The unexpected benefits of “getting legalled” before our wedding
The impetus behind our legalling came upon us quite unexpectedly: I became aware of a scholarship available to military spouses. The catch: I wouldn’t become a military spouse until my after the deadline to apply for the scholarship had passed. So we got legalled. As expected, having the ability to now apply for this scholarship is a wonderful thing. But something completely unexpected happened through this experience that I did not anticipate.
My concerns with styled shoots, and why I publish them anyway
Are you familiar with this concept of styled shoots? It’s when wedding vendors team up together to create a fantasy weddings, showing off what they can do. I totally get why styled shoots are great for vendors — it gives folks a chance to show off the kind of work they WANT to do — but we have a clear policy to never ever feature them on Offbeat Bride, and here’s why…
Discarding wedding traditions and getting married on our own terms
With every questionable-twist of the lip, my matrimony-related-decision-making process, comes slightly un-done and I’m left asking myself; if the decisions I’m making about our wedding, which will ultimately be the bunting-draped rocket that launches us into married life, are the right ones for us? I’m talking about the decisions that dictate how much, and what kind of tradition we’ll be incorporating into our marriage. This I know, is the female fiasco that plagues every slightly-inclined-to-call-herself-feminist-thinking bride to ever question the merits of “something blue.”
Grooms getting ready are just as gorgeous as brides
We see a LOT of wedding photos of brides getting ready on their wedding days. The “hanging dress” shot. The “doing make-up” shot. You know what we see way less of? Gorgeous grooms (like Andy here) getting ready. The turquoise details, the impeccably parted hair, the inked arms, the lighting coming in through the window… this is just one of those photos that becomes an instant family heirloom. Personally, I’d love to see more wedding photography celebrating everyone’s pre-wedding preparations…
Ask your shower guests to gift you flowers
Offbeat Bride reader Wendy had a great way to not only get her wedding flowers for free, but to also improve her landscaping at home at the same time.
5 step “WIC-whiplash” recovery: how to calm down when you feel pressured from all sides
Do you ever feel like you’re getting it from both sides: you’ve got pressure to be more traditional and materialistic on one side, and on the other side, you’ve got pressure to be uniquer, more special-er, authentically truly meaningfully YOU-er. Back! Forth! Back! Forth! I can resist tradition! I don’t want to avoid something just because it’s traditional! I like chair covers! But I can’t like chair covers! Everything we picked is personal! Now it feels like of embarrassing…like it’s over the top and “me me me”!
THIS, my friends, is what one reader coined as WIC-whiplash (WIC-lash?). Together, we’re going to take a deep breath and try to get over it.