Charlie & Blaine’s 1950s style skull wedding

The Offbeat Bride: Charlie, not-as-much-as-I'd-like stay-at-home mama (and Tribesmaid)

Her offbeat partner: Blaine, amazing truck driver

Date and location of wedding: Running P Ranch, Woodlake, CA — November 26, 2013

Our offbeat wedding at a glance: We had a fall potluck wedding with lots of skulls and 1950s style. The most awesome thing was that everyone pitched in to help. It was really a group effort and couldn't have happened if it wasn't for our family and friends. We loved how they decorated the ceremony arch with fabric. I had an image in my head of how it was going to look, and they did something completely different… and way more awesome.

Tell us about the ceremony:
I rode in on the back of my uncle's corvette to the ceremony, and my dad walked me down the aisle. I remember sending silent prayers to the wedding gods that my daughter didn't crash the wagon pulling my son down the aisle. But she did it perfectly. My aunt was our officiant, too, which was really meaningful for me.

We had a candle lighting ceremony, and our grandmothers lit the two smaller candles, uniting both families, which was really special for all of us.

Our biggest challenge:
Our budget was our biggest challenge. But our families really came together and helped out in major ways. A month before the wedding, my aunt and a few of her girl pals threw a giant yard sale to help get extra money for all the little things that we forgot about.

For me personally, the biggest challenge was learning to let things go. I would freak out about things that really didn't matter. I had to learn to relinquish control over things and really focus on just getting married. And when I did, I felt so much better.

My favorite moment:
The speeches were incredible. I bawled like a baby when my friend Sammy Sue gave her speech. Hell, thinking about it now makes me want to tear up. And seeing all our loved ones congregated in one place was so meaningful. One friend drove four hours to attend, and my uncle flew in from the east coast a week early to help out.

Another meaningful moment was when my daughter came up and finished the first dance with us. That was really cute.

Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?

• Photography: Lacey Needham Photography
• Venue: Running P Ranch

Enough talk — show me the wedding inspo!

About the Author: Offbeat Weditors

@offbeatbride @offbeatwed

Working tirelessly to bring you stimulating content day after day, the Offbeat Wed editors will not sleep until you've gotten your offbeat fix.