Category Archive

Wedding trends

While editing Offbeat wed, we look at thousands of weddings a year. Sometimes we notice trends — and sometimes we notice things that the mainstream wedding media SAYS are trends, that actually totally aren’t.

audrabayette unpluggedwedding alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Offbeat Bride interview about unplugged weddings on New Hampshire Public Radio

I first wrote about unplugged weddings way back in 2011, with a two-post series. The posts went crazy viral and in the three years since then, the idea has picked up major steam. The Huffington Post noticing the trend in 2012, and New York Times picking up on the concept in 2013. I’m happy to say that the concept is now popular enough that it’s no longer seen as “offbeat” in any way.

monogrammed napkins alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Monogrammed wedding napkins as couple re-branding

Largely because I grew up in the south, I feel almost as much like it’s as expected of me to have monogrammed, or personalized napkins as it is for me to change my names. I’m doing neither. Besides, what’s the deal with monogrammed stuff and newlywed folks, anyway? Then I realized… it’s all re-branding!

alternative names for bridal parties crop alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Alternative and gender-neutral wedding party names: adventure party, bridesmates, henchmen, and TONS more!

With the rising popularity of gender-blind wedding parties, and weddings without bridal parties, we need terms beyond “bridesmaids” and “groomsmen” to refer to the people who are helping you with all your wedding duties. Here are a few of the creative alternative names for bridal parties that our readers and Tribesmaids have come up with

cute retro swimsuit alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Something old, new, borrowed and skimpy: Would you get married in a swimsuit?

Ariel was quoted in an Today.com article yesterday about a new trend of bridal swimsuits…