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The Offbeat Bride: Chloe, alternative model, office employee (and Tribesmaid)
Her offbeat partner: Rudy, electrician
Date and location of wedding: The Haymount House, Briarcliff Manor, NY — October 13, 2012
Our offbeat wedding at a glance: We were married in a historic mansion on the Hudson River. After our original venue canceled on us with seven months to go, we found this old mansion that had just been restored. The man we spoke with told me he wouldn't go up on the third floor because he was sure it was haunted, so of course I ran right up there and was hooked. This was the perfect place for us: antique and haunted.
I wore Doc Martens and bat leggings under my white dress, and a veil lined with black lace. After the ceremony, I switched into a pair of spiked Jeffrey Campbells, a black dress, and a leather harness.
Rudy went for all-over black brocade and a Shrine tail coat. He wore a belt and tie that my mother made him. Since our wedding was in October, it was extra easy to have pumpkins, ravens, spiders, and skulls all over the place.
After our first dance, we did a choreographed dance with our bridal party to “The Monster Mash.” We also did sleep together the night before, woke up together in the morning, and did a first look before the ceremony. After being together for six years, being apart just didn't make sense to us.
Tell us about the ceremony: We walked down the aisle to two different Rammstein songs and our first dance was by Stone Sour. We hired The Reverend D for our wedding, and she was really quite amazing. Our ceremony was completely tailored to us. We are both essentially non-religious, and the few beliefs I do have just required that we just avoid talking about love ending at death. We asked her to talk about our first meeting, and the day that Rudy kicked me in the head while he was in a mosh pit.
Our biggest challenge: Losing our venue in January for our October wedding was pretty scary. The laws changed and we were no longer able to get permits for our first wedding venue. Moving venues meant we had to cut down our guest list a little bit and we were unable to invite as many people as we would have liked. Luckily, things actually worked out better with the second venue in every other way.
My favorite moment: We wrote our own vows, and just as any other day, mine were perfectly typed and recited, and his went completely forgotten. Which ended up being one of my favorite moments, because it was such a moment of showing exactly who we are. I ended up loving his impromptu and very emotional vows. It didn't hurt that Rudy had a very brief hospital stay the day before and got out just in time for the wedding, adding such a feeling of gratefulness to it.
I also loved our first look. It was a lot more emotional than I thought it was going to be, and I was really happy we did it.
My advice for Offbeat Brides: My DIY projects were the most rewarding part for me, so I recommend trying some out. It did take more time to get things done, but at the end of the day I felt so much like the wedding was ours. I had my hands in everything except the food, and felt a real sense of accomplishment.
Think ahead of time about how comfortable your outfit is and consider an outfit change for the reception. Mine was a huge life-saver, as my wedding dress would have been difficult to dance in. The leggings and comfortable boots under my dress kept me warm outside and removed any worry of pain or sinking heels.
Do something unexpected if you can, too. We really enjoyed the response to our burlesque performer, Go-Go Amy.
What was the most important lesson you learned from your wedding? I learned a lot about myself and my capabilities. It makes throwing smaller events now so much easier and allows me to trust in myself. On the flip side, it showed me that there are people who I can depend on to take the reins and trust that it will get done.
Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?
- Photography: Di Bezi
- Dress: #1612 by Mori Lee, purchased at RK Bridal
- Boots: Doc Marten
- Black lace-lined veil: Victoria's Veils
- Hair combs: my friend Dawn at Ghost Love Jewelry
- Spiked Shoes: “Foxy Spike” by Jeffrey Campbell
- Black Dress: Lolita Girl Clothing
- Groom's coat: Shrine of Hollywood, purchased at Gentleman's Emporium
- Traditional German children's clothes: Ernstlicht
- Venue: The Haymount House
- Makeup: NY/NJ Makeup Artist Alyne Halvajian
- Amazing goth officiant: The Reverend D
- Cake: A Little Cake
- Photo booth: We Love Photobooths
- DJ: Carol Moore of A Starry Night
Enough talk — show me the wedding inspo!
officiants: The Reverend D
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Wonderful! The pumpkins on the aisle were such a wonderful addition! I love how you blended goth and ‘traditional’!
Thank you Andrell!!
Yay! Another Doc Marten wearing bride! I have planned to wear my white and black polkda dot ones as they are my favourite shgoes, we have a white and black themed wedding, and they are THE most comfortable shoes ever!
And got to LOVE a bit of Rammstein 😉
The Lederhose are adorable, my Fiancé is German, but we don’t have any young boys or kids in the family to dress up 🙁
Also, I may have just found my veil thanks to you, I just hope they ship to France!
Yes, the Doc Martens were such a wonderful idea. I hope the veil works out, I love love loved mine!!
I love everything!!! The wedding and reception dresses are both gorgeous and all of the details really pop.
Thank you Nikki! =)
SO much style! I love how you balanced the goth and traditional elements.
and I ADORE the children in traditional German dress!
it’s especially touching that Rudy being hospitalized added to the emotion of your vows.
wishing you a long and happy marriage!
Aww Thanks JXD. Balancing both of those elements was pretty much what the whole wedding was about. I wanted class and style mixed with spooky goth elements, without looking like a halloween party in anyway. I was very very happy with the turnout! Rudy made it to our rehersal by the skin of his teeth! The whole day before our wedding I spent terrifying that i would be canceled. So it was very nice to have everything fall into place =)
Everything is so gorgeous! I especially love the black lace detail on the veil. What a fantastic wedding!
love it!!!!!
What an awesome wedding! So many little details that seem to perfectly reflect the couple! I love the black pumpkins.
I couldnt have an october wedding without black pumpkins!!
I followed your progress over on the Tribe! I’m SO glad everything turned out the way you wanted. Everything looked great. Glad Rudy was out of the hospital. What a lovely wedding.
Awww, Yay! Thank you!! =)
I love every drop of this. Makes me want to get married all over again! you are both beautiful and your pictures rock!
Thank you Ashley!!
p.s. your freakin stunning!
WOW. I’m doing the same dance, trying to balance our goth roots with traditional elements. As mentioned, you’ve pulled it off beautifully. I also have to ask about your sash…I’ve been hunting for something similar. Did it come with the dress?
Thank you! No, I handmade my own sash. Its a combo of a few pieces of of lace applique placed together to form a sort of band. Combined with 1 Davids Bridal black satin sash.
Everything about this is so elegant + darkly beautiful. Congrats! The Rev D is officiating my July ceremony, too!! Can’t wait.
AWESOME! She is so so so so amazing!
The outfits, the details, the burlesque? Yes!
I love the way you made this wedding your own and a reflection of your personalities.
This is one of the best weddings I have ever seen online. It is so amazing!
Well thats quite the compliment! Thank you!!
If you’re in NY and love haunted houses my dad runs a haunted B&B in upstate NY along the Erie canal. Erie Mansion.
Your wedding seriously looks gorgeous and you can see the love and pure happiness seeping out of these pictures.
Neat! Ill have to check it out! Thank you!
Looking at her website, I realised that Go Go Amy was the burlesque dancer in the video for The Zephyr Song by Red Hot Chili Peppers. What a find!
I am pretty sure you are correct!
Amazing wedding, I missed this when it was first posted but the Facebook link today caught my attention.
Beautiful wedding, gorgeous bride and a fellow DM wearer 🙂
I’ll have to go check out briarcliff manor, it’s not far down the road from me. (I’m also in Westchester) I hope they allow visitors or have open days or something
They are a restaurant normally! So yes you should be able to go!
Oh and I love the fact you had a burlesque performer, how did your family react to that?
My family LOVED it, his family wasnt sure! lol We got some great reaction faces in the background of photos!
So lovely. Made me tear up a bit! I, too, want to create another ceremony with my beloved. We eloped for our celebration. (http://offbeatwed.com/2010/05/california-elopement-with-kids) And while that was perfect, we hope to celebrate with friends and family on one of our anniversaries.
Love it!
Your wedding was soooo beautiful !! I love love!! Chloe, I was wondering where you got/ found the beautiful black lace accent belt/ piece from ?? I want to do something similar with my upcoming wedding and was hoping you can direct me ? Thanks so much!
I hand made it out of multiple different elements and multiple different pieces of lace. So unfortunately it cant really be purchased as I dont even know where i got the lace. I bought SO many lace pieces.
Hi Chole, I love everything about your wedding! Mind me asking where you got the lace black sash you wore around your waist?
See above ^ =)
your wedding was amazing!!
Aww Thanks!
Chloe you wedding was AMAZING, and I am in awe! Is it possible to pick your brain about how you put together such an amazingly unique event?!
Sure Shawana!
The bride’s hair is GORGEOUS. Love this wedding!
I love your concept for our wedding. My husband and I are getting remarried in July in front of family and friends who didn’t come last year since we ran off last year. We had a lot of complaints about it. I am like let’s just plan our renewal vows and have a goth theme like I always wanted. We are both metal heads so this turns out perfect. I got more inspired by your wedding thank you so much. I already have my gown order just trying to find the veil is the next thing. I have a friend in Texas making my hair clips since she is like me loves all things spooky.We’re having my stepson as a part of the ceremony he is the ring bearer while our cousin’s little girl is the flowergirl. Any gothic suggestions for them to wear?