The Offbeat Bride: Virginia
Her Offbeat Partner: Lars
Location & date of wedding: Meridian Hills Country Club, Indianapolis, IN — June 2, 2007
What made our wedding offbeat: I tied in my favorite Grimm fairy tale “Snow White and Rose Red” into our Venetian Carnevale theme, to keep guests wondering what was coming next. I wanted to wear a red wedding gown for our entire wedding, but thought it might be too shocking for some of the older guests, as we had a church ceremony before the reception. So, I wore a white traditional gown for the ceremony, then changed into a red silk ballgown for the reception. Both gowns were by Demetrios Couture.
I had a diamond white veil with crystals and red piping on the edge, and a clear and red crystal tiara by Ansonia. My shoes were red satin with red bows on them, and I even had a red garter. I purchased a red rose necklace and earring set from the tiarastore online and used red paper bobby pins in my hair next to my veil comb.
I loved the fact that I added a real element of surprise to the wedding for our guests. It just made it all the more fun. If I had it to do all over again, though, I wear only the red gown all the way from start to finish! I hated to take that gown off — I felt like a real princess in it! The color was so rich, and the fabric exquisite. The photos came out so great. If you are a bride considering color — DO IT, and don't look back!
Our biggest challenge: My biggest challenge was changing quickly between ceremony and reception without the guests catching wind of my wardrobe change before we entered the reception! Also, I was really worried about people's reaction to the red gown, but most people, including the older guests, loved it.
My favorite moment: Our videographer grabbed two of the elaborately decorated red masks that had been incorporated into the table centerpieces, and at the end of the evening, she shot a segment of us holding the masks up to our faces, then kissing.
My advice for other offbeat brides: Try color — it's so beautiful and makes the photos really pop more than neutral colors. Don't be afraid to go vivid!
Enough talk — here's the wedding porn:
omgsh!
i had a class with lars!
Yay from another Indiana Red Dress Bride! I don’t care how shocking it is for the older people, I am wearing mine for the ceremony 🙂
I’m going to be decked out in blue this Sunday! Yay!
Then again, I’m not how “traditional” white REALLY is. My mother wore light blue to her early 1970s wedding and no one batted an eye, and an aunt who married just a few years later wore emerald green. Then again, they both wore dresses instead of capital W-G Wedding Gowns.
I suspect that the “tradition” of white gowns came around about the same time everyone decided that special one-time-use wedding gowns weren’t just for rich people ant more – they were mandatory for everyone.
Getting back to the wedding porn at hand, check out their cake – beautiful and classy.
I love this! Two dresses. Did anyone else notice that there was a RED door behind the WHITE dress? It would have been kinda cool if there were a WHITE (wall?) in the RED dress photo.
I can tell how much you loved that red dress, you looked so radiant and beautiful in it.
I love the dress swicheroo! Looks like a fun wedding! Best of luck!
Hibryd-White wedding dresses originated when Queen Victoria married in 1840. Prior to that, women wore their best dress, whatever the color. Blue was also the original color of purity.
you’re right that red is exquisite – you look like a real princess!
very very beautiful ! I love both of your red dress and white dress !
Red is my all time favorite color. You wore it well. It was absolutely gorgeous! I advise my brides to get creative: have fun: be different! You only get one chance, right?!
Thank you for all the kind words! Definitely have your wedding your way, and tune out the naysayers…weddings in color are FUN! Hugs,