Alternative Bride Means Just Being You!

I would have loved to have called myself an alternative bride, but no one was using that label when I got married in the year 2000.  What does an alternative bride mean? If you google the term you’ll find styles representing rock n roll, tattoos, rockabilly, goth, and same-sex unions.  These are more obvious expressions of alternative that you can see, and I salute all the women who embrace their true selves in a bold way, owning who they are regardless of whether people “get it”.  You are the women bravely forging the way for more understanding and acceptance in the world.

I wasn’t that kind of alternative bride.  I just wasn’t into all the bridal fanfare.  I didn’t want a traditional floor length dress.  I didn’t want a traditional church venue which, by the way, was a very difficult pill for my traditional Catholic family to swallow. When asked about flowers…didn’t matter. Cake….well, that mattered…it’s all about the icing. Basically, I wanted a few simple things.  I wanted to just show up, no stressing about the details. I wanted to get married outdoors, preferably on the water, and I wanted my friends and family to have a fun and relaxed evening.

I achieved my ideal wedding by doing it my way.  Back in the year 2000, when there were only 360K internet users in world and computers were still plugged into a modem with dial up internet service, I searched “short wedding dresses” and found an image of the perfect dress with a detachable tulle train.  There wasn’t an e-commerce store to buy it on, so my mom found a store carrying the brand and we ordered it in. I tried it on, it fit, and BOOM! that was it for my wedding dress shopping. It was perfect for the outdoor, on the water wedding I envisioned. I asked my bridesmaids to find their own red dress, the groomsmen to don a Hawaiian shirt, and the guests to dress vacation casual.  It was the best time and I wouldn’t change a thing. Describing it now, it’s interesting to see how the vibe of my wedding is similar to the vibe of my jewelry design. Both have a relaxed, natural, earthy energy to them.

On that note, I encourage you to express yourself through the jewelry you wear, both on your special day and everyday.  Let your ring reflect the essence of who you really are.

– Debra