We love surprises, and when the surprise is as epic as a surprise wedding, well… we’re here for it!!! Maile + Nick planned their boho + tropical inspired wedding day for over a year, all while keeping it a total secret from friends and family! With the help of Dairing Events, they pulled off the ultimate shocker and tied the knot in front of their teary loved ones at Hotel Palms. Hawaiian- inspired florals, a wow-worthy Rue de Seine wedding dress, and bottomless Sangrias rounded out the details of the day. Have you ever thought of planning a surprise wedding? Well M is here to share all the info + advice. She shares this about their inspiration and style:
So, maybe you’ve changed your wedding plans this year. Breathe…the hard part is behind you. And now? It’s time to celebrate with your people! A destination bachelorette party (or bridal shower) is actually pretty easy to plan – especially if you’ve also planned a destination wedding. Now, more than ever, there are no rules. So why not tag on one more party to the big event?
Ollie is Leigh and Noah's rescue pup. Ollie can be an anxious dog, so the pair thought she would stay in the cabin for their Maine camp wedding festivities. But Ollie wouldn't stand for missing out on the fun. He came out to celebrate, hung out with the groomsmen, went to their first look, followed them for all of their portraits, group portraits, and cocktail hour.
Who could blame Ollie for making an appearance after seeing the gorgeous style, cozy cottages, lakeside views, and twinkle lights. It was a camp wedding none could forget — rustic meets glam meets completely them.
Do you have the guts to take on multiple DIY wedding projects for your big day?? If this is a question you’re asking yourself, you’re gonna love seeing how Britteny + Anthony DIY-ed their hearts out! We’re talking a year of hand-drying flowers people!! That’s commitment! B owns her own macramé business called Sullovin Knots, so their wedding at The Sample McDougald House was full of handmade macrame details. They also brought in nods to A’s French heritage with yummy desserts like macarons and pièce montée. The whole wedding is a feast for the eyes, and B is ready to walk you through all of the DIY goodness. She shares:
Is it possible to be moody and bright at the same time? We think so, and this bright + moody elopement inspiration is all the proof! You’ve got a bright, warehouse-like space, filled with moody details like neutral + black florals, tall pillar candles, a PIANO, and loads of texture. Melanie, who photographed the day, told us a little bit about what it was like to reunite with friends (they’re in Switzerland…and we are jealous) to create something after a time of quarantine:
I'm in a polyamorous relationship with another man and a woman and we had decided to have a non-legally binding ceremony. We decided on a Carnival Cruise ceremony followed by a cruise. New Orleans port is same-sex friendly, and they offer ceremonial services that are not legally binding. We can also bring our own officiant. I thought they'd be poly-friendly, but I was told that since we are polyamorous, they could not accommodate us. Okay, fine. I told them we would just have a same-sex ceremony with my girlfriend and I instead, and my boyfriend and I can have a private ceremony separately. Even then, they couldn't accommodate us.
It's frustrating. Is there any place to find poly friendly venues for ceremonies? I'm a bit heartbroken atm and am worried we won't be able to have any ceremony at all.
Weddings don't all look alike, as we know — and polyamorous ceremonies can be even more varied! Here are a few of the strucutres of the real-life poly weddings we've featured in our archives since 2008:
Three (or more) single individuals may want to have a ceremony combining their lives into one, as you do.
Two single people may choose to marry each other, skipping the "forsaking all others" trappings.
A married couple may want to bring another couple or another person into their family with a ceremony.
One member of a committed, unmarried couple may marry a third member of the throuple.
One member of a married couple may want to have a handfasting ceremony with another person, who will join the original couple.
Selecting a venue for your poly wedding may depend on how many people are involved in the ceremony, and what kind of ceremony it is… But this much is clear: you should be able to have your ceremony. A survey of polyamorous individuals found that 60% would want to marry multiple people if polyamorous marriages were legal. A Utah Senate committee recently approved a bill to decriminalize polygamy.
In the same way that non-legally binding LGBT weddings happened before marriage equality became legal, symbolic ceremonies give poly folks a starting point, even when the laws may not quite be there.
Poly-friendly venues
Cruise ships may not welcome polyamorous weddings, but here are some other options that Offbeat Bride poly folks have used in the past. (Click through the links to see the examples!)
Your home — backyard weddings are some of the sweetest weddings, right?
Someone else's home. Click through the link to see a special polyamorous elopement.
A brewery or other interesting eating or drinking place.
A city park — many parks have gazebos or other structures that can be rented for parties of any kind.
A garden at an estate or museum. Many public spaces will allow commitment ceremonies on their grounds.
City hall, the site of so many different weddings.
Is your wedding venue open to polyamorous ceremonies? Ask ahead, and give them some time to figure it out. Think about it. Your prospective wedding venue is staffed with people who talk about rules and regulations all the time. They are confident that you can throw birdseed but not sequins, and that alcohol cannot be brought into the venue. They might have dozens of rules memorized, and they could spend a fair percentage of their time insisting on those rules.
Chances are they've never thought about a throuple or a quad. In fact, it's very likely that all the rules they know and are called upon to defend have to do with the property, catering, and times of arrival and departure. Maybe there are a few things about safety on the list. Nothing to do with brides and grooms.
So they may respond with firmness — maybe a firm no, since that's how rules often sound — even if they don't know any rules on the subject.
On the other side, you probably think it's none of their damn business, and you might not have been planning to mention this special feature of your wedding.
This is not a conversation you want to have as you set up your candy buffet. Consider saying, "We know this is unusual, and we'd like you to check with your manager before we discuss this."
If you still hear a no, call the next venue on your list. There are plenty of fish in the sea.
Here’s a million dollar wedding planning word for 2020: contingency! From Sedona to Albuquerque…from less than 50 guests to just 5 people…Emy + Janssen conquered their contingency plans, and had a dreamy boho elopement in the Ojito Wilderness! Talk about romantic endurance!
We’ll let Emy address the STUNNING elephant in the room, and that’s her Princess Jasmine inspired bridal look: Most of the inspiration behind this day was from our original celestial elopement with bohemian elements, but we had to tweak it a bit to fit the desert landscape. Naturally, the dried florals were a perfect fit, and we were still able to incorporate some celestial elements. By the end of the night, largely due to the amazing Princess Jasmine inspired headpiece, Janssen came up with the theme: ‘Desert Nights.’
A pure mix of boho and rustic makes this styled wedding inspiration shoot one of our new favorites! From the photographer: This Moroccan music festival themed styled wedding is full of gorgeous boho details, a tipi and even a camel. The concept we dreamed up incorporated a bit of a music festival vibe along with an intimate lounge setting featuring bold Moroccan colors and textures inside a tipi. The location for the shoot is a private ranch in the small town of Sisters, OR with a camel lending to the Moroccan feel. The real life married couple fits the part, as he is a working musician and they have lived a somewhat Nomadic lifestyle, following the music and work around the Pacific Northwest. The vintage styling pieces help set the scene in the tipi, creating a space that feels warm and inviting, but very much bohemian. Thanks to Erica Swantek Photography for sharing this styled shoot with us today.
Alluring, exotic, enchanting… People travel from every corner of the World to experience the magic of Ibiza. For Erica + Alberto, the journey was more than just a trip to a beautiful beach. They chose to promise forever on the rocky shores of Ibiza’s Es Vedra island. With MC2 Mon Amour there to take care of event design and planning, E + A were able to enjoy to most captivating Ibiza Elopement, complete with an ethereal gown, sunset views, boho flowers, and of course, a champagne toast! E + A’s photographer shares this about the location:
Who else is already game to book a ticket?!
Imagine a simple grazing table filled with cheeses and fruits alongside daytime cocktails…
Eclectic pieces from Weddings & Whimsy look like they were totally meant for a downright dreamy setting like this!
Betty Flowers always comes in with the showstoppers!
If you can’t make it to Santorini, how about creating this set-up in your backyard and letting your imagination run with it?
Cheers to this lovely idea!
Nothing like letting someone else treat you before a day of pampering with the girls! Rena Hair and Renia Bledaki did hair and makeup while the ladies sat back and soaked it all in.
It’s all about the light and Santorini Events just does it right.
And that sunset sure doesn’t hurt!
How’s this for a fun activity? An open-air cinema to watch your favorite movie with your besties – doesn’t get any better than this!
