Ariel Meadow Stallings

Offbeat Bride is a call to arms, of sorts, for women who refuse to participate in a cookie-cutter wedding right out of some magazine. If this day is really about celebrating the love and commitment of two unique individuals, why should it feel like every element was pulled out of a box? Primarily a memoir of her own wedding, Stallings' book illustrates how a creative, impassioned, idiosyncratic person can create a fabulous party that will truly reflect her own ideals and aesthetics.

My only show more complaint about this book concerns the title. If we're all truly a bunch of "freaks, feminists, and free-thinkers" here, why are only the *brides* involved in the wedding planning? Periodically Stallings makes parenthetical reference to the role of men, as in "offbeat brides (and their grooms)". But if we really believe in upsetting oppressive wedding traditions, don't men deserve to be equal partners, not afterthoughts?

That quibble aside, however, the book is truly a well of support and inspiration for any woman who's a little nervous about the flack she might get for bucking tradition on her "special day". show less

As a bride-to-be, I'm doing the requisite reading (or skimming) of bridal books and magazines. So far, I've found it more sociologically fascinating than actually helpful, and I've enjoyed reading novels about weddings more than wedding handbooks, but Offbeat Bride was fabulous. It's more of a memoir than a wedding planning book, although I did get quite a few great tips from it. As it is more of a memoir of the author's journey planning an unconventional wedding, I would recommend it to show more those of you not planning a wedding.

The book is certainly geared at those of us brides-to-be who may not embrace the ubiquitous white dress (I'm wearing blue because it's my favorite color and makes my eyes shine) or getting married in a church (I'm getting married in a library) or having someone walk you down the aisle (nomadreaderboy likes this idea far more than I do, and he may elect to have his parents walk him down the aisle.) Regardless of what traditions you embrace, subvert or create, you'll find ideas. For those of you not getting married, it's still a fascinating, thoughtful glance at wedding culture.

Ariel Meadow Stallings, who is funny, interviewed tons of people, mostly her friends, and the results were surprising, at least to me. She's a former raver, club kid, crazy kid (I don't think she'd mind these descriptions) who was with her now-husband for seven years when they decided to get engaged. She's a fun and funky feminist who welcomes the traditions she chooses and doesn't judge those who view them differently. Even traditions based in the sexist patriarchy and capitalism can have meaning for modern, feminist brides and grooms. The big picture: your wedding is your wedding. Do what you want, compromise when it's prudent, and relax enough to enjoy yourself. After reading this book, I'm mostly convinced all of us are offbeat brides (or grooms) in some ways. Sure, some weddings are more traditional than others, but it doesn't make them less offbeat.

Hearing from a large cross-section of theoretically similarly like-minded brides was fascinating, and I think I would have enjoyed this book even if I read it when I wasn't planning a wedding. Weddings should be deeply personal, and ritual is rich with meaning. Finding the right combination is a choice each couple must make themselves. The book is a few years old, but the Offbeat Bride lives on at http://www.offbeatbride.com. show less

Ariel Meadow Stallings is a terrific writer. She's funny, knowledgeable, and definitely offbeat. I stumbled onto this book by finding her web site, www.offbeatbride.com, and immediately ordered the book from her. She covers the story of her own wedding throughout the book, but highlights other's alternative weddings as well. It became a bit of a bible for me when planning my own offbeat elopement and I couldn't have done it without her. Really recommend it for all brides and grooms (my show more husband loved it too) and for just a plain good read. show less

This is basically the story of Ariel Meadow Stallings' unconventional wedding (she's the creator of the Offbeat Bride website). There's a little bit of advice thrown in on how to handle family members who don't "get" your unconventional choices, or on how to involve friends and family in your wedding in ways that make it both more unique and less expensive. On the whole, though, this isn't really a how-to or a book filled with ideas you can copy for your wedding -- it's really just her show more story, and she tells it well. I laughed, I learned a few things (like that sawdust is good for covering waste when you're outdoors -- say, because your reception is in the middle of a forest -- because it absorbs all the smell), and all in all enjoyed reading about another bride's struggle with planning an incredibly important event in a way that was meaningful to her and her fiance. I might even say I was moderately inspired. :) show less