and practical wedding shoes (because I was actually going to walk…something I'm rarely able to do); from wedding signs with a Grinched font to stuffed Seuss characters used instead of pew bows.

There were also handmade elements. My mom made my dress (and a train for my wheelchair) from her 1977 wedding dress, because no pre-made style fit my personality. And my Man of Honor (best friend of 18 years) made a five foot Cat in the Hat out of cardboard and wooden stakes to greet incoming guests.

Also, I commissioned the lovely Jennifer Haase, featured on Offbeat Bride, to write and record a personalized song as a surprise to my groom while I walked down the aisle.

The food reflected whimsy, too, with everything from green eggs and ham to schlopp with a cherry on top.

Finally, we played Apples to Apples during the reception to break the ice and loosen people up before the dancing started.

Tell us about the ceremony: The ceremony was a pretty traditional Episcopal ceremony with a shared Eucharist. Oh, and there was a three foot Cat and the Hat hanging over our heads at the altar. We inserted a bit of whimsy with our vows, but we believe in some traditions are too beautiful to change.

An excerpt from the vows:

AK: Will you love him if he's rich?
Will you love her and all her kitsch?
From today until the end of time
Even if his verse won't rhyme?

DM: I will love her if she's rich
SL: And I will love him and all his kitsch
DM: I will even love her conniption fits.

AK: Will you love him in wealth and in need
Will you love her in word and in deed
From today until the cows come home
And never stop writing goofy poems?

SL: I will love him in wealth and need
DM: I will love her in word and in deed
SL: All the way to his two front teeth.

Our biggest challenge: Our wedding was in Seattle, where Daniel and I live, but all of our friends and family came from out of state, so we didn't have lots of help on our DIY projects until the last few days before the wedding. Stress was high, but we kept repeating the mantra “Imperfection is perfection” and cracking jokes. We reminded ourselves not to get too serious about a Dr. Seuss wedding, for goodness sake! 🙂

My favorite moment: Walking down the aisle with my dad and grandpa. I'm a wheelchair user with Cerebral Palsy, so I don't often stand or walk. Knowing they were there to support me, both physically and emotionally, meant so much.

My funniest moment: When we were feeding each other the cake, Daniel wanted to put a dab of the icing on my nose. But since it was buttercream, it slid right off of my nose and into the front of my dress. I had to excuse myself after I was exhausted from laughing so that I could get smushed cake out of my bosom.

My advice for offbeat brides: If you're doing something unlike anything you've seen before, don't be afraid to think outside of the wedding box. Look at other events like birthdays (I did that for Seuss decorating ideas).

Also, don't be afraid to ditch categories like wedding cake or even cupcake if it doesn't work for you. I went on Bakerella.com and made cake pops for my reception. (I also ended up having a small cake, per my mom's request. Don't be afraid to compromise on the things that aren't essentially important to you.)

What was the most important lesson you learned from your wedding? Don't get so bogged down in the details that you forget the bigger picture of celebration and love. People won't know what you forgot.

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