Alternative Groom’s Shoe Inspiration

Click on the pictures to be taken to the website!

When Your Man Goes Looking for a Wedding Band

Black Gold Plated Band - $59

A friend whose wedding is fast approaching recently talked to me about her beau's concerns about choosing a wedding band. Interestingly, one of them was something along the lines of this:


"I've never even worn a ring before, and I love you, Baby, but what if I lose the darn thing?!"


I'm a woman, and I've worn plenty of rings, but I don't think you necessarily have to be a jewelery novice or man to relate to this guy's concern. I'm pretty sure underscoring it somewhere is the fear, "IF I lose it, PLEASE don't kill me!!"

One solution this happy couple found: 

Pick out something cool and masculine and meaningfully 'him' at a pricepoint that won't make either of you freak out if someday (no matter how much he loves you) he accidentally loses it down the garage sink, on a wilderness trek, or in a poker game (just kidding!!!).
Then if you want to, you can even buy two ;)
 

Turkish Lira Coin Ring - $25

Brushed Titanium Wedding Band - $65

My personal favorite is the coin ring. Check out The Coinsmith to customize your own ring from a coin that holds nostalgic meaning for you and your husband-to-be!

Custom Sterling Silver Ring - $53

Confessions of a Seam Ripper

Bustle

Consider this a very brief primer on upcycling /recycling dispelling a common misconception..

Recycled items should cost less.

This is probably one of the most common. You can go the DIY route then and yes it will be smaller cash outlay.Upcycling ,however, is a labor intensive process and as we’ve all heard ‘time is money’.

If you are working with textiles the amount of ‘woman hours’ that go into finding what you need is staggering .I go to my local thrift stores sometimes several times a week because good stuff gets purchased right away.(okay I like going too!) Usually I have a mental list of what I am looking for but keeping an open mind if I see something worthwhile. For me this tends to be any silk garment with an interesting color and sometimes pattern, though I usually go for the solids. For someone else it might be lace, or broken jewelry but you get the idea.

ecoblingcouture

Once purchased and after cleaning you sit down with the most important tools in your arsenal-the very high tech seam ripper. And a good pair of scissors. If you have ever had to take out stitching then you know how tedious it can be. It is a time suck to be sure but there is no way around it. Again-time is money.

It is easier to buy yard goods and cut your pieces from a nice flat consistent width fabric but they just don’t make fabrics like they used to or if they do they are prohibitively expensive, possibly milled in sweatshop conditions and spewing chemicals in to our environment.(Moment of gently preaching here)

So you see how much time and care goes in to preparation for an upcycled garment. I haven’t even gotten into the design process and the making process so you see that this is a large amount of labor. A labor of love.

LondonParticulars

What the heck is a "Groom's Cake"?

A "Groom's Cake" is, traditionally, a gift from the bride to the groom. It's basically the bride handing over the reins and letting the groom go wild - with one item. Sounds a little sad doesn't it?












Well the cool thing about the "Groom's Cake" is that even though the tradition is a tad hokey, the creative outlet is great. There are so many awesomely creative groom's cakes and cake accessories out there, that the sky is the limit!










I think there is also room here to play with the tradition - think of the offbeat/gay/vegan/nerdy/goth possibilities!















Are you planning on having a groom's cake?

Who's the Boss?

Wow. Maybe I live a little too close to Jersey, but these cufflinks just rocked my world a little today.

Original cufflinks from Nostaliclinks

After all, doesn't the groom deserve at least that little space at the end of his shirt sleeves to stake his claim, after all that girlie (let's be honest, ladies, I don't care how fresh and offbeat you are...) so-often-bride-centered 'he-just-wants-to-get-on-with-the-party' wedding planning...

Nostalgic Links has captured in these little man-ccessories an amazing humor that my ramblings can't even begin to do justice. So go ahead and hop on over to her shop and see all she has 'in store.'

Being an offbeat lovin' Groom

What does being an offbeat lovin' groom mean? What are your options? What is your part in the grand theme of your wedding day? What does offbeat mean anyway?


At home you may call yourself a gamer, history buff, science nerd, whatever. In the wedding world, we call that offbeat. And we celebrate it!










A few of the ways that YOU can celebrate your offbeat-ness on the big day are boutonnieres, the grooms cake, your vows, your outfit and even your ring.

So take a moment to think about how you would like to express your quirky inner self and run it by your offbeat lovin' fiance!









I'm sure your other half will appreciate the help with ideas and inspiration!

Oh and leave us a comment to tell us about your inspiration!

(click on any of the pictures to see more from that shop!)

Man-cessorize Your Wedding!

Accessorizing for the men in your wedding can be a challenge, but there are a lot of options out there, if you know where to look!

Cravats are available in almost any fabric, in any color. They take the place of the traditional bow tie, or neck tie, and look fantastic with a white shirt! These silk cravats by ElegantAscot are an excellent alternative to a tie, and are easily customizable to your colors!

Cufflinks add a flair of the formal to your event, and men's shirts with french cuffs are not difficult to find. Cufflinks of nearly every style can be found on Etsy, and most artists are willing to make matching sets for the groomsmen, like these from NorthwykeCreations.

And how about avoiding the traditional flower boutonniere, and try something new? Many options are available to allow you to spread your wedding theme a little further.

What better choice than the summery pinwheels made by Rule42?

We at Offbeat Etsy Weddings are here to help you make your day everything you hoped it would be. Let us know if you're looking for something, and we will be thrilled to help you find it!