Wedding Trends, Originality, and How It Is Done

I have, in my lifetime, attended four weddings.  One of those was in the early 90s but was 80s enough to involve shoulder pads.  The other two were aesthetic tragedies.  I'd tell the stories but you wouldn't believe me.  My lack of experience with the beast, therefore, meant that our decision to have a wedding meant that I would have to do some research into How such at thing Is properly Done.*

I found my people on the indie bridal blogosphere.  I also found this. . .

 

Common themes.  Wedding trends if you will.  Some more indie than others, but there are definite parallels.

I don't mind being trendy.  I rather enjoy it when it comes to fashion, personal style, decor, whatever.  However, as someone who struggles daily to be brave enough to be my authentic self, my wedding inspiration* feels a little too mainstream and unoriginal.

Is it still us?  Well, yes, it is inherently us.  We picked a location we loved that would be fun for our family and friend.  We don't have the blunt for formal and fancy but that's okay because that's not who we are anyway.  We are a little old-fashioned stylistically.  We like the homemade look.  We want it to be something we can do ourselves.  We are both a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll but way too fucking cool for the Osmonds.  We are casual and a little nerdy but sometimes we want to be the cool kids.  We are, apparently, what Meg over at A Practical Wedding describes as "blog chic."

We are a trend.  I don't know how I feel about that.

*Fun fact about me # 2.  I can't carry around, peruse, or even pay too much attention to bridal magazines because I feel like someone is watching me and somehow mocking me.  It's like being seen reading one of those good ole fashioned bodice ripping romance novels.  Embarrassing!

No Brides, Knot, or whatever glossy magazine with some white chick in a strapless gown on the cover for me.  I looked to the internets--as I so often do.  Double fail.  We don't have thousands of dollars to waste/spend on a wedding.  If we did, my conscience wouldn't let me.  I'm weird like that.

*More on this later . . .