Vanessa & Mando’s rose that took 13 years to bloom wedding

The offbeat bride: Vanessa, Project Manager

Her offbeat partner: Mando, self-employed

Date and location of wedding: Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA — August 13, 2011

Our offbeat wedding at a glance: We had classic cars, a rose petal ceremony (which included a rose petal shower), both save-the-dates and invitations were made by our artistic friends, and I wore my mom's dress from 1976 altered by my aunt. We also had a taco buffet, program fans, candy apple favors, and rose-flavored gelato.

Tell us about the ceremony: Here are the two poems that were read by our best man and matron of honor.

We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.
– Dr. Seuss

I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)
I am never without it (anywhere I go you go, my dear;
and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)
I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)
I want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my rue)
And it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
And whatever a sun will always sing is you

Here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;
which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)
– e.e. cummings

Our biggest challenge: Our biggest challenges were the DIY projects. Working on both the program fans and candy apples was a lot of work and took a lot more time and effort than we expected. Two weeks prior, we started working on the fans and ended up with an assembly line to finish them.

The candy apples were the biggest pain of them all. They involved plastic wrap, black lace, spray glue, ribbon, and name tags on 175 apples. The apples needed to remain fresh which meant we only had a day or two to work on them.

With the help of amazing friends and family the mission was accomplished.

My favorite moment: At the time, we were together for 13 years and it was a wonderful feeling to celebrate our love with our family and friends who've seen us grow as couple and have always supported us. The rose petal shower, classic car procession, and my mother's dress were my favorite parts of the day.

My advice for Offbeat Brides: Trust your partner and ask them for help! I didn't think Mando was capable of dealing with all the wedding nuances (and I'm a control freak), but he surprised me. He stepped up to the plate and was my rock during such a stressful time. And it was the perfect time to be reminded that we make a great team.

Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?

• Photographer: Serene Photography
• Ceremony: Forest Lawn Glendale
• Venue: Occidental College
• Makeup: Leonor Cano, Love to Make You Blush
• Bakery: Big Sugar Bakeshop

Enough talk — show me the wedding inspo!

About the Author: Offbeat Weditors

@offbeatbride @offbeatwed

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