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Here at Offbeat Bride, the last few years have been a time of change, deep reflection, and a ton (like, a TON) of growth. So after lots of learning, introspection, and lawyering, our publisher Ariel decided…It's time for a party AND A REBRAND!
Behold, Offbeat Bride's 2022 Minglefest! A celebration of wedding vendors, readers and the unveiling of our NEW NAME. There was plenty of snacks, craft cocktails named after the staff, and even a speech from our (not-so-new) Assistant Editor and Social Media Manager, Suki!
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But first, why is Offbeat Bride rebranding? Well, remember when we released Offbeat Bride's Guide to Inclusive Marketing Guide for Wedding Vendors? We realized we couldn't talk about inclusivity without acknowledging that the name “Offbeat Bride” wasn't exactly us walking the talk.
For years we've defended our name by joking that bride is a state of mind, not set of genitals… but in the spirit of amplifying visibility for folks who've been traditionally left out of wedding media, we needed to make a change.
Ready to see our new name? Keep scrolling!
Twisted Bramble made this mossy log of corsages for wedding vendors in attendance!
Yelahneb, our Support Unicorn, made these pronoun stickers for everyone!
We loved meeting our readers and vendors in person!
There were cocktails named after Offbeat Bride staff!
Ariel introduced our not-so-new Assistant Editor and Social Media Manager, Suki, who made a lil' speechy speech!
Hi everyone thank you so much for coming out tonight. Oh and in case you didn’t know, it’s Ariel’s birthday! I’m Suki the assistant editor and social media manager of Offbeat Bride, but before that I’ve been an Offbeat Bride reader since 2012. I’ve had a fascination with weddings and the industry for as long as I can remember and I used to get a lot of shit for it, you know the classic “OMG that’s such a GIRLY thing of COURSE women are obsessed with weddings of COURSE you want a big party and a pretty dress.” But to me weddings were so much more than that. I once heard a quote that was like “You can tell a lot about a culture by how they celebrate” and I really believe “you can tell a lot about a person” the same way. To me, weddings aren’t just a celebration of love but also a celebration of values, of community, and spirit. I know everyone in this room knows that weddings are so much more than just a big party, that you’re here because you believe in the power of celebration whether it’s an intimate elopement or a 300 person wedding. And one of the things that I loved about Offbeat Bride in 2012 and I love today is the advocacy in this community for married folks from all walks of life to celebrate in a way that is authentic and honest to them. And I love that collectively we are coming together to build a bigger table so that our community can include people who aren’t typically seen in mainstream wedding media. Before I started working here I thought I was the only one who longed for the warm and fuzzies of representation in the wedding industry, but working and engaging with all of you has taught me that this is something we’re all yearning for. I’m so proud to work with readers and vendors that see this and celebrate this. And I’m even prouder to work alongside a publisher who is so willing to learn and grow and advocate for everyone to feel safe and seen. And speaking of which, I’m going to pass it back to Ariel who’s going to talk about a big next step we’re taking to continue our commitment to inclusion.
Finally, the moment you've been waiting for…DRUMROLL PLEASE!
Thank you to our bad-ass wedding vendors for coming out to party!
Browse the gallery for the full festivities!
Vendors behind Offbeat Bride's Minglefest:
- Photographer: Jenny GG Photography
- Coordinator: Sane Weddings
- Florals: Twisted Bramble
- Venue: The Lab at Ada's
- Cookies: Street Treats Dessert Catering Seattle
Offbeat Wed Vendor
This page features vendors from our curated Offbeat Wed Vendor Directory. They're awesome and we love them. If you're a vendor let's get you in here!
After being here for so many years (late 2000’s) it might take a bit for me to adjust, but I think you’re doing the right thing and I’m stoked about the choice!
Dude, I feel you! After 15 years of typing “Offbeat Bride,” it’s going to take my fingers a LONG time to adjust. That said, the good news is that all offbeatwed.com URLs will redirect to the offbeatwed.com URLs, so even if you type the old name… you’ll still find us!