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The offbeat bride: Tash, professional hula hooper
Her offbeat partner: Sean, professional hula hooper
Location & date of wedding: Memory Lane Event Center, Dripping Springs, TX — September 16, 2010
What made our wedding offbeat: I, myself, am not a big one for tradition and rituals or the concept of marriage in general. However, this was very important for Sean. We had been committed together as life partners for some time now, and Sean had delightful visions of himself as a groom and husband. Marriage was very important for him, and I couldn't say no to a party where I get to look friggin' fabulous! So even though we knew that we didn't need marriage to validate and define our relationship, keep it together, or somehow transform us into a more “loving” and “legit” couple, we decided to do it anyway, because I love him, he loves me, and why the f@#$ not?
While we were planning the event, Sean and I wrote down our some priorities. Most of the priorities revolved around us looking fabulous (him wearing a top hat and dapper vest and me wearing a dress by Momo Falana and an LED feathered headdress), a first fire dance, involvement of “The Community,” Hula Hoops (fire, glow, and otherwise), and a ceremony that felt sincere. We also had a Queen cover band — which was strangely offbeat for the hippies. Queen is truly us. And so was the lack of icky beer in favor of delicious hard cider!
Sean and my first dance was to David Bowie's “Rock ‘N' Roll Suicide” and we transitioned it into a costume changing fire Show!
Tell us about the ceremony: Our ceremony opened with our cousins and friends lighting incense around the venue and setting the table with a table cloth we acquired from our adventures in Asia.
Our parents had their own entrance. Then Sean and I both had separate entrances where we walked down the aisle to Beats Antique's “Oriental Uno.” It felt like a Gypsy rap battle.
Somewhere amongst the hubbub our officiant Wes “appeared.” We made blooming tea that we served to our parents and each other as a sign of honor. We wrote our own vows that featured a live journal entry I had written about Sean the day we met. It was all very heartwarming. Then we exchanged rings, kissed, and exited to Maynard Ferguson's “Birdland.”
My favorite moment: After the ceremony, food, costume changes, fire, cider, and sangria, I found myself abandoning my hoops and dancing wildly barefoot to the sounds of Queen's “You're My Best Friend.”
I was incredibly sweaty and Sean had removed his dapper vest and fancy shirt, and we were just clutching each other, gesturing wildly and singing at the top of our lungs. Total interpretative dance. It felt so incredibly intimate and out of this world blissful.
Was there anything you were sure was going to be a total disaster that unexpectedly turned out great? Against all odds, Sean looked AMAZING. I must admit, I was beginning to doubt his vision, but he proved me wrong! Let's here it for all the men out there with very particular and confident fashion sense.
We also decided not to do any flowers and I was starting to worry about this as the wedding was approaching. But I loved our illuminated centerpieces made from candles, assorted jars, and spirit flow lights.
My advice for offbeat brides: Ask for discounts. Because Sean and I are The Gyronauts, we're used to selling our fabulousness. We got our photography about half off, managed to get our catering at cost, and got deals with vendors just for asking. Do your research, shop around, and sell yourself! You are worth it. (We also had our wedding on a Thursday, and made sure to mention this, so that helped).
What was the most important lesson you learned from your wedding? Do your best and then let go. Do as much as you can to experience and enjoy the present. It's much easier than trying to force the minor details into place the day or minute of. Enjoy!
And when your family is driving you nuts, drink some more champagne and remind yourself of the honeymoon!
Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?
- Gown and the Maid of Honor's dress: Momo Falana
- Tailor: Triana Tailors My gown was a vintage wedding dress that was altered and dyed a pretty peachy gold/pink/blue color. The custom dyed crinoline was separate. I then brought the dress and crinoline to Triana Tailors in Austin and had the seven foot train transformed into a giant bustle and the crinoline was elongated to prevent tummy bunching.
- Headdress: Plumed Serpent (who has been featured here and here, is an Offbeat Vendor!) We bought the dress to match the headdress (and Sean's pants). It features long ostrich feathers, vintage rabbit fur, vintage jewelry, and glow-y LED flower lights that can be turned on by the addition of a battery!
- Sean's custom Vest: Machete N Sons
- Sean's Orange Pants: Etro We found the pants at an outlet mall really early on in the game, and Sean fell in love. So since it's HIS day, we basically tried to piece everything else in the wedding to match these oddly colored burnt orange pants. It was pretty scary, because orange is such a bold choice and most of his outfit was purchased online.
- Sean's Top Hat: Gentleman's Emporium The flare on the hat was a combination of a hairpiece from Plumed Serpent, the ribbon from my Momo Falana wedding gown packaging, and silk flowers and tall feathers added by me!
- Photographer: Brett Buchanan
Enough talk — show me the wedding inspo!
This wedding features Offbeat Vendors! Check out their vendor listing to see how they cater to offbeat brides:
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.
And today is our three month anniversary! What a nice surprise!
Yay us! And everyone else who have found their life comrade!
-Tash
(side note: you have no idea how much use I’ve gotten out of that headdress since September. I’ve worn it to at least three gigs and am jonesing for another. Let’s here it for Plumed Serpent!)
Tash – I sent you a note via gyronauts but am not sure you got it.
THANK YOU for saving me from making a horrible mistake!
I was supposed to put money down on a wedding dress that was pretty but didn’t capture my heart. After seeing your pics & checking out Momo Falana on Etsy.com – I found the PERFECT dress & ordered it.
Yay! You saved the day!
Best of luck to you & your life comrade!
I love your dress and headdress! Such great colors. Your ceremony sounded very sweet. I think it’s nice when you can write your own service. Happy 3 months. 🙂
Hoops! And poi! And hoooooops! <3 <3 <3 Utterly fabulous.
I absolutely love this! Your wedding was incredibly beautiful and the colors, the fire performance, everything is breathtaking.
Beautiful wedding! Love your dress especially!
My goodness.. your “Favourite Moment” sounds absolutely perfect! Reminds me of the best gigs me and my fiance have been to, stripped down to your passion and love for each other ^_^ .. and a fair bit of sweat.
I love, love your wedding! Your dance was absolutely amazing! And I love the hula hoops! I just seen a LED hula hoop for the first time a few weeks ago at Arnetic in Deep Ellum, and I knew I had to have one at my wedding reception. I can’t believe you two are in Dallas, are going to start giving lessons, and put on performances! I am SO excited!! I live in Dallas, and I will definitely be checking out one of your shows as well as checking your website to hear more about the upcoming lessons! But what I am really hoping is that I am able to have you come and perform at my wedding reception!! That would be a dream come true! I am so glad your wedding was featured here so I could find about your “godlike feats of sensual wonderment.”
Congratulations! Happy 3 months!
Congratulations!
And OMG fire! And hula hoops! And feathers!
But looking beyond the shiny I see a very thoughtful couple that love each other. And that is a kind of shiny all its own! One that will last after the hoop is put down for the night.
“even though we knew that we didn’t need marriage to validate and define our relationship, keep it together, or somehow transform us into a more “loving” and “legit” couple, we decided to do it anyway, because I love him, he loves me, and why the f@#$ not?”
yes,yes,yes,yes A THOUSAND TIMES YES!
Um, first priority? ACHIEVED.
Those outfits are amazing.
You two are freaking adorable together, and I have to say that if I could only have ONE song play at our wedding, it would definitely be Queen’s “You’re My Best Friend.” It kind of sums it all up, doesn’t it?
To the person looking for fancyboys: delicious, delightful, FOUND.
Plus fierce feathers from the lady?! WON.
haha. Yes. Sean IS incredibly fancy. You will not believe how particular he was with the choosing of his vest, pants, and white shirt. His outfit was so much harder to compile than mine! And his ascot had to be tied JUST right….lol.
OH MY GOODNESS!! It’s all just so fabulous! The colors. The fun! The hula hoops! *swoons*
Woohoo! Awesome wedding! Have to admit that I did a happy dance knowing there are other Queen fans in Texas. Major applause for the cover band and the Bowie first dance.
Absolutely wonderful!
Congrats to the happy couple!
What a beautiful wedding! And Oh Em Gee, am I ever in love with the fire dance video! If I was in Houston, I’d totally be a Gyronauts groupie.
But even cooler is the feeling behind the wedding – I love how you were able to stay true to who you were and create such a gorgeous, heartfelt event.
Thank you for sharing this with all of us. Congrats on your three month anniversary – may it be followed by a lifetime of happiness. =)
I love this! What a fabulous creative and genuine wedding! Congrats!
Can you tell me how your guests reacted to the Thursday wedding? I am hoping to get married on a Thursday and so far the friends/ family are skeptical…
One of the most beautiful, whimsical weddings I’ve ever seen! I absolutely adore all of your attire!! I can just imagine my guy (who repeatedly reminds me that he starred as the Mad Hatter in his fifth grade play) coveting those orange pants and being inspired to wear a similar ensemble.