Wedding Planning Resources for the Non-Traditional Couples
You got engaged! Congrats! Time to start planning that Jedi-meets-harry-potter garden party that you and your partner have been dreaming about. You go online and start your research. And there is when all the feelings come in. It can be overwhelming trying to find the right vendors. Finding resources that would understand why there is a big wizard hat in the middle of the table can be hard. Where can I find an officiant that would wear a brown coat? I get you. Overwhelming! As a wedding photographer for the nontraditional, offbeat and rad, it was hard for me too. Finding the right outlets to advertise or resources to pass along to my clients, can be a challenge as well. I've done some research and I narrow it down to my three favorites:
Offbeatbride - the mother load, the tribe, the one-stop place for all the things offbeat (no pun intended). The woman behind it, Ariel Meadow Stallings, started the blog as a way to promote her book, Offbeat Brides: Alternatives for Independent Brides (You can still buy it, and it is still relevant!). The book was born while Ariel was planning her own wedding. During this time she felt that the traditional white gown fest wasn't for her but she could find the outlet to do it her way. She wanted to help other brides look for alternatives when the traditional wedding affair is not for them. The blog started in 2007 mainly as a forum where offbeat brides can hang out and exchanged ideas, now is an empire! Not really, now is the Offbeat Empire and includes sister sites for Offbeat Home, etc. There you will find real weddings inspiration, resources, and different articles to help go through designing your wedding day, the way want to want to! There is also a cool checklist that you can request for free here!
AstroWed: The Universe's Most Kickass Wedding Planning Workbook (1) - I so wish this guide was available when I was getting married. Don't get me wrong, I loved our wedding day. But now, I know all the things that we would've done if we would've embraced all the possibilities. This workbook is made for the busy planner in you. Not only helps you distribute your wedding planner task in a fun and creative way, it also strips down the genders and assumptions (Seriously, why do we still think a wedding is a "bride" day?). This amazing guide is available at their website or Amazon.
Bridechilla Podcast - Aliesha runs the bridechilla podcast and let me tell you, it is so much fun. Not only it presents you with resources that would respect your wedding plans but also...... But among all that, she will let you know where you can find other resources that would respect your wedding plan and would help you make them true. You can download her app and subscribe for a monthly fee or you can listen to the episodes on iTunes as well.
Are you planning a non-traditional, offbeat affair? What other resources have you found? If you want to see more of these, photography, wedding tips, and geeky stuff every week follow me on Facebook and Instagram! Also, make sure to look for me on Pinterest too, where I gather all the geeky and nerdy ideas for your wedding or everyday life!May the Force be with you!