Posted byWe're in the mood to bring some rainbows, glitter, and colorful details into your life. It's a prismatic rainbow and colorful wedding theme week!
The Offbeat Bride: Alexandria, Special Educator
Her offbeat partner: Tyler, Musician/Music Teacher
Date and location of wedding: Dreaming Mountain, Johnson, VT — May 25, 2013
Our offbeat wedding at a glance: Tyler and I designed our wedding together with an equal amount of effort from both of us. We made as much as possible at home and kept nearly everything else local — created by family, friends, or our larger Vermont community. I had my hair done at home and did not wear makeup. Our products were sustainably-sourced, our food was vegan, our dog Jack was our ring bearer, and we spent our wedding night in a yurt!
Neither Tyler nor I felt comfortable with the expectation of the woman taking the man's name after marriage, so we came up with something that worked for us. We combined letters from our surnames and our mothers' maiden names to create a new family name that held special meaning to each of us: Magnolia! During the ceremony, our parents helped us plant a Magnolia tree and we exited the ceremony to the song “Sugar Magnolia” by the Grateful Dead.
Tell us about the ceremony:
Tyler's best friend from childhood officiated our wedding. We wrote our own vows and included readings from Khalil Gibran's The Prophet, The Little Prince, and a poem by e.e. cummings.
Our biggest challenge:
We planned an outdoor wedding at the end of May in Vermont. We expected a beautiful spring day, but it rained for the week before the wedding. Roads were washed away on the way to our venue, there was mud everywhere, and we had to send out last-minute emails warning guests to bring boots and warm clothes. It even snowed during the ceremony! Our friends and family pulled together to make sure there were enough boots and umbrellas for everyone. We were able to get a tent and a heater and we danced the cold away!
My funniest moment:
I included a line from The Big Lebowski in my vows (“you're a good man, and thorough“), and I read a story Tyler had written when he was a little boy during our thank-you speech at the reception.
My favorite moment:
I loved reading our vows to one another, feeling the support of our family and friends, and sharing our first dance to a song played by the band we would go see together every week when we first started dating.
Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?
- Photography: Shannon Partrick
- Venue: Dreaming Mountain
- Catering: Have Your Cake Catering
- Cupcakes: My Little Cupcake
- Photobooth: Planet Vermont
- Dress: Foxglove Custom Bridal Gowns
- Jewelry: Designer's Circle Jewelry
- Hair: Jordan Girouard
- Videography: Carter Oswood
- Potted plants: Adams Apple Orchard & Farm Market
- Poster design: Shawn Rice
- Band: Kat Wright & The Indomitable Soul Band
Enough talk — show me the wedding inspo!
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.
This looks like it was a fantastic time. I love the colors, and I especially love including the line: “Your a good man, and thorough” 🙂
I just love all the colors! Also, fist bump from another no-makeup bride 🙂
That first picture made me go “Awww.” Your wedding looks fantastic and fun. You guys just look so in love and happy it just makes me smile.
Also hell yes to no make up. It’s so rare to see and it’s great for us girls who don’t want to do it.
How fabulous! I LOVE that arch – did you create it? I’m so glad you could access your venue despite all the flooding.
What a beautiful wedding and I’m really impressed by how you guys handled that weather! I have to second Sunny and ask about that gorgeous arch. My husband was just talking about building an arch for our “proper wedding” and that is absolutely exactly what I was picturing! I would love any suggestions you could pass along that would make that a reality. 🙂
Sunny and Andrea, we did not make the arch, it was already at the venue! Since we were forced inside at the last minute we decided to use it to make the indoor space more outside-like 🙂
Love those shoes! Gorgeous and sexy couple :).
I wanted to share some of our extra photos with you all! These photos include more details, like table settings, favors, my skydiving bachelorette party, and my rainbow bridal shower! 🙂
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101575233486330.1073741826.6906113&type=1&l=cffc825187
Precious! Looked at your fb pics too — it’s just so sincere. ee cummings is my favorite poet!!