Gorgeous Interfaith Wedding

This spectacular wedding was featured on the BRIDES website. The couple combined elements from their Jewish and Hindu backgrounds in the ceremony, which was officiated by a rabbi and a Hindu priest. A lovely example of how different cultures can be combined to create a beautiful and meaningful ceremony.

The gorgeous photos are by one of my favorite photographers, the awesomely talented Oriana Koren of Okrfoto. Click HERE to see more.

Photo by Okrfoto

Shannon & Steve's Geeky, Sweet, Whale of a Wedding!

When I met Shannon & Steve for our initial consultation, we hit it off immediately. By the end of our conversation, I knew I just had to be their Celebrant! We talked about their wedding - and just about everything else, ranging from comic books, Harry Potter, to pet cats. 

Their ceremony included many personal elements, including a handfasting. I also shares they story of Steve's proposal. He surprised Shannon with a Beluga Encounter at the Shedd Aquarium, which was something she had always wanted. What she didn't expect was that one of the belugas would play an important role in presenting the ring. 

All along the wedding planning process, I knew Steve wanted to add a secret element to the ceremony. This wound up being a helium shark (as a whale stand-in) to deliver the rings. And naturally, the shark's entrance was accompanied by the Jaws theme song, thanks to the always fantastic DJ Harsh.

In a addition to this fun surprise, the ceremony also included quotes from The Princess Bride, Harry Potter, and author Neil Gaiman. Can you tell why they became one of my favorite couples?!

Their gorgeous wedding, which took place at the lovely Hotel Arista in Naperville, is featured on the Angel Eyes Photography blog. Click HERE to check out the amazing pictures!

Steam Punk Wedding Goodness!

Do you appreciate architecture? Vintage settings? A turn-of-the-century vibe? 

Check out this photo from a recent steam punk-themed event hosted by Pleasant Home in Oak Park. Isn't this place gorgeous?! The 30-room Prairie Style house is available for weddings, and offers many options for your big day. The expansive front porch, which opens to a tree-filled park, is a great spot for your ceremony. The lovely, warm interior is an incredible choice for your wedding - in any season!

Now head on over to the Angel Eyes Photography blog to see the rest of the pictures! 

DIY Flower Crown

Just saw a tutorial on Offbeat Bride with showing how to make your own flower crown for your wedding. 

The process is pretty easy and the results are so pretty! 

Check it out HERE, my crafty friends!

Beautiful "Fish and Bird" Wedding

Look at this gorgeous wedding, inspired by the Tom Waits song, "Fish and Bird." It is featured today on the Wedding Chicks blog.

When Janelle and Chris were first dating, Chris sent Janelle a note with the lyrics to the song. This became the theme for their gorgeous backyard wedding. 

There were so many amazing elements, including succulents (!!), a jellyfish backdrop, and even pie.

Not only do I love all the beautiful details of this couple's wedding, but they happen to be two people I know and absolutely adore.

Congratulations, Chris and Janelle! I wish you a lifetime of love, laughter, joy, and game nights with friends! 

Check out the full gallery of photos by Julia Franzosa Photography (one of my favorites!) HERE.

Wedding Inspiration for Whovians

For the longest time, two of my friends (that means YOU - Carolyn & Heather!) have been urging me to watch Doctor Who. I resisted for ages. My TV watching is pretty limited and I'm way behind on the few shows I do watch. (As in a whole season behind on Breaking Bad!) I did not need to start another show.

Then I broke down and watched. And you guessed it - I'm hooked.  

So, imagine my delight when I came across a Doctor Who stylized wedding video! That's one of the many wonderful surprises you'll get when you browse around one of my favorite blogs, When Geeks Wed.

I love just about everything about this video, from the darling dress to the funky cake. But, I think my favorite part is the wording for the ring exchange - "Together, or not at all." Swoon.....


Through All of Time and Space: Wedding Inspiration from Doctor Who from Jakfoto Films on Vimeo.

Octopus Cakes!

My friends at Cake Wrecks did a post just for ME!! It's all about octopus cakes. Which, naturally, means it's for me. Aren't they nice?

Here is my favorite:

I really want this cake!! But the others are pretty amazing, too. Check them out HERE. Go, already!

Star Wars wedding featured on Offbeat Bride!

The ceremony ends with a kiss - under the watchful eye of Darth Vader.

I'm so excited, I can barely stand it!!! I just found out that one of my weddings was featured on Offbeat Bride!

Karrie and Matt's wedding - from the ceremony to the reception - featured Star Wars and LEGOs. Their awesomely geeky wedding was one of my favorites. Yes, partly because of the theme, but mostly because they're just so darn awesome! 

Here are a few of the photos by the wonderful TrueLee Photography. But for the whole deal, check out the feature on Offbeat Bride by clicking HERE.

Incredible Star Wars cake, created by the chef at Starved Rock Lodge!

Fun, Flower-less Bouquets

As much as I enjoy flowers, not everyone is into the idea of carrying a bouquet on their wedding day. So, I always love seeing ideas for alternatives to the traditional flower bouquet. 

I just came across this article from Equally Wed, which has some great suggestions! 

Here's my favorite...... the lollipop bouquet!

Be sure to check out all the great ideas HERE. And for you DIY folks, this should be right up your alley.

The Wedding Force

On September 1st, I finally got to officiate a wedding I'd been waiting for all year. 

I knew right away that I would have fun with Karrie and Matt when we first met. We bonded over Legos and sci fi, so I was especially excited about their wedding. Not to mention that it would take place at Starved Rock Lodge.

And they didn't let me down! The details of the wedding were fantastic - everything from the Legos in the bridesmaids' bouquets to the tables decorated for different Star Wars planets. I was even able to use a Doctor Who reference in the ceremony! How could you not love this couple?

Check out this great photo of Karrie and Matt. I'm happy to report that no one was injured in any light saber accidents.

See more on TrueLee Photography's Facebook page

AnitaWeds Giveaway - Lego Zombie Couple!

It's time for a giveaway, folks!

As most of you probably know, I am a big fan of zombies. Waiting for The Walking Dead to come back is killing me!! So, as I wait impatiently, I've decided to offer a zombie giveaway! 

I have a lovely Lego zombie couple for one lucky winner. This is a brand new Lego wedding couple, but has been "turned" by Lego artist Customized Bricks (who just happens to be my son). 

The unhappy undead couple show the typical wear and tear of the zombie lifestyle, including blood splatters - and even bullet holes on the groom! 

The set also includes a veil and extra hair for the bride (blonde and brunette).

And..... you can opt to receive two brides or two grooms instead of the bride/groom combo. Just let me know what you choose if you win.

So, how can you win this amazing prize? Just leave a comment to this post telling me why you'd like to win. Please include your first name and wedding date! 

The deadline to enter is October 5th. Winner will be announced here on Saturday, Oct. 6th. Good luck, fellow zombie lovers!

Poetry for Sci-Fi Lovers

I love this poem for a wedding ceremony! 


Scientific Romance Redux by science fiction writer Tim Pratt. He wrote it for his wife.

Zombie Love - me & my hubby on Halloween

An excerpt:


"If we were the sole survivors
of a zombie apocalypse
and you were bitten and transformed
into a walking corpse
I wouldn’t even pick up my
assault shotgun,
I’d just let you take a bite
out of me, because I’d rather be
undead forever
with you
than alive alone
without you."


It also mentions time travel, alien invaders and virtual fajitas. What's not to love?!


Thank you to my colleague, Dr. Robera Koepfer for suggesting it to our Life-Cycle Celebrant group!

Save the Date for Your Geeky Day!

Oooh!! Look what I found!! Geekvites has some awesome save the date cards for you, my geeky friends! 

Of course, this Nemo design made me swoon. 

Check out all the cool options HERE...... But, be warned - you'll find that the descriptions are as creative and brilliant as the designs. I spent a good chunk of my morning reading and chuckling to myself.

And don't forget to visit the blog. 

Alex & Sam's Wedding: The Building Blocks of Marriage - Legos!

Lego Tower for Unity Ritual

Alex and Sam's wedding last weekend at the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort was a true reflection of their love for one another - and for Legos! The ceremony centered around the theme of "building" a relationship on a foundation of love and friendship. So, of course, it had to include a ritual involving Legos. 


Before the wedding, they built a tower out of Legos, with the red bricks representing Alex and the yellow representing Sam.  During the ceremony, they completed the tower with a bridge of orange bricks, symbolizing the life they share. 


And, they capped off the festivities with a Lego-shaped cake from Lovin Oven!

Lego Wedding Cake

Congratulations, Alex & Sam!

Congratulations, Samantha & Alexander. I wish you all the best! 
It was such a pleasure to be a part of your "Happily Ever After."

"Just Fasted"

We went to the Renaissance Faire yesterday and I couldn't resist taking a picture of this. 

Guess we missed the handfasting ceremony!

Gia & Keenan's Steampunk-Inspired Wedding

I am fascinated by th steampunk movement and so excited that it has made its way into weddings. So, you can imagine my giddiness at having had the honor of officiating a ceremony for a steampunk-themed wedding this past February. Not only did they plan a cool wedding, Gia and Keenan were great to work with. They were so laid-back and made the process easy - and really fun!

The wedding took place at Tazza Italian Ristorante in Homer Glen. Gia's cousin, Rose, who happens to own the restaurant, went all-out with the decor. Each of the tables were adorned with a clock- and gear-embellished centerpiece. 


And the piece de resistance? The unbelievable fabulous robot cake topper - made by Gia's cousin. She surprised them with the cake topped just before the ceremony (see pix below).

Robot cake topper - the clock even has the start time of the ceremony!

Surprise! Gia & Keenan see the cake topper for the first time

Each table had a different centerpiece

Place cards for guests

Gia was the calmest bride ever - here she is doing her friend's hair before the ceremony

Love the details on the card box!

Keenan's very cool hat

Another view of the robot couple

After the ceremony - all smiles!

Many of the guests got into the steampunk theme

Decor for the bride & groom's table - love the vintage bicycle clock!

Congratulations, Keenan & Gia! It was such a joy to be a part of your incredible wedding! I wish you all the best!

For Real Equality Weddings

I'm so happy to be included on the vendor listing of the fantastic website, For Real Equality Weddings!


They feature profiles of real gay and lesbian weddings. I love the details of Steve and Joe's travel-themed wedding.Check out their invitations, designed by Joe's daughter.
(Photos are by DMPJ by Glen Cooper.)

 

                                                                           

Another favorite is the wedding of Jaqueline & Victoria. This couple couldn't be any more adorable! And I love that they had their wedding in DC. They walked around the city in their dresses - and rode the Metro!
(photos by Maggie Winters)

  

For Real was also kind enough to do a blog post on the eleven eleven giveaway. Thank you!

Robot Love

Earlier today I was looking at robot wedding cake toppers. Why? Because I like cake toppers. And I love robots.


So, in my internet wanderings, I came across this tutorial for making your very own robot wedding cake topper. Ya gotta love Instructables!


While it did take about a week to put together this particular pair of love-bots (each tiny part had to be individually painted), it only cost about $20 to make. 


It's a great way to save money - and make your wedding a little more YOU.  

An Ode to the Octopus

I know, the octopus was very trendy for awhile. But, it seems that the fickle fashionistas have moved on to the cute little owl. I, however, remain loyal to my tentacled friend.

Who can - in an instant - change shape AND color? Who can squeeze into unbelievably tiny spaces? Who can brilliantly mimic other sea creatures? Yes, that's right - the octopus, my friends.

So, in honor of my love (some might say obsession) with all things cephalopod, I present to you, octopus-themed wedding ideas..... Enjoy!

Wedding invites by RSVP Invites

Ties by RokGear

Ocean cake by Cake Lava

Cufflinks by Southern Belle OOAK

Fascinator/Hair clip by Hair for the Dramatic

Cake topper by My Custom Cake Topper

Favor bags By Richner

Fall Wedding Ideas

My close, personal friend Martha has some great ideas for fall weddings. Everything from marzipan acorn garnishes to autumn boutonnieres.

But my favorite has to be a basket of leaves for the flower girl. Simple, yet so perfect.

Instead of dropping rose petals, your little cutie can toss colorful fall leaves on her way down the aisle. Not only is it completely adorable (and environmentally friendly!), the lucky bride will get to walk down a path of leaves.

And..... if you collect your own leaves - it's completely free. Better yet, let the flower girl do it for you.

Love it!