Product Details
Offbeat Bride: Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides

Offbeat Bride: Taffeta-Free Alternatives for Independent Brides
By Ariel Meadow Stallings

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Product Description

Unenthused by a white wedding gown and bored by the hoopla of the Hollywood-style reception, Ariel Meadow Stallings found herself absolutely exhausted with the nuances of traditional nuptials. So, she chose to take a walk off the beaten aisle and embrace the non-traditional bride within. Through trial and error, Ariel and her fiancée managed to crank out a budget wedding with all-night dancing, guests toasting champagne in mismatched mugs, gorgeous gardens, no monogrammed napkins, no garter, no bridesmaids, and lots of lesbians. Shortly after her 2004 matrimony, Ariel began searching for other brides whose ceremonies defied age-old tradition and reflected who they are. From there, she developed the idea for a guide for the offbeat couple.

Offbeat Bride serves as an inspiration for those who are interested in a vegan buffet, avoiding bouquet tossing, doing away with the elitist guest list and being a control freak without becoming a Bridezilla. Filled with sidebars, tips, tricks and planner encouragement (all taffeta-free) to help you figure out your special day, this book sees couples through the wedding process from ideas on how to announce their engagement to answering the question, “So, how’s married life?” and everything in between.


Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #23177 in Books
  • Published on: 2006-12-22
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Paperback
  • 225 pages

Customer Reviews

Nothing more than a mediocre story2
I was expecting a lot of tips and suggestions for brides who would like to buck tradition. There were a few, but really they were not worth the purchase price of the book. Most of the book was a no-brainer account of one person's wedding. It would have been improved if the author herself was a more engaging writer. Really, if you're looking for a decent bridal story, go ahead, buy it. But, if you want some tangible information for planning your wedding, don't waste your time.

How to not go completely crazy planning your wedding5
Ariel Meadow Stallings, you are a goddess.

My partner and I are planning our wedding and throwing 99% of tradition out the window. For starters, there isn't going to be a groom (thanks, inclusive Canadian laws!!). Planning a same-sex wedding seemed like a daunting task, especially for two girls who don't fit into any lesbian stereotypes of gender. We both love music and spending time with our large families, with people ranging from wee little babies to feisty women in their nineties. How to bring them all together, unite them with our love of music and each other, and minimize the risk of bodily injury to all present?

Ariel's book is part to-do list, part heartwarming memoir, and 100% fun to read. I feel so much more validated in the choices I'm making for the wedding (gourmet sandwich bar instead of fancy catered meal!) and we are so excited to throw the party of our lifetimes. Thanks, Ariel. You're invited to the wedding.

Ariel is a GODDESS (and a lifesaver)5
Best book ever. No, really. Such a lifesaver. The wedding process has not been a smooth one for me, and I was really at my wits' end until I got this book. I'm still fighting the good fight, though, and Ariel kind of made it possible. It's really hard, in our culture, to plan a wedding and be a feminist-- even a mild-mannered one. I have ammunition, and a renewed sense of humor about the event. It helps you feel better about wanting what you want and draws a HUGE line between bridezilla behavior and merely wanting to be a project manager-- I'm definitely the latter... though I'm not sure my mother (who wants me to have a traditional ceremony) woud agree... BUY THIS BOOK. Even if you're going traditional, BUY IT ANYWAY.