A bit of inspiration from a fun, alternative bridal photoshoot : )

By ClayBouquetShop

I have planned to include alternative brides in my advertising for awhile, and finally had the opportunity to include models willing to have fun with this idea earlier this year. Here are some photos to enjoy…and possibly use as inspiration. : )

We had multiple outfits available for models, some more traditional than others, so many models appear more than once. The models had loads of fun in the wardrobe room changing from one outfit into another, accessorizing their attire, and wandering around Turkey Hill Inn for photos by the different photographers. : )

Bouquet, haircomb and jewelry by ClayBouquetShop

Veil by Chaos Couture 

Haircomb and jewelry by ClayBouquetShop

Jacket by Blooms In The Night

Bouquet, haircomb and jewelry by ClayBouquetShop

Gloves and lace neck wrap (eye mask) by KVO Design

Bouttonniere by ClayBouquetShop

Bouquet and jewelry by ClayBouquetShop

Hair Flower by Chaos Couture

Jewelry by ClayBouquetShop

Corset and skirt by Mayfaire Moon

Bouquet and Accessories by ClayBouquetShop

Jewelry by ClayBouquetShop

Fascinator by Chaos Couture

Corset and skirt by Mayfaire Moon

Jewelry by ClayBouquetShop

Corset and skirt by Mayfaire Moon

Accessories by ClayBouquetShop

Fingerless gloves and Lace neck corset by KVO Design

Accessories by ClayBouquetShop

Corset and skirt by Mayfaire Moon

Bouquet and accessories by ClayBouquetShop

Bouquet and Accessories by ClayBouquetShop

Layered skirt by Blooms In The Night

Accessories by ClayBouquetShop

Corset and skirt by Mayfaire Moon

Bouquet and jewelry by ClayBouquetShop

Bouquet and accessories by ClayBouquetShop

Bouquet, haircomb and jewelry by ClayBouquetShop

Lace eye mask and cuffs by KVO Design

Bouquet charm by DelaneyPhotoJewelry

Skirt handcrafted by the model (Elderberry)!

(Yes, I told her that she should open up an Etsy shop, too!)

Thank you to all of our participants!

(listed alphabetically)

Photographers

www.brianbortnickphotography.com

www.flowingcolor.com

www.janeniziolphotography.com

www.metroglamourstudio.com/

www.modelmayhem.com/MichaelLawrencePhotography

www.facebook.com/steven.otte

www.steelcityphotography.com

http://stillsinfashion.com/

Hair Stylists

Allison Tegano

www.nazbeauty.com

www.vervenj.com

www.theupdoguru.com

Make Up Artists

KimmV  MM# 2357138

www.MaganSethi.com

www.facebook.com/makeupbynessa

www.nazbeauty.com

SK Faceworks Makeup MM# 2213330

Models

Andie-Nicole

Ava

Courtney

Elderberry

Jacqueline

Jamie

Kattia

Nicole

Rachell

Stephanie

Setting The Mood Just Right

 Table decoration is another great way for an eclectic couple to show their personalities however where do you start?  Well here is how I managed to narrow down my choices.

Size – We have all been to a restaurant where there is just not enough space on the table for all the things you have ordered.  Therefore when you decorate your table, make sure you leave enough room for all the cutlery, glasses and plates that maybe used.

Colour Scheme – Unless you are planning on having all the colours of the rainbow then choosing a set of colours will help you get started.  If you are unsure of what colours go with what then try using an interactive colour wheel like this one!

http://colorschemedesigner.com/

Here you can play with the colours to your hearts content until you feel you have the scheme you like.

Real or Fake? – Here I am talking about flowers by the way.  Real flowers add a touch of luxury to the table and if you ask the florist, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune!  However we must not think fake flowers as being the inferior cousin of the real ones because unless you are the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, painting real flowers isn’t the best use of your time.  Fake flowers come in every single colour under the sun and best of all, you can buy them in advance!

Alternatives to flowers? – What if you are not a flower person?  Maybe you are allergic to mother nature then there are other decorations you can use such as sculptures or candlestick holders.  How about some board games for your guest to play while they are waiting at the table?  Whatever you choose just keep in mind of one thing, height!  A piece of decoration that blocks the view of other guests on the table is a little rude (unless that is your aim).  So keep everything low.

Less is More – By now you must have plenty of ideas but that doesn’t mean you have to use them all or your table will be overflowing.  Now is the time to pick and choose the things that co-ordinate.

Practice makes perfect – If you have brought all the elements, why not practice arranging your table?  All this time you have been using your imagination, picturing how it might look but now you can bring it to life.  Find a table or just use the floor and layout your pieces as you picture them.  Is it how you imagine it or do you need to fill in some gaps?  Once you are done, you can then take a picture of it and send it to your venue/reception so they know what to do with all your things.

I sincerely hope this has helped you with your wedding plans and GOOD LUCK!

This post brought to you by Isla of Kitty Kanzashi

DIY Photo Editing

You can have great photos, even if you don’t have the budget to pay your photographer to edit them all for you!  Many photographers offer a limited number of edited JPEGs in your photo package.  But, if you have other good shots and even a very basic editing program, you can take mediocre pictures to memories worth keeping!  (Most computers come with a basic photo-editing program, but if yours doesn’t have one, you can do most of the following with just the editing programs that photo-ordering sites provide.)

First, let’s take a look at our original shot:

Before we do anything else, let’s get our dimensions where we want them.  I opted to crop this image to an 8×10″; make sure that you crop it to whatever dimensions will best suit your needs.  (Standard photo albums hold 4×6″ photos.)  *Hint: off-centering your subject(s) a little can make a more interesting picture.*  So, here is the cropped picture:

Now, on this picture, the shadows are so deep you can’t really see the faces.  I went to the “brighten” tool and just lightened it until the faces were more visible.  Be careful with this tool (especially if your dress is white!), because if you overdo it, you tend to lose some definition in the brighter areas of the picture.  Here is the shot brightened up:

As, you probably noticed, just brightening it made the dark parts of the picture (in the background, etc.) look a little too bright, so I also want to adjust the contrast.  You can make the contrast higher–more bright in the light places and darker in the shadows–or lower–making the brights duller and the shadows lighter.  Depending on your picture, either of these options can be helpful, so play around with it some, to get the image where you want it!  I heightened the contrast here:

This shot looks pretty good, but just as a fun final alternative, I also decided to play with the saturation (color intensity) tool on the following shots.  On the first, I took the saturation down, until the shot looked almost black and white.  The second, I took the saturation up, which just makes the colors pop a little more.  Figure out your preferences and edit accordingly!

These are all pretty easy and quick fixes, but you can easily see how making just those small adjustments makes a BIG difference in the final photo!  Don’t be afraid to try different things until you get just what you want!

This post courtesy of –Amanda of ArtisanMaskers

Krissy

Make Believe’N

Pops Of Paint – Trash The Dress

Summer and Jamie Juarez are probably my very favorite clients ever.   So much so that Summer and I have continued a Facebook friendship long after the wedding day was over.  Man I wish this happened with every client – chemistry-!  Well…I was surfing my Facebook home feed and went OMG holy F’n crap look at those amazing pictures Summer and Jamie had done.  This trash the dress wasn’t your typical drizzle a couple drops here and there and call it a trash the dress.  It was all out warfare on that damn thing.  I’m pretty sure it could hold its own shape now if she let it dry standing up.  Whew!

I was not only impressed by the sheer enthusiasm they put into destroying her frock but the obvious affection they have for each other.  Great smiles and coy looks really tug on the heart strings, if ya know what I mean.

With no further ado here are the killer shots from Jamie Warren Photography!

Krissy

Make Believe’N

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The royal wedding is on everyone’s lips…and Mistress Kate is leading an inspiring trend back toward the millinery arts with her daring toppers and fascinators.

Now – the everyday bride will go for safety with her topper but the offbeat bride will add a lil something of her personality to go off the beaten path and make it her own – whether it be a dash of colour, a sprinkle of John Waters, or a cup of joe.

Take inspiration from these fabulous Milliners of Etsy as they bring fashion, flair and fun to the offbeat etsy bride…

TRAMPMillinery

GraceDunbar

RedDragonfly

BoringSidney

Stephanie Farley

La Coco Rouge

http://www.lacocorouge.com

>Has the Tradition Always Been White?

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Vera Wang

The wedding dress has inspired women for generations…most assuredly what it will look like but most definitely white.

The thing is…white is a recent phenomenon! With the advent of Queen Victoria’s marriage to Prince Albert in 1840 one of the greatest love stories of all time took the imaginations of women by storm, and the Queen wore white thus setting the fashion for years to come.

It used to be that women would wear their best dress to wed in – no matter the colour. In the 1400’s blue was considered to be the colour of purity.

Today we see a happy mix of styles, colours and textures to choose from for our wedding day. Many women are choosing dresses that are versatile enough to be worn again for other occasions.

Here is a small sample of what you can find out there for yourself from vintage to rock star to simple beauty…

Romantic Threads

Isadora Clothing

RoselaniJasmin

Vicious Threads

Vintage Frocks of Fancy

by Stephanie Farley
La Coco Rouge, LLC
http://www.lacocorouge.com

>Wedding Bouquet Rollergirl Style

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Rollergirl Bouquet from Floricultcha

Amy (Floricultcha) offers brides a non-floral, funky, funny and unique bouquet alternative.  She uses vintage, retro items, ribbons and other embellishments to create one of a kind sculptural wedding bouquets meant for weddings that seek to represent the couple instead of the industry.  Amy is very well educated in sculpture and horticulture and uses this knowledge to create wedding flowers that are considered “art”.  She has also worked with live flowers for weddings and often uses that experience when working on new designs.  Amy lives just outside of Boston with a husband that encourages her to fill their home with the wonderful oddities that make her happy.  Her interests have never been mainstream but she appreciates the symbolism behind her flowers and truly hopes that they become cherished heirlooms.  

I asked Amy to tell me why she is unique and what made her feel passion for these non-traditional creations.  This was her fabulous response:

I love seeing all the different themes that are being incorporated into contemporary weddings.  It inspires me to brainstorm non-traditional ideas for bouquets. It's wonderful that the white wedding no longer dominates the world of weddings or that even if a bride chooses a traditional white gown there are more options for adding personal touches. There are additional styles that reflect what they really like or who they really are, rather than trying to fit into to the mainstream. That is like trying to squeeze into a gown that doesn't fit. There are so many different couples and different attitudes about marriage and what it represents.  I also think folks involved in helping with alternative weddings begin to embrace these changes and often find that the changes are more genuine and indicative of the couples' lifestyle or what brought them together in the first place. -Amy-

I couldn’t agree more!

To quote Amy, “Who can resist unicorns, rainbows, roller skates, disco balls and hot pink hot pants?”.  Me either Amy!  Rollergirl Rocks!!!!!

Wanted Rollergirl searching for your perfect Rollergirl wedding flowers:

The Rollergirl Bouquet sells for $225.00  See Floricultcha for more details and other interesting wedding flower alternatives.

If you are a fellow wedding vendor and wish to be featured on this blog please contact me or convo Swankunderpinnings via Etsy.com

Krissy Cartwright

Make Believe’N Wedding Alternatives LLC

http://www.makebelieven.com

makebelieven@gmail.com

>Who Says You Need a Diamond Engagement Ring?

>Perhaps the most enduring tradition of the modern bride today is the ring.  In particular the diamond ring and in recent years coloured diamond rings for those with an extensive budget.  Remember J lo’s super fabulous fancy pink ring designed by Harry Winston?  Yum J  But really…who says you need a diamond ring or even a ring at all?

The tradition of the engagement ring is a relatively recent phenomenon within the past 500 years.  It is popularly held that its origins began with the presentation of a diamond ring from Archduke Maximilian of Hamburg to Mary of Burgundy in 1477.  Google it and you will find a wealth of info.  

Since then through 500 years of famous marriages, marketing (thanks DeBeers) and the tweaking of the romantic notion – today’s bride normally wouldn’t think twice about a diamond ring being part of the marriage ceremony.  It’s romantic, there’s always a story to be told about the presentation of the ring and the ring itself is a symbol of commitment that you belong to each other.

Okay – but what about those of us who choose NOT to have a diamond ring…or even a ring at all?  What other choices remain?  

Julie Stout & Doug Matthews of Austin, TX chose to go with a painting for their engagement.  Being avid art collectors and less purveyors of the jewelry domain – they chose to seal their promise to each other with a work of art that sings of joy and passion.  At their wedding, the painting was displayed at the front door for each guest to see upon arrival.  Today it hangs proudly in their home for all to see and they each wear simple matching white gold wedding bands.

Jennifer & Helme Calfee of Atlanta, GA went with a blue sapphire engagement ring (fyi – sapphires come in all the colours of the rainbow except for red. When red, they are referred to as rubies).  Jennifer loved the tradition of having a ring but has no liking for diamonds.  Her passions, next to her husband and step-daughter, are the colour blue and sapphires for they represent strength and protection.  

As for myself…I neither require a diamond ring or even a ring at all.  For me, something I have to wear everyday would drive me crazy;  however, something to wear on occasion might be nice.  My fantasy dream piece of jewelry?  Padparascha sapphire ring.  I have a refined yet eclectic taste.

So what other ring options are there?  Check out these funky options from these Offbeat Etsy Wedding Sellers – whether it’s for that special day, everyday, or special occasions there’s a ring sure to delight your offbeat senses!

Aranwen

Flower of the Dead

After Dark Jewelry

Lionsgate Designs

Simply Chic Lily

And remember  – it takes all kinds to make an offbeat bride whether it’s your ring, the colour of your dress , the theme of the celebration, etc.  Go be your funky self and dance outside the traditions to make your own!

We would love to hear from you regarding your choice, or not, with a ring.  If you have a story to tell, please share it with us and other prospective brides!

>Warm Hues For Fall Weddings

>Gone is the need for the traditional white wedding, now is the time to splash a little color… a little you into your wedding. Fall is such a fun explosion of dark rich tones and your weddings can be too…if you dare to be a little offbeat!!

Here are some great finds for your Fall Wedding:

midnightboudior

swankunderpinnings

krissy167

theenchantedcupboard

liaison

Find these items and more from the Offbeat Wedding Team on Etsy!