Lee & Glen’s Aussie, Rockabilly/Pinup 1950s love fest

The offbeat bride: Lee, Massage Therapist

Her offbeat partner: Glen, Mechanic

Location & date of wedding: Peel Manor House, Karnup, Perth, Western Australia — Saturday 2nd Jan 2010

What made our wedding offbeat: The invites were concert tickets and we tried to keep the theme, cars and songs secret until the day.
We arranged (with friends help) for me to arrive in a blown, big block, ’34 (nicknamed ‘Dirty Hore’) hot rod with no exhaust, to ceremony and the bridesmaids arrived in my late father’s car (a white Oldsmobile with red trim).

My mother gave me away and the ceremony was only fifteen minutes long. Our vows were lines from a Red Hot Chili Peppers song. No veil, just a black parasol instead. There were no bouquets — the bridemaids held handbags that read “true love” and wore red sunglasses. We all wore flat shoes and did our own makeup. Bridesmaids each wore a different dress, groomsmen were in jeans and bowling shirts

Friends and family did the video and table decorations. Used cheap, used or found items for the centrepieces, including LP records and poker chips. Bombernies were laminated politically incorrect 1950’s Ads. Cake was a slab of mudcake from the cheesecake shop.

We played the music we wanted, whether people liked it or not, but had lots of fans after playing Metallica in the ceremony. Our first dance was to Pink’s “Glitter in the Air” and the farewell at the end of the night was to “We Go Together” (the final song at the end of the movie “Grease”).

Ours was half the cost of the average Australian wedding and and all the clothes, including all dresses, shoes and accessories were under $2000.

Our biggest challenge: Finding a photographer who would give us a cd of the photos (no printed albums) and copyrights, but kept looking and found one and a great price.

Ordering the dresses internationally online, but had a lovely aunty to do alterations for us when they arrived.

Dealing with close minded people, but kept our cool and just vented to each other.

People cancelling at last moment and having to find replacements without making them feel like sloppy seconds.

My favorite moment: Groom: Seeing bride for the first time in all her gear arriving in the hot rod.

Bride: Apart from the obvious joy and love of the experience, it would be seeing the whole theme come together as an awesome visual explosion and shakin’ my booty on the dance floor all night. My Nanna came up to me while dancing and said, “It’s so nice to see you happy and having so much fun”.

My offbeat advice: Start planning early (allow time to change your mind on decisions).

When making purchases if possible don’t say it’s for a wedding (they increase the price).

Learn how to say no softly and be happy to delegate smaller jobs to other people who offer.

Be prepared for a couple of no-shows (have a few people in mind for backup for a free meal such as neighbour, co-worker etc.).

People may leave early and not say goodbye (and feel it’s is ok to do so) but just be glad that the people who want to be there, are still there.

During the process you may notice aspects (positive and negative) of your own and others personality’s that you hadn’t before, and it’s okay. People will not change just because it’s your wedding day.

Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?

• Found a lot of good cheap stuff on ebay (parasol, stockings, guys sunnies, etc.)
• Dresses – Daddy-O’s and Unique Vintage
• Petticoats – Three Muses Clothing
• Guy’s Shirts, Sunglassses,Handbags & Hairflowers – Daddy-O’s
• Concert Ticket Invites – U Name It Favors
• Brides Shoes – Club Wear Australia
• Hair – Total Brides
• Photography – Emotion Image
• Pictures of 1950’s ads – Duke University online library
• Chair Covers – Creative Elegance

Enough talk — show me the wedding porn: