Megan & Chris’ summer carnival wedding with rockabilly style

The Offbeat Bride: Megan, Social worker

Her offbeat partner: Chris, Therapist

Date and location of wedding: The Uptown Theater, Kansas City, MO — August 18, 2012

Our offbeat wedding at a glance: We had a small evening, with just our closest friends. As we were preparing for the wedding, this was our mantra: “small ceremony, big party.” And that is exactly what we got. We chose a carnival theme with show banners, fun house mirrors, and a homemade photo booth. Our favorite band, The Rumblejetts, played the night away.

One of my favorite DIY pieces was my brooch bouquet. I collected brooches for over a year. Some of the brooches were passed down from my grandmothers, some came from far away family, some were souvenirs from vacations, and some came from antique stores. I put it together with the help of my bridesmaids. It had a little vintage pin on the bottom that said “here comes the bride.”

Tell us about the ceremony: We wrote the ceremony ourselves, and our friend Joe was the officiant. We included a reading from Goodridge vs. Department of Health and some poetry. My favorite part of the ceremony was the ring warming. Here is what we wrote for that part:

Around the world, wedding rings are the strongest and most visible sign of the bond these two people are about to make — a commitment to life, to each other, and to the future. These rings are the visible signs of their commitment to one another.

As this ceremony proceeds, we ask that everyone gathered here today take part in the warming of the rings. We ask that you, their family and friends, to wish them health and happiness, and all that is noble and good in life. Sarah will now start the passing of the rings, and I ask that each of you hold them for a moment, warm them with your love, then pass them on to the next person. I ask that all present voice a silent wish or prayer for this couple, for their marriage and their future together. When these rings come back they will contain, in their precious metal, that which is more precious, that which is priceless: your love and hope and pledge of support for this union.

Our biggest challenge: The days before the wedding were still very full of DIY projects including bouquets, centerpieces, the candy bar, and seemingly thousands of pennants. Finishing those was our biggest challenge.

My favorite moment: One meaningful moment for me was our first dance. We had taught ourselves a dance by watching YouTube videos, and I wanted a wonderful first dance more than anything. Chris does not like to dance, so I was glad it was a show stopper and fun for both of us.

My funniest moment: Our four-year-old nephew was our ring bearer, and his mom (the groom's sister) did a reading. He was going back and forth to grandma throughout the ceremony, but he made sure to listen when his mom read, and comment on the line about potatoes saying, “Mom, you're funny! Potatoes!” It was too cute.

My advice for Offbeat Brides: Craft an event of your choosing. We knew people would think our theme was out-there and that our zombie hands cake topper wasn't traditional. Rockabilly music might not be for everyone, but we took the leap and had a night that we loved. By doing that, people saw who we are, and how we like to have fun.

Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?

• Dress: Gown Gallery
• Venue: Uptown Theater
• Photography, hair, and makeup: Vixen Pinup Photography
• Band: The Rumblejetts

Enough talk — show me the wedding inspo!

About the Author: Offbeat Weditors

@offbeatbride @offbeatwed

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