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The Offbeat Bride: Christine – Financial Services Analyst/Music Blogger (and OBT member “Christine Marie“)
Her Offbeat Partner: Greg – Dept. Manager at a car dealership/Musician
Location & date of wedding: Olde Gahanna Sanctuary, Gahanna, Ohio — July 18, 2009
What made our wedding offbeat: Music is our passion, so there was no other theme for us. Everything revolved around music — concert ticket invites, RSVPs in AC/DC font, a “set list” instead of a wedding program, VIP laminates for the wedding party, custom guitar pick favors, vinyl records as part of the centerpieces. Our officiant was a very good friend/guitarist who happened to be ordained.
For the ceremony, my brother played the intro to Tesla's Love Song on the guitar as I walked down the aisle. Instead of the unity candle, we did the San-San-Kudo (sake ceremony) as a nod to my Japanese heritage. It was very unique and made me feel like my Japanese family was there in spirit since they couldn't make it to the wedding.
We got an AMAZING southern rock band, Blackberry Smoke, to play at the reception. There were actually people on their message board trying to find out the location of our wedding so they could crash it and see the band!
Greg's jacket is one of a kind and was custom made by the legendary Manuel in Nashville, TN. He always said that if he ever got married he was going to wear a Manuel and he did. The jacket was stunning and fit him and his personality perfectly.
My incredible photographer was one of my best friends from middle school. We grew up together and she totally “got” us. Her pictures all have such a personal touch and are stunning. She's a genius!
Our biggest challenge: The guest list, the budget and the music selection were our biggest challenges.
Greg has a TON of family and friends. I found a great venue that would only hold 250, so that pretty much put a cap on the number of people we could invite.
Our budget was small but we splurged on the few things that were REALLY important to us (his Manuel jacket, my dress and the band). The venue was cheap and allowed us to bring our own food & booze. We cut every corner possible and asked friends for help. Instead of going to a florist, I bought flowers in bulk and my friends and mother-in-law made the bouqets. One of my bridesmaids suggested using annuals for the centerpieces (which saved me hundreds), and I bought the vases from Dollar General. I also bought a ton of stuff on Etsy — it's great and saved me a lot!
My caterer was small and independently owned, so she was SUPER sweet and personable and gave me a helluva deal for GREAT food.
Greg & I argued only on the musical selections. Eventually, we both agreed on songs that we loved and would make our day meaningful: Love Me Tender by Elvis for the Moms and grandparents, Loving Cup by the Rolling Stones for the processional and Thank You by Led Zeppelin for the recessional. It couldn't have been more perfect!
My favorite moment: There were SO many! But my absolute favorite moment was walking down the aisle with my Dad and seeing Greg with tears streaming down his face. I knew I wanted to make him cry when he saw me, but that moment was so touching and emotional and special. He's the man of my dreams!
Greg and I were both super excited about Blackberry Smoke playing at our reception. They are good friends and were there for the proposal, so it was only natural to have them as part of the wedding! They rocked and everyone loved them!
My advice to other brides: I'm sure you've heard it a million times before but don't sweat the small stuff. Nothing is ever going to be perfect and it's not worth the stress to worry about stupid things that won't matter in the end. I bought two different veils and didn't end up wearing either one of them because they just didn't work out; it didn't matter because I still felt like a million bucks!
If you are paying for your wedding yourself, like we did, start saving early and buy things along the way. We planned and saved for a year and a half. I saved every penny I could (which meant that I had to pretty much stop shopping for myself) and bought a couple things I needed every month.
Don't be afraid to ask your friends for as much help as possible! If they can cook or they're crafty, ask them to volunteer their services to make your day special.
Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?:
- Photographer – Sharon Elaine Photography
- Caterer – Delectable Catering: [email protected]
- Band – Blackberry Smoke
- Bridesmaid Dresses – Trashy Diva
- Groomsmen Jackets – Western Emporium
- Groom's Ring – beyondtherockz.etsy.com
- Veils (that I didn't use) – Psalm117.etsy.com & brendasbridalveils.etsy.com
- Hair Fascinator – birdcage veils
- Garter – sugarplumgarters.etsy.com
- Decorations – aymujer.etsy.com & PartyPoms.etsy.com
Enough talk — show me the wedding porn:
About the Author: Offbeat Weditors
Working tirelessly to bring you stimulating content day after day, the Offbeat Wed editors will not sleep until you've gotten your offbeat fix.
Midwest is best. This just proves it.
Gahanna no less!! Shout out to another Lincoln Lion 🙂 (I couldn't wait to get the hell out when I was a kid though)
Vinyl record coasters and guitar picks as table decorations: AWESOME JOB!
This is fantastic! Any brides in Sac town wanna do this????
totally! 😉
Absolutely lovely! I love just about everything about your wedding, and if I had a wedding party, I would totally steal your backstage passes idea! Congrats to you and your man!
I live in Columbus but am a Colorado native. We are planning a wedding in CO for next summer and didn't know that there were such awesome offbeat weddings in Ohio, esp so close. Great job guys!!
That jacket is an amazing piece, I love it, lol! Congratsies!!!
I love this wedding…and I love love LOVE that it was in OH-IO.
This wedding looks like it was amazing! Totally rock chic!
i loved this wedding, i got plastered and its funny when greg dipped cindy.
Sounds like a neat wedding and theme. I live in Gahanna and know exactly where you are talking about. Congrats!
my sister and i love the dress, but it didn't say who the designer is. we need to know!!!
Absolutely love your style. Great attention to detail and everything looked really fun. Congrats to you both.
Thanks for all the kind words ladies!!!! 🙂 The dress is a Melissa Sweet knock off. 🙂
You had the song Loving Cup! One of my faves! Can't even imagine how cool it must have been – "what a beautiful buzz". Congratulations to you both 🙂
This is such a beautiful example of having your wedding to fit who you both are perfectly. My fiance and I are having a really hard time figuring out how to have our Rockabilly wedding, and stay within a budget that is very limited. Good stuff!
I have been looking for that exact dress but cannot afford the original. Where did you get the knockoff?
I got my knock off from Wendy's Bridal in Columbus, Ohio. I hope that helps! 🙂
Gorgeous couple! Love the grooms jacket! I see my fiance digging it!
Haha awww those are my ideas too! Well the guitar picks and records anywyas. Haha And i thought I was all original. My dress even looks like hers! my fiance and I are both musicians. I guess great minds think alike. 🙂
I am designing my wedding programs and would LOVE to see a copy of what your "set list" program looked like. Our wedding invitation is a rock poster with a concert ticket RSVP and the idea of a set list is perfect!!
Thats crazy, what a stumble! I live in Gahanna, and we looked at the Gahanna Sanctuary for our reception. we ended up having the ceremony at Saint Joseph Cathedral in downtown Columbus and the reception at the Columbus Athenaeum.
Weddings are definitely the most stressful as well as enjoyable time in a couple’s relationship and with so many things that can go wrong it’s fantastic to see such an original and funky wedding go so well.
Both the bride and groom look so happy and some of the ideas are brilliant. As a music lover I imagine it would take me an age to select the music and then to agree with the other half would probably take longer!
Congratulations to the both of you and hope you have a very long and happy Rock’ n Roll life together!
ROCK ON!!! I wish you love and happiness forever and ever.
Such an amazing and inspiring theme. Love the rocker side of the bride and groom. Rock n roll!!!
What a beautiful jacket! Your hubby must <3 it. 🙂
Christine, your wedding looks like it was amazing! Congrats! Can I ask where you got those backstage passes from? What a deadly idea!
Where did you get the VIP passes made? I would like to get them done for my brother’s wedding. Thanks!
I just came across these and absolutely love the tones!