The Offbeat Bride: Robin, Special Education High School Teacher

Her offbeat partner: Maggie, Golfer, Teacher, Best. Wifey. EVER!

Date and location of wedding: Old Town in Albuquerque, NM, Lady of Guadalupe Chapel and The Warehouse in Colorado Springs, CO - February 23, 2014

Our offbeat wedding at a glance: We actually got married in New Mexico. The chapel is located in Old Town, Albuquerque, in Patio Escondido. This historical chapel is made of adobe bricks and plastered walls which were built by the nuns and students of Sagrada. The Sagrada Art Studios in Old Town was a sacred arts school founded by a Dominican nun, Sister Giotto Moots, in 1969. This hidden gem was the perfect setting for us, so we wedding crashed the Capilla de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe Chapel. Shhh, don't tell anyone! With our very immediate family and the justice of the peace, we gathered among the six wooden benches that were hand-carved and stained with scriptural verses from Sister Giotto and another artist. It was filled with soooo much love, and it was there we vowed our lives and love for one another.

Our wedding reception was held in Colorado Springs at The Warehouse. The building was historically a warehouse, situated close to the original railroad line that was a vital delivery route for the growing city of Colorado Springs as envisioned by its founder, General William Palmer. The oldest part of the building, constructed in 1900, now houses The Warehouse Gallery and restaurant. There with 80 of our friends and family, we were "weddinged." Who could ask for anything more - marrying my best friend and beautiful wife TWICE!

Tell us about the ceremony:
We waited a long time to be legally married. It was very important to us to be recognized by not only our family and friends, but with all the rights of marriage. Here is a passage read from our wedding:

From that moment of yes until this moment of yes, we have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or on long walks.
All those sentences that began with "When we're married" and continued with "I will and you will and we will,"
Those late night talks that included "someday" and "somehow" and "maybe,"
And all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart,
All these common things, and more, are the process and the beginnings of our life together!

Our biggest challenge:
The biggest challenge was getting to the church without anyone noticing that we were crashing the chapel for our wedding! The 10 family members tip-toed through the cobblestone street. With bouquets in hand and the justice of the peace, we made our way to the church. We laughed the entire way as we were sneaking in. Along with getting married and all the jitters that accompany it, the prospect of getting caught in the act made it even a little more exciting.

My favorite moment:
Old Town was quaint, charming, authentic, and filled with our love! It was my favorite and the most meaningful because of all the family history in that area. The colors, the smells, and the sounds were very flavorful. My eyes leaked the entire ceremony.

What was the most important lesson you learned from your wedding?
After we got married, I kept telling everyone we got a wedding certificate. Then Maggie said, "It's not an award, not a certificate! It's a license." I still think it's a certificate. It IS AN AWARD!

We are loved more than we could have imagined - by each other and by family and friends. I told Maggie that I am a lot of things... hard-headed, ALWAYS right (at least I think so), and always late. But no matter what, I am always better when I am with her. She loves me for who I am.

Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?

Enough talk - show me the wedding porn!