Joan and Tom’s upcycled carnival cabaret wedding

The offbeat bride: Joan, Designer and Nurse

Her offbeat partner: Tom, Freelance Artist and Musician

Location & date of wedding: Minnehaha Falls Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota — September 11, 2010

What made our wedding offbeat: We were married on September 11, 2010 which set our wedding apart straight away. Tom and I had met 9 years earlier, and when the 9/11 tragedy occurred, Tom was scheduled to fly to NYC that day. After the initial shock subsided, he and I made a big roast turkey feast for our friends and the people who lived in our apartment building (he lived across the hall from me). That was the first loving thing we did together as a couple, so we have always thought of it as our anniversary. It made sense to marry on that day (albeit having to explain that little story of our courtship a million times).

I knew that a wedding celebration would be the perfect canvas to showcase my interest in design and upcycling. It was my goal to create the dress of my dreams for under $100, and I achieved it by upcycling a very simple vintage gown found on ebay for $21. The finished garment totaled a mere $97 and exclusively used hand dyed and repurposed findings and trims.

My groom and I brought together over forty local artists and musicians to contribute to our wedding in some capacity. The attendant's shoes were handpainted, all decorations handmade, a gigantic painting was created to hide the bridal procession and use as a back drop, a large installation of colored water and illumination was provided by a local sculptor, a film prop maker created a King Kong card box, 20 various musicians performed, two poets read, the list goes on and on …

Tell us about the ceremony: We decided to include an old German tradition in our ceremony called The Sawing Of The Log. The tradition states that the bride and groom must saw a log together and the ease or hardship they encounter while sawing will predict the tone of the marriage. We sawed our log WITH TOTAL EASE! Tom commented when it was over, “Joan did all the work!”

Our biggest challenge: When my friend went to pick the cupcakes up, the bakery we had ordered them from said they had no idea what she was talking about and walked away from her. She pondered if she should call me or not, thankfully she did. Once I became aware of the situation, I called the main bakery to find out that the wrong date had been written on the order. However, the cakes were ready at a different location. Without going totally bridezilla on them (the cupcakes were my centerpieces after all! Ugh!), they agreed to drive the cupcakes to the reception site free of charge. All was well that ended well. Whew!

My favorite moment: I will never forget the warmth and love that came over me as my stepfather walked me down the aisle, his face beaming with pride and as I looked out onto all my closest and dearest friends and family and finally my incredibly handsome groom.

My funniest moment: Jennifer L. Knox wrote our vows, and she is infamous for raunchy and hilarious prose. Instead of pronouncing us “man and wife,” our officiant pronounced us “Don Quixote and Pancho Villa” to roars of laughter!

Was there anything you were sure was going to be a total disaster that unexpectedly turned out great? Basically the entire ceremony! HA! We had a rehearsal the night prior. It was pouring rain and no one seemed to know their lines or their songs. It was total chaos from start to finish.

I went home after the dinner feeling so defeated, but hoping for the best. I thought it was all my fault since II'd corralled 20+ right-brained people to perform together seamlessly for a vision I hadn't explained properly.

When I got home my best friend sent me an email stating “right brained people are difficult to order around, but when the spotlight is on them they know just what to do.” I was AMAZED when our ENTIRE ceremony went off without even the slightest hiccup; everything was timely, beautiful, and, literally, perfect.

My advice for offbeat brides: Take into account some of the untraditional details that could possibly alienate some of your older guests. Perhaps include something in the wedding program to explain some of the symbolism behind details that really stand out, or consider having your mom or dad or auntie exchange a little dialogue prior to the celebration to explain that your wedding will be very one of a kind. This way they are excited and anticipating the difference instead of feeling out of place or freaked out by it.

What was the most important lesson you learned from your wedding? To let others have as much creative freedom as you can allow when they offer to compliment your celebration with their talents. That the love and exchange you have with family and friends on your wedding day is what's most important and what you will walk away remembering over time. Lastly, there is no need to blow your budget out of the water with extravagance, your loved ones will be pleased with whatever celebration you provide.

Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?

• Gown and decorations: I made my own wedding gown and most all of the decorations!
• My hair fascinator and junior bridesmaid's jewelry: Renne Larson
• Fashion photography: Phocul
• Large sculpture installation: Mary Jane Mansfield
• Music, calligraphy, wedding programs, and jewelry: Jeaneen Gauthier
• Creative photography and accessories: Carly Stipe
• Puppetry and stilt walkers: Barebones Productions
• Music and gigantic peacock painting: Gretchen Seichrist
• Photography: Neza SG
• Photography: Pamela Diedrich

About the Author: Offbeat Weditors

@offbeatbride @offbeatwed

Working tirelessly to bring you stimulating content day after day, the Offbeat Wed editors will not sleep until you've gotten your offbeat fix.