The Offbeat Bride: Maddison, former Dog Groomer

Her offbeat partner: Max, Brewery Worker

Date and location of wedding: Brewhouse Inn and Suites, Milwaukee, WI - July 27, 2015

Our offbeat wedding at a glance:

For our first anniversary, we decided to have an intimate vow renewal in a renovated 19th-century brewery-turned-hotel. We'd been though a lot in our first year of marriage: I was diagnosed with a rare bone disease just after the wedding. I had to quit my job and have two major surgeries, including a wrist fusion. Through it all, Max was supportive and by my side; it brought us closer together.

Now that most of the operations are over, we decided that we wanted to take the time to celebrate our relationship and each other in our own way. Max brews beer for a living, and we're both in love with all the old architecture and Cream City brick that Milwaukee has to offer, so a gorgeous hotel room in the old renovated brewery was the perfect location for us.

Tell us about the ceremony:

Max loves great beer, but I'm more of a cocktail kind of girl, so we came up with the idea of a Unity Beermosa Ceremony. He poured the Miller High Life, I poured the orange juice, and we drank it together through silly straws. It was a cute and fun way to symbolize how different we are, but how we blend together so well in our own offbeat way.

We wanted to keep the vow renewal ceremony very intimate, heartfelt, and to-the-point. We ix-nayed the idea of an officiant early on and decided to simply say our vows to each other. We each sat on a bed in the hotel room as our song ("If I Was A Carpenter" by June and Johnny Cash) played through an iPod docking station, and we took turns reaffirming our love and devotion to each other. It was really meaningful, simple, and perfect.

Tell us about your reception:

Our version of a reception included donuts, pizza, and partying in the hotel room we'd rented with our few invited friends. We played Cards Against Humanity (I'm reigning champion!), drank Pine In The Neck, aged Saint Stefanus, Miller High Life, and flavored vodka mixers, and we celebrated until the early hours of the morning.

What was your most important lesson learned?

I decided that I didn't owe anyone "flattering;" being myself was enough, without corsets and body-shapers.

As a fat babe, I had the hardest time in the world deciding what to wear. Should I get another formal wedding dress? Dare to go sleeveless? Cover it all up?

What gave me the most peace about it all was realizing that my husband loves me -cellulite, chubby arms, and all - just the way I am.

For our wedding a year ago, I'd chosen a long, expensive, formal dress that was very flattering on my body, but that I didn't really like. This time, I decided that I didn't owe anyone "flattering;" being myself was enough, without corsets and body-shapers. I wanted to be comfortable and in-the-moment, and I'm so happy with my decision.

So, my advice to other Offbeat Brides is to realize that your partner loves you, flaws and all, so you should, too. Go with your gut and wear what YOU want to wear, not just what's most flattering or most expected of you. If you stay true to who you are, you won't ever regret it.

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