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The offbeat bride: Alissa, Program Manager at a nonprofit
Her offbeat partner: Amanda, Pediatric Physical Therapist
Location & date of wedding:Unitarian Universalisty Society, Market Restaurant in Stamford, CT and Hotel Palomar in Washington, DC — December 30, 2009
What made our wedding offbeat: Since we could not get married in Washington D.C., we charted two buses and took all of our family and friends to Stamford, Connecticut. We called them the Love Bus.
We arrived in Stamford on a Tuesday and had the most amazing ceremony on Wednesday. It was heartfelt and so emotional. One of our good friends wrote an original song for our wedding. After the ceremony we had an amazing brunch which included bottomless mimosas. After brunch we got back on the bus and headed back to Washington D.C. We had a dance party that night at the Hotel Palomar. 140 of our friends and family danced the night away in celebration. We included the Electric Slide, of course.
Our biggest challenge: Our biggest challenge was coordinating an out of state wedding that included buses, mugs, and a lot of logistics. We worked together and reminded our friends that this was an unusual wedding that would require a lot of patience and teamwork. We recruited our friends to help us. We had Love Bus Captains and a Master of Ceremonies who kept everyone in line.
My favorite moment: When Amanda was walking down the aisle, I (Alissa) pulled out a camera and took her picture. No one knew about my plan. But I wanted to capture her through my eyes, not everyone elses. Everyone laughed and it really set the tone for the rest of the day. 
My advice for offbeat brides: Stay calm. Make sure you agree on a vision and theme and then stick to it. You can't have everything you want so be willing to compromise. No matter what happens it will be the most amazing day of your life.
Enough talk — show me the wedding inspo!
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Can I just say how awesome it is that you have such a happy, wonderful group of guests at what was obviously a beautful, heartfelt ceremony? That you shared so many pictures of loved ones really shows what a super cool group of family and friends you must have, too. Congratulations and kudos all around.
Also, OMG, red wedding shoes, so pretty.
oh my gosh looking at those photos of waffles just made me extremely hungry. 🙂
AMAZING! I love the buses, and the joy, and the endless mimosas and the dance party! So I basically LOVE it all! 🙂
thank you all for all the support!!! more mandolisa porn, including photobooth: http://www.facebook.com/photos.php?id=112557052089558
Congratulations!
I am very delighted with Alissa’s choice to take Amanda’s picture at the aisle.
So charming and sweet.
Wow! I remember meeting you two at the Unitarian Universalist Society in Stamford!! I’m so glad that you had a great time.
I’m obsessed with aisle runners (this week) for my wedding. What fabric did you use? Any problems tripping over it?
We ordered ours through Aisles with Style online, but we donated ours to the UUSIS, so if you like the red, you could use the same one. I didn’t have any problems with tripping, and I am pretty clumsy and not used to wearing heels, so you should be okay. 🙂
Gasp! Red is my color! Free! Swooon
Mmmm…bottomless mimosas!!! Congrats!