Meridith & Kevin’s Victorian-inspired autumn wedding

The Offbeat Bride: Meridith, Administrative Assistant/Student

Her offbeat partner: Kevin, Waiter

Date and location of wedding: Storrowton Village, West Springfield, MA — October 13, 2013

Our offbeat wedding at a glance: I couldn't tell you how we settled on the Victorian theme, but I love the fashion: corsets, hats, and parasols. The best thing I did was not get stuck on any one idea (except for tall centerpieces, which I love!). We really tried to keep things about us and not worry about everything being perfect.

Tell us about the ceremony:
Our ceremony was pagan, and we wrote it ourselves, trying to keep it as meaningful as possible. Kevin and I put a lot of thought and heart into it. Kevin was so nervous that he rushed through his. I kept trying to give him a “slow down, breathe!” look, but he couldn't help it. It was cute.

Our biggest challenge:
I let the girls pick out their own gowns. My only request was that they be floor length. After my my bridesmaid Allison's dress sort of became the template for the other dresses, we ran into a major issue getting another bridesmaid's dress because the store owner had left the country for an emergency! My bridesmaid, Lindsay, had just given birth six weeks prior, so the last thing I wanted was to add to her already stressful life. I looked everywhere for something in a comparable style and color, and even thought about getting a different dress entirely for both girls. Ultimately, Bancroft Bridals saved the day! I found a pretty gown that more or less matched the color of the original dress.

My favorite moment:
One of my favorite things about the ceremony was my uncle walking me down the aisle. Aesthetically it didn't work. The aisle was far too narrow for my big poofy dress and we couldn't walk side by side, so in photos it looks like he's dragging me. But for me it was very emotional. My dad died two years ago. I am his little girl, and despite our tumultuous relationship, I still wish he had been there. I even debated walking the aisle solo, but it just felt like the right thing to walk in with my uncle. It was also special that he was there because he's not in the greatest health and there were a few scares before the big day where we thought he might not make it.

But my VERY favorite thing about the ceremony was the energy in the room. Never in our lives had we experienced a large room full of people wishing for happy things for the both of us. We could feel everyone's spiritual energy and sincerity of everyone's happiness being directed towards us. Aside from the two that are involved, the love and happiness that friends and family wish for the couple is something that should be carried with them throughout the years.

When Jen, our priestess and my very dear friend, held up the rings and said, “let us bless these rings,” we really felt as though our friends and family were tossing good luck pennies into a fountain.

My funniest moment:
During the ceremony, the priestess was flipping pages, and during that moment of silence, I stage-whispered, “GET TO THE KISSY PART!” To which she replied, “We're almost there, hon.” (I really thought I had said it softly enough that no one had heard me, but apparently not, because everyone started laughing.)

Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?

• Photography:Love & Perry Photography
• Bride's & maid of honor's dresses: Harold's Bridal
• Bride's corset and bolero: Aetas Designs
• Bride's hat: Emry's Handcrafted Finery
• Bridesmaid's dress: Bancroft Bridals
• Mother's dress: David's Bridal
• Groom's coat: Jos. A. Bank
• Flowers: Durocher Florist
• Makeup: Makeup Artistry by Liz
• Hair: Helen, Ambiance Salon
• DJ/Lighting: Brian Birrell, Rob Alberti Event Services
• Cake: Pasticceria Italia
• Musical trio: Millennium Music

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