Abby & Robb’s big family handfasting Halloween wedding

Aw yeah, it's Halloween week! Get ready for a big helping of tricks and treats with your romance. Today we've got a killer red dress, a handfasting, ribbon wands, and lots of Fall colors .

The offbeat bride: Abby, cosmetology student

Her offbeat partner: Robb, e-commerce sales engineer

Location & date of wedding: Long Key Nature Center, Davie, FL — October 31, 2010

What made our wedding offbeat: We didn't have a lot of money to play with, but we refused to settle for anything less than the beautiful image of Halloween that we had our hearts set on. We did most of the work ourselves, with the help of loved ones. We had a Pagan handfasting, and all the guests wore costumes. We had a taco bar, but to gain access to it, you first had to play trivial combat or rock, paper, scissors, lizard, Spock. We also had cupcakes displayed like a pumpkin patch. We had a costume contest, and of course, a candy bar.

Tell us about the ceremony: We had a Pagan handfasting ceremony that featured our bridesmaids opening the circle. We read our vows to each other, and being such geeks, we each included a fantasy theme (mine was Doctor Who and his was 300). Toward the end, our officiant, who dressed as a Stephen King character, was missing a page of the script so he improvised it from there.

Our biggest challenge: The biggest challenge was money. We wound up getting free labor and donations from our family and friends, not to mention an unmeasurable amount of help the day-of setting up and breaking down.
To them we are eternally grateful!

My favorite moment: Walking down the aisle with my dad. Sharing an “Ohmigodwe'regettingmarried… like FOR REALZ” glance with Robb just before the ceremony started.

Turning around to see all of my friends and family dressed in awesome costumes, waving ribbon wands. My Maid of Honor's speech. Having a stroll through the darkened, closed park during the reception with a couple of close friends. Calling Robb my husband for the first time.

My funniest moment: The moment Robb realized he had forgotten one of the Groomsmen's' orange ties at home, and threw a reusable Home Depot tote to a friend and said “Here, make a tie!”

I also delegated the task of making the sangria and the “ghoul fruit punch” to a couple of our friends, who subsequently mixed them both together making the most delicious sangria punch that you or your mother has ever tasted.

My advice for offbeat brides: Just remember that the details really don't matter. No one remembers what material the chair covers are made of, and my own Grandmother doesn't remember the table runners we had on each and every table. All that matters is the next day you're married.

Enough talk — show me the wedding inspo!

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