Posted byRemember a year ago when Ariel introduced you to this adorable bike riding couple? Yeah, well a here's all details… a month after their first anniversary!
The Offbeat Bride: Jennifer, Theatre Manager (and OBT member “Jennifer“)
Her Offbeat Partner: Kevin, Microsoft Solution Architect
Location & date of wedding: Wellington Barn, Wiltshire, UK — 19th July 2008
What made our wedding offbeat: We found that following the traditional pattern for the day (ie. we got married, fed everyone, and then danced) seemed to work for us, but the details made it our own.
For a start, the whole day was loosely based around a mountain bike theme as we met at a 24hr race, Mountain Mayhem. The wedsite URL was then obviously, Marriage Mayhem. We had race licenses for place names, an old wheel for the table plan, a ‘cake stop' cake table and a podium for the groups shots. Oh, and a UV painted rock band. One of the highlights was my Dad arriving at the barn the day before with a couple of old vintage bikes he'd borrowed (we were worried about leaving our pride and joys there overnight). These made for some amazing photos and really captured how we wanted the day to be. I'd say the most offbeat element, if you like, was the fact that we emailed our invites out and had the guests RSVP with an online entry form.
Our biggest challenge: The online invites were a challenge. It was real easy to set up, and I think we had about a 95% success rate from guests able to reply … but it was hard actually making that decision to email them. I'd already asked my mum to make the invites, and so we had to explain to her why we changed our minds. I think it was hard for our mums to accept that it was ok to email, and people wouldn't think bad of us for not sending out traditional ones. We just didn't want to spend all that money on something that would go in the bin.
The only real issue that we had is that the invite image was sent as an attachment, and not everyone saw to open it. Then it actually did look like we'd sent a group text email! If you can figure out a way to have the image as the body of the text, then do it that way!
My favorite moment: There were so many! Actually saying our vows was superb. My dad had asked me just before we entered the room, ‘Are you ready?' I said I was, so he said ‘Goodbye Miss Cady!' I just started crying! I had to just focus on Kevin's eyes as I walked down the aisle and then that got him going. We alternated between crying and laughing the whole time. It was hilarious!
It was also really special to sneak out over dinner for the bike shots. Riding off down the road, racing each other and laughing was just really special.
Another highlight was the quiz we did over dinner. We awarded the winning table with chocolate medals and made them get on the podium. It went so much better than expected, and everyone had such a blast!
Can I have another favourite moment? It would be the party. We had a UV painted rock band and they kicked ass! Everyone was up dancing and singing and just rocking out! Even my Mum and Dad! They learnt Danger Zone especially for us and the crowd went wild!
My advice to other offbeat brides: I think my advice would be to make sure you plan a good party. It's a celebration! You just got married! All your friends and family have turned out in their spanky frocks and I think you need to show them a good time! That doesn't mean that you can't do what you want though. Our guests all had a snigger and didn't know what to think when they saw the singer of the band in his tight pink trousers and face paint! In fact, it took quite a lot of nerve for me to book them, but I knew they'd rock it hard. They asked if we wanted them to include Enter Sandman on the set list and I said to judge the crowd and play it if they thought it would work… they played it twice! We had the best wedding we could have wished for because everyone was there having a great time with us.
Enough talk — show me the wedding porn:
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You're wedding looks Gorgeous!! I love the little cakes, did you make them? My favorite was the one covered in candy, it looks awesome.
Congratulations on your day.
oooh i love the candy cakes, the drawing of the bicycle with the rings, the bridesmaids dresses — everything looks so lovely.
This is awesome!! My FH and I also met at a mountain biking event. We're avid mountain bikers, commuters and road riders. Incorporating bikes will be kind of a given but I did have to draw the line at having our bikes at the altar with us–I mean how would we chose which ones were our favourites? The others ones might get hurt feelings!! 😉
Congratulations–it looks like you had a great time!
I'm seriously considering email invites, too. Nice to hear from another bride who did it successfully! (And beautiful wedding, by the way.)
What great wedding details! DH and I are avid cyclists and had a cycling cake topper.
I can't remember what parts of this I saw on the OBT but I love the Marriage Mayhem logo and the BM dresses. These are my favorite kinds of weddings…so personal and fun!
i love those bridesmaids dresses!!
wow, great dresses! i like the idea of the email invite…but you still want to have some type of paper to treasure
Fantastic wedding!! I know I`m the brides father and I would say that, wouldn`t I? Seriously though, it was not the usual kind of wedding that I have been to many times before, it was a true celebration of the love they have for each other and so very different in many ways. There were many great ideas and all so different from the norm, I have to say that this was one OFFBEAT BRIDE and one fantastic OFFBEAT wedding which is so damn memorable. As for the paper treasures to keep Stephanie, contact Jennifer regarding their so called `Photo Album` it is unbelievably innovative and your family and friends will be truely gobsmacked, I know we all are!!
What a beautiful wedding! Where do I start with how amazing it looks. The bridesmaids dresses are so pretty. The both of you on your bikes is fantastic. What a lovely day. A celebration of love and life. This is my favourite so far. Congrats
Ahh, Daddy! Can't believe you left a comment! You rock :o)
Thanks for all the lovely comments :o) The cakes were made by my friends mum and went down a storm. She was worried she made too many, but everyone loves cake, right? EVERYTHING got eaten… even the giant marzipan carrots made to decorate the carrot cake! Nina, we too were unsure about which of our bikes to take and then worried about getting them home again after an evening of drinking. My Dad surprised us by borrowing these wicked vintage bikes the day before the wedding and they really made the photos! In regards to the email invites, I actually printed out a version for us and our parents to keep and also so that we could 'snail mail' them to certain guests. Even my 85 yr old Pops managed to RSVP by using the form though :o) Oh, and we put together our photo album using Blurb, as recommended by Ariel… can't praise them enough. We're in our own 'coffee table book'!