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The offbeat bride: Sara, hairstylist and part-time Cake Lady
Her offbeat partner: Nick, web designer
Date and location of wedding: The Civic Theather in Akron, Ohio — April 9, 2011
What made our wedding offbeat: Our planning began the moment we chose our venue. We immediately decided on a movie theme, since we are big-time movie nerds. We DIYed almost everything. Nick designed a Casablanca-themed wedsite and Fight Club-themed invites.
I made the bouquets, boutonnières, corsages, cake topper, cupcake tower, centerpieces, my veil, and the bridesmaid's fascinators. I wore a dress that was custom made out of a pair of curtains.
Our ceremony was officiated by one of Nick's favorite college professors. We crafted a six-hour playlist for the entire day that included songs and clips from our favorite movies.
For our first dance as husband and wife, we recreated the Jack Rabbit Slim's twist contest from Pulp Fiction, complete with trophy. We destroyed a cupcake with a samurai sword. When it was all over, we were biked away on a rickshaw.
Tell us about the ceremony: Our awesome officiant helped us build our ceremony from the ground up. We aren't religious people, so we really wanted to avoid mimicking a church wedding. We walked in to “All I Want is You” by Barry Louis Polisar.
The ceremony began with a ring warming. Nick's grandpa read a passage from the Bible about Adam and Eve. My uncle chose to read “On Marriage” by Kahlil Gibran.
Our officiant called me “Sam” right before it was time for me to read my vows. I was actually grateful for that, because it gave me something to think about other than crying like a baby. We each got a little laugh during our vows: me for promising to keep my fidgeting to a minimum (his pet peeve) and him for mentioning my love of zombie movies as one of the reasons he knew I was a keeper.
As we exchanged rings, we promised to treat each other as equals, lovers, and best friends. We walked out to Dean Martin's “Ain't That a Kick in the Head.”
Our biggest challenge: We were incredibly blessed to not really have any major obstacles, but a minor challenge was that we didn't even know where to begin looking for an officiant.
We aren't religious and don't attend church, and we wanted it to be someone who meant something to us. Nick had a professor who was ordained to marry two former students who met in her class. She offered to marry us, and that problem was solved.
My favorite moment: Our photographer arranged for us to see each other on the grand staircase about an hour before the ceremony. The entire day was so busy and chaotic, but I have a clear vision of that moment I walked down the steps towards Nick, and as he turned around I saw his eyes get a little teary. We whispered a quick “I love you” and the moment was soon over, but it's still one of my favorite memories of that day.
Our wedding day was also my grandmother's 80th birthday. We presented her with a “Birthday Girl” badge at the reception and everyone sang to her.
My funniest moment: Our wedding playlist had some movie clips and songs that people probably weren't expecting to hear at a wedding. It was funny to watch the looks on people's faces as they listened to Patrick Bateman praising Huey Lewis' genius before “Hip to be Square” played, or seeing the puzzled looks on some faces as Ash (from Army of Darkness) carried on about his “boom stick.”
We were also pleasantly surprised that almost everyone embraced the silly props for our photo booth. It was heartwarming to see some of our most serious relatives in clown noses, cowboy hats, and feather boas.
Was there anything you were sure was going to be a total disaster that unexpectedly turned out great? Many of Nick's relatives don't drink. Not only do they not drink, but they are not comfortable with being around people who are drinking.
We debated for a while about whether or not to have an open bar at the wedding. We decided to do it because it was our wedding, and we are social drinkers. It stressed him out a little bit, but ended up going pretty smoothly. Our friends and family members peacefully coexisted for the duration of the reception.
My advice for offbeat brides: You can do it all yourself, but you need to DIY early and often. We had sixteen months to plan and I was still crafting the day before the wedding.
Also, don't allow yourself to feel defeated if you come up with an amazing, creative, 100% YOU wedding idea, only to go online and find that it's been done before. A lot. We almost didn't do our first dance because we searched for the clip online and found that many, many other people have already done that.
Know why other people had that same idea you had? Because it's awesome. Chances are that your guests will still think it's amazing, creative, and totally you.
What was the most important lesson you learned from your wedding? The entire day was a lesson in letting the little things go. Decor disasters, wardrobe malfunctions, and schedule screw-ups happened. I tend to be a bit of a type A control freak, and I could feel myself starting to wig out as these little things added up. I had to step back and remind myself that the only truly important thing was that we ended up married.
Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?
- Dress: Etsy seller PorshesPlace
- Shoes: Must Have Shoes
- Necklace: Etsy seller TheRedMagnolia
- Groom's ring: Etsy seller RenaissanceJewelry
- Photographer: Vince at Making the Moment
- Transportation: Rickshaw Willie
Enough talk — show me the wedding inspo!
About the Author: Offbeat Weditors
Working tirelessly to bring you stimulating content day after day, the Offbeat Wed editors will not sleep until you've gotten your offbeat fix.
I LOVE the way you’d had your hair. It’s just perfect and shiny and wavy, like a movie star. *swoons*
Wow! I absolutely love the creativity! I’ve seen movie-themed weddings before, but this one is by far my favorite. The DIY details are amazing!
Thanks! It was a lot of work, but every time I look at our photos I know it was 100% worth it.
I love the bouquets and buttonieres! I especially liked the goofy props you had going for photos!
I’d love if you did a tutorial for your bouquet, especially the one of all the old flower buttons you carried. It is gorgeous!
wonderful wedding – so jealous of the venue – Civic Theatre is AWESOME! everything looks so creative and the cake topper with the Goodyear blimp is perfect. this makes me miss Akron – and that takes a LOT of doing! Congratulations!
Beautiful and very inspired wedding. Also:
“I made the bouquets, boutonnières, corsages, cake topper, cupcake tower, centerpieces, my veil, and the bridesmaid’s fascinators. I wore a dress that was custom made out of a pair of curtains.”
YOU ROCK. Best wishes to you guys!
I know I’m not supposed to play favorites but I really think Sara & Nick’s wedding is my favorite of everything I’ve seen so far on OBB. It is a visual feast from start to finish. I’m just so amazed. If mine can be a tiny fraction of their awesome-ness levels, I’ll consider mine a success. Wow!
I’m now wondering if the dress made out of curtains is a “Gone with the Wind” nod. Because, frankly my dear, that’s pretty awesome! Your venue was gorgeous by the way.
Could be “Gone With The Wind” or “Sound Of Music”…either way, it turned out awesome. 🙂
It was actually just a coincidence, since I wanted a slight ombre effect to the pink and I couldn’t find any fabric that was quite right. My dressmaker actually found a pair of little girl’s curtains from Target, so that’s what we used. I feel it did have a sort of Gone With the Wind flair to it…it became yet another movie-related detail 😉
Just the blog entry took my breath away and I kind of teared up at the part about seeing each other before the wedding. You can tell in every single photo how much work you put into every detail. Absolutely gorgeous wedding and it looks like it was a lot of fun too. Congratulations!
This reminded me of a old Hollywood theme wedding that we did a few years ago. So creative and personal. That’s what its all about. Great job!
Man that theater is amazing. And that pulp fiction picture – I said god damn! You are a supermodel.
So amazing! Congratulations!
I grew up in Northeast Ohio, and always thought that if I got married there, I would want it to be in the Civic. Now I’m getting married in Missouri, so thank goodness someone did it! =)Great pics, and fantastic flowers!
Absolutely stunning — everything!!
“Also, don’t allow yourself to feel defeated if you come up with an amazing, creative, 100% YOU wedding idea, only to go online and find that it’s been done before. A lot.”
THANK YOU for this advice!!!!
Seriously I am taking this to heart. I’ve come across this a few times already and I think it’s important, like you said, to be yourselves no matter what!
I LOVE the bouquets! Any way I could beg you into doing a tutorial on the pink ones?
That came up a few times on the Tribe. I would LOVE to do a tutorial, and I still might, but right now I have zero free time. We’re moving soon, after the dust settles from that I may be able to crank one out for you ladies. I WAS kind of sad to see them go, so I can make one, photograph it for the tutorial, and keep it for myself lol.
Congratulations! What a fantastic, fun wedding. My husband and I met in a video shop so I fully endorse film-themed weddings. I can’t believe that fabulous dress was once curtains, too.
Chyeaaah! Everything about this wedding was AWESOME! That bouquet is a great alternative to flowers – plus, who doesn’t love movies?
If I ever get married, I too want to walk in to “All I Want is You” by Barry Louis Polisar. Also, I’d like to have hair like yours!
As an Akronite, I passed the Civic that night and saw their marquee…and thought it was some movie/play I had never heard of. I’m totally lame! I had no idea all the gorgeous going on inside! I now want a brooch bouquet! : )
Girl, you and your hubby are made of win! I love it ALL- that dress, those bouquets, that kick-ass location, the invites, and especially the Pulp Fiction first dance! My DF and I looooove Pulp Fiction, so that bit made me grin from ear to ear. 🙂
Also, I am IN LOVE with your photo booth, and may well have to steal the movie quotes idea! How did you set up your photobooth, may I ask? We’re thinking we may have to do a DIY photobooth, and I’m a bit stressed about the set-up…
That was one of the few things we outsourced. One of our friends is a graffiti artist, so we figured he could handle it. He made a wooden frame, attached cardboard to it, covered it with stuff (mini movie posters of us, stars with the bridal party’s names, etc) and it was good to go. It was pretty large, and he assembled it on-site the morning of the wedding.
Awesome! 😀 What I was wondering, though, was how did you set up the cameras? Did you just do a corner with laptop and external monitor, or did you have a polaroid and someone taking the photos? Feel free to email me if it’s too much info to write here: [email protected]
Love this!! Thanks for posting our work – so happy we made the blog again 🙂 🙂 Great job Sara!!
I’ve been trying to think of ways to incorporate movies since the FH is a video production grad/film nut. The tough part is we like such a wide array of movies, picking only a handful would be hard. How do you reconcile Pan’s labyrinth with Priscilla, Queen of The Desert?
I, too, am in LOVE with your bouquets for your bridesmaids!! I’ve done something similar with the same color scheme with pearls and crystals, but I must know what you used to make yours! Please share when you get time! 🙂 Beautiful wedding!
Love this! So cute….and your names are great too. I’m Sara, he’s Nick!
love your venue! omg!
i wanna see the fight club invites!!!!!