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The Offbeat Bride: Kerianne, Veterinary Assistant
Her offbeat partner: Michael, Visual Effects Coordinator
Date and location of wedding: Lakeside at Medford in Medford, NJ — May 31, 2014
Our offbeat rustic wedding at a glance:
Michael and I were living in Los Angeles and planning a wedding in South Jersey (where my parents lived). We are both minimalists and it was hard for us to imagine what kind of wedding we could put together without all the frills and tchotchkes that usually come to mind when you think of a traditional wedding. We wanted a very small wedding that consisted of primarily family, very child-friendly (we have lots of nieces and nephews), and a casual, backyard wedding appeal.
We found a cabin-style house by the lake that was once used as a Boy Scout mess hall. We had our ceremony in the backyard surrounded by woods and a little bridge that crossed the lake. I got most of the outdoor decorations for the ceremony from craft stores the day before and Michael and I hung white curtains up in the trees the morning of our wedding to serve a our backdrop. Then we had a cocktail hour on a big, sturdy wooden porch attached to the house that overlooked the lake.
Tell us about the ceremony:
We had a few of my and Michael's nieces and nephews take turns reading excerpts from I Like You by Sandol Stoddard Warburg. We also had a Irish Stone Ceremony and Tree Watering Ceremony. It worked beautifully together.
Our biggest challenge:
Planning a wedding is challenging, and being 2,000 miles away doesn't make it easier. It's important to get help. My mom has very different taste than mine, plus she's a big fan of decorations, whereas I typically shudder at the word. But a wedding sometimes needs a little dressing up and I had to take a step back and realize it's more visually interesting when something is more of a collaboration of taste instead of just one interpretation.
My favorite moment:
Planning a wedding in South Jersey was odd since neither Michael nor I are from New Jersey, but my dad was ill and couldn't travel, so we tried to find something as close to him as possible. He passed away a couple of months before the wedding. My mom gave Dad's wedding band to my husband, who had it cleaned and refitted as his wedding band. We have mismatched rings — his is gold and mine is platinum and they are so perfect that way because they mean so much. It was amazing to have my dad still be a part of the ceremony through the ring exchange. It was comforting to be reminded of him at such an important moment in my life.
Vendors
- Photographer: Photos By Crystal Engel
- Caterer: Just Between Friends
- Officiant: Chaplain Patrick Anthony
- Flowers: Vincentown Florist
- Baby's Breath Headpiece: Budget Wedding Bouquet
About the Author: Offbeat Weditors
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Love it! Simple and beautiful!
Very beautiful 🙂 So sorry about your father…glad you found a way to incorporate his memory into your ceremony.