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The Offbeat Bride: Erin, Non-profit Analyst and Pole Fitness Instructor
Her offbeat partner: Ryan, IT Nerd
Date and location of wedding: El Chorro Restaurant, Paradise Valley, AZ — 10/24/2014
Our offbeat wedding at a glance:
Our wedding was the week before Halloween (our fave holiday) and I have Mexican heritage, plus the wedding was in Phoenix, so you gotta have a Dia de los Muertos wedding! I also wanted a rainbow/multi-color palette, which let me easily work in glitter skulls.
Some meaningful details included having mariachis just like my parents had at their wedding, and I wore my mom's veil. Ryan's mom made the beads that adorned the boutonnieres and my bouquet, and I carried his grandmother's handkerchief just as she and all other female family members since have in their weddings.
Our luminaries featured the Mill Mountain Star in Roanoke, VA (Ryan's hometown), and our cocktail napkins were an homage to his Indiana farming family. My “sister,” Jolie, also made a cameo (she's actually my parents' Bichon-poodle). I guess that was meaningful, too…though she did have the audacity to wear white to the wedding — that B*TCH!
Tell us about the ceremony:
The thing that Ryan and I both love about one another most is our shared sense of humor, so I turned the traditionally sentimental first look on its head with a fake nose reveal. Ryan's reaction is still one of my favorite moments captured by our photographers. Also, one of his groomsmen had received a free — and horrible — wig the day prior, so “The Wig” became a humorous fixture throughout the evening.
We signed our marriage license during the ceremony in front of our guests. It was very significant to know that we were truly joining ourselves legally in marriage before them. A friend did a reading of an excerpt from a children's book, An Awesome Book of Love by Dallas Clayton. Ryan's sister was nine months pregnant and unable to travel to attend, but she was there via FaceTime.
The photographer also caught me grabbing Ryan's booty during the recessional — sorry, not sorry?
Tell us about your reception:
We bucked tradition and didn't do a first dance — Ryan's pretty shy and not a dancer — so we played three rounds of Cards Against Humanity with all of our guests instead. When they picked up their place card, a white response card was attached. We read the black question card, and gave our guests time via the Jeopardy-music to discuss among the table and submit the best response card. We read each of the 13 submitted responses and picked a winner. Is it any shock that The Wig won a round?
I didn't do a father/daughter dance since it's just not my dad's jam, so if he didn't want it, then so be it. My nine bridesmaids did a unique This Is Your Life-style toast, then everyone chowed down on burgers, tacos, guacamole, and French fries, and boozed it up with Prickly Pear margaritas. The night ended with a limbo competition, which has become an unofficial tradition at our group of friends' weddings.
What was your most important lesson learned?
While our venue took care of many elements, we did all of the other details ourselves. Thankfully, my mom is very creative and crafty, so she created the centerpieces. My advice would be to delegate and enlist friends.
Vendors
- Venue: El Chorro
- Photographer: The Hoskins Photography
- Flowers: Petals and Lucy
- Dress: Ann's Boutique
- Dessert: Karl's Quality Bakery
- Invites & Paper Goods: Funky Olive Design
- DJ: Citron Sound Services
- Mariachis: Happy Mariachi Trio
- Getting Ready Location: Hotel Valley Ho
About the Author: Offbeat Weditors
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Great Wedding ! thx for sharing these great photos !
Beautiful wedding! I love that the photographer captured a lot of authentic moments, and I’m having some serious veil envy! How does a veil like that stay in place?
hair pins ladies! you cross them over each other. there are white ones, so you don’t see them unless you’re 6″ away. Thanks for the compliments. It’s over 35 years old. But had it cleaned and “keepsaked” and it came out white as ever after all that time.
I just have one slightly ridiculous question — where did you get those sweet barrel mugs for the groomsmen?!?!?!? Those are awesoooommme, along with the gorgeous colors and that incredibly beautiful veil. I also really really liked how you totally kicked some traditions to the curb — I went to a friend’s wedding recently who also just cut out things that she didn’t want to do, like no bouquet and garter toss, and it was so refreshing, I was just like, ‘She didn’t do x, y, and z, and the world didn’t end, everything is okay?!’ I don’t know, it was a really clarifying moment for me, so it’s really great to see that you totally made your wedding your own!! Congrats!!
Thanks, ladies, for the compliments! As my mom already noted above, criss-crossed white hairpins did the trick for the mantilla. Glad you are finding inspiration – offbeat bride was a great place for me!
The mugs were from amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003FV1NGG/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687462&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B003FV1NHU&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1SZGBVEVRHW2XWXGSFHR
He then went to a trophy shop where they had the little plaques; they did the engraving and adhered them to the mugs. His groomsmen loved them. Heads up though, the raw wood needs to be filled with water for about 5 minutes before you put your actual drink into it so that the wood can expand; otherwise, your drink will leak out.
Absolutely gorgeous wedding, Erin! Mazel Tov to you both–and damn, I love guac and mariachi anything.
I also adore your personality and must know if you blog/Tweet! I would follow you to the moon and back (JK…but I’ll at least follow your Twitter handle).
-Laura
Thanks for the awesome compliment! Between the guac and the french fries, I was pretty much sold on the venue! I don’t have twitter or a blog, but my husband has been trying to get me to do a food one for a while so…if I do, I’ll come find you as Fan #1!
I have to pipe up and second the question on how you had your veil stay in place but not ruin your hair. I want to wear an Mantilla and am trying to figure it out.
Also those mugs please share your source!
Thumbs up to the Roanoke star homage.. That’s where me and my husband had our first kiss and got engaged !! Lovely wedding
This looks like such a fun wedding; everyone is so happy and smiley, it’s great! I love the theme very much and of course those wonderful barrel mugs. You both look fantastic.