Emily & Kyle’s autumnal handcrafted wedding

The Offbeat Bride: Emily, Jeweler

Her offbeat partner: Kyle, Tattoo Artist

Date and location of wedding: Round Hill in Washingtonville, NY — October 21, 2012

Our offbeat wedding at a glance: I'm a metalsmith/craftsperson by trade, so my whole life is about making things. We tried to put as much of ourselves into our wedding as possible, and support other independents as well. We wanted to celebrate our love of autumn and DIY projects.

My mother and I made all the decorations on a shoe string (or rather twine) budget. I sewed all three of my bridesmaid's dresses for about $25 each.

We also made hanging light decorations and uplights for the dance hall. Kyle hand-carved a lino-block and printed all out invitations. He also painted all the signs around our reception! And most importantly to me, I cast, forged, and fabricated our wedding rings and my wedding jewelry.

Our guestbook was an original wood carving made by an artist we both admire, Bryn Perrott. We had everyone sign the back, and now it hangs on our wall. I also cooked and canned about 90 jams as our favors (along with making labels).

My inexpensive dress (that was actually a bridesmaid dress that came in white) was re-worked by a local seamstress. We added on a side ruffle and vintagey/sparkly applique. My flowers were put together by some incredible ladies at my local farmers market.

Our biggest challenge: We had to fit a lot of people (150 people) into our smallish budget, but our DIYing made it possible.

My favorite moment: One of Kyle's best friends got ordained in order to perform our ceremony. He spent a lot of time interviewing us and crafted a ceremony that was intensely personal, funny, and touching.

My funniest moment: When I tossed my bouquet, a nine-year-old girl swooped in and caught it, disappointing a bunch of ladies. Her mother wanted us to do it over, but I said it was totally fine. Then a little boy dashed in and caught the garter, which was perfect!

Was there anything you were sure was going to be a total disaster that unexpectedly turned out great? My bridesmaids and I did all our own hair and makeup with the help of one of our friends. We hadn't really formulated a plan beforehand, but it all turned out awesome even though we were a touch overwhelmed in the morning.

My advice for Offbeat Brides: Don't forget to eat something, because the day will be over in the blink of an eye. And if anyone tells you that you can't do something you want to do, just smile, nod, and do it anyway! A wedding is a celebration, and it's too easy to get caught up in the intensity of planning. Just focus on the person you love and everybody gets to party.

Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?

• Photography: Joyeuse Photography
• Guestbook: Bryn Perrott

Enough talk — show me the wedding inspo!

About the Author: Offbeat Weditors

@offbeatbride @offbeatwed

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