The Offbeat Bride: Lauren, Business Development Technician

Her offbeat partner: Philip, Lab Services Technician and Live Audio Engineer

Date and location of wedding: Thigh High Gardens in San Marcos, TX - 05/09/2015

Our offbeat wedding at a glance:

There wasn't really a set theme to our wedding; it was more like a tribute to all of the amazing people in our lives. Philip and I run in a unique circle of artists, farmers, cooks, and musicians, so I really planned the wedding to incorporate as many local vendors as possible and highlight their abilities.

It was an early May wedding, so I wanted it to be as colorful as possible. We had the wedding out on a friend's organic farm, had a husband and wife team slow-roast a whole pig for food, we had local music, local flowers, and a friend of a friend for photography. We danced to country and bluegrass music, drank a whoooole bunch of beer (I don't drink, but my friends sure do!), and had a whole lot of fun. This is my second marriage, and the first wedding I felt like I compromised a lot about what I wanted due to family preferences, so this time I was really determined to make this wedding my own. But it wouldn't have been possible without the help of my friends, family, and our entire community.

Tell us about the ceremony:

We did a traditional handfasting using cords that I made from an Offbeat Bride blog post. Each cord represented a vow we would make to each other. Our vows were mostly focused on loving and accepting the whole of each other and recognizing each other as equals. Neither one of us are religious, so we thought that fit us very well.

Tell us about your reception:

The reception was so fun. The pork was amazing, the cupcakes were phenomenal, and the dancing was constant. The highlights included cutting the cake; when Phil, against my many protests, smashed the cake in my face, I immediately retaliated because I am an adult. I loved our first dance which was full of giggles and a dramatic dip at the end. But the biggest highlight was when I turned around and someone put a baby goat in my arms, who apparently was a world-class nuzzler!

What was your most important lesson learned?

Take all of the DIY projects you'd like to do and only plan on finishing about half of them. It's really just a time thing. Don't be embarrassed that you're stressed. I feel like our culture wants us to pull off amazing weddings without breaking a sweat. It's okay to want a really nice wedding but have a hard time putting it together.

If someone offers to help you, seriously consider taking them up on it. This wedding would have been a nightmare without the help from our friends and family. Set a time before the wedding, between one to two hours beforehand. Let all of your bridesmaids and groomsmen know about it. And when that point comes, all worrying needs to stop. After that, whatever happens, happens, and you can roll with it. It's about letting go and really enjoying yourself on that day.

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