My favorite red wedding dress

One of my favorite overlooked wedding dresses is from Beetle Juice. It is probably overlooked because the wearer is an unwilling child bride (creepy), but it's beautiful just the same. The pointy bangs, the poofy red tulle...it's dated, but still pretty.

It's too bad that there are no good full-length pictures of the dress, but this photo (click to embiggen) shows off the blood-red color of the polka dot lace.



Skip to 2:20 to see the dress; 3:25 to see the ceremony


It looks like a very full skirt (with a hoop skirt underneath?) that stops at her calves. I can't quite see it, but if she's wearing pointy boots, the dress length makes sense. The gown that Geena Davis is wearing is okay too (she's probably the true overlooked bride in this movie), but it's so '80s and not nearly as awesome as Lydia's.

More tomorrow!

-Kay

Goth Russian wedding part 2

Remember this crazy/awesome goth wedding from Russia? I happened to find more pictures from their wedding day thanks to Goths in Hot Weather. Check these pictures out. They're a more artistic set than before, and I luff them!


The desaturated color is perfect for them. This angle gives you a better idea of her loooong hair and veil.

In this one you can see more of his crazy space-boots, and the shape of her dress. I love that shape!

More of her corset.

More of that hair! Or, lack of hair!

They are so cute in a scary way! If you visit the link to the girl's blog, you can also see pictures of their baby. What does teenage rebellion look like when your parents are head-shaving, face-piercing, goths? Alex P. Keaton?

Obviously these people are pretty extreme, but I love it. I don't have the boto* for it, but I'm glad someone does!

-Kay Banks

Yeah, I said boto. No, I'm not Filipino.

Product Review: Gothic Wedding Planner (plus a chance to win a FREE Goth wedding planner!)

I recently got a copy of the Gothic Wedding Planner from Wedding Skulls, and I'm pleased to say that it is a great guide for anyone planning a spooky or dark wedding. The bones of the planner are very good - it is well thought-out, it urges you to decide what's important for your wedding, and it sets forth a basic budget. It is an eBook downloaded in the PDF format, but if you're the touchy-feely type, you can print it. And if you're the techy type, you can put it on your electronic book reader. [OT, but damn I love my Kindle!]

A main focus of the planner is setting a realistic budget, and planning accordingly. So many of the planners that I saw when I was planning a wedding were over-simplistic. X + Y = Your budget. So not true! There are so many unexpected things that crop up while planning a wedding. Steff (the author) specifically says "Now take your budget, and add 10% to it. That is what your wedding will probably actually cost..." Excellent advice. If your budget + 10% seems unmanageable, start your budget again! The worst thing you can do is start your new life drowning in debt.


Here's the cake from my imaginary Halloween wedding

Of course, the planner is different from other planners because it focuses on Goth/spooky/dark/macabre weddings. My favorite kind! There are tons of great ideas for themes, non-traditional ceremonies, locations, food, attire, entertainment, and even a list of first-dance songs for a dark wedding. You might think that you already know everything from the dark realms of pop culture (and beyond!), but this planner is very thorough. Elements from all corners of the Goth world have been covered - whether you want a romantic goth wedding or a freaky space-age goth wedding!

Reading this planner is like getting good advice from a seasoned friend. Steff covers all the elements of weddings that you know, and the ones that you hadn't thought of. I had a lot of surprises when I was wedding planning because I didn't really have many married friends. Having this planner is the same as having a smarty-pants friend, only she doesn't second-guess your ideas. She encourages you to do what you want, and focus on the things that make it your special day. But you're the bride, you're not a bloody princess. Like a good friend, the planner gently reminds you to keep your cool and keep that bridezilla attitude in check. It's a special day, and one day is not worth a ruined relationship.


The candy buffet from Corey and John's Halloween wedding

There were a few points that I personally disagreed with. Sending out Save the Dates and setting up a Wedding Website were imperative for me because I had so many out-of-town and out-of-country guests. About a third of my wedding guests needed to know the date well in advance, and needed the travel information that I put on our site. But, just like friends, you're bound to disagree. And I'm sure that Steff would agree that if it's right for you, do it! Having a Goth wedding doesn't mean that you can't have any elements of tradition. Having a nice-girl, traditional wedding doesn't mean that you can't let your Goth side show. If you and your Groom want it, and it fits within your budget, then DO IT!

Toward the end of the planner, there are some worksheets and checklists for you to use. They are a good start. Perhaps because I am an anal-retentive planner, they wouldn't be enough for me. I need interactive spreadsheets! I need color-coded guest lists! But the checklists are an excellent foundation, and you'd have to buy several bridal magazines to get all of this information. Who wants to dig through all of those cold, plastic-smile bridal magazines to get to the good stuff?


The author Steff Green and her cantankerous groom on their lovely wedding day

In addition to the Goth Wedding Planner, I got to take a peek at Steff's Goth Wedding Directory. I don't think you even need to be in the throes of wedding planning to enjoy it. I found several things that would make my day-to-day life more fun and a little more spooky. The stores listed will inspire your Goth wedding, and make your daily shopping easier. I found several shops that make beautiful hand-made things that I had never heard of before.

Overall, I say YES, buy this planner. It costs a mere $9 and you don't have to sift through a lot of ads to find the good stuff. The format is not as polished as a magazine, but it is easy to read, easy to search through, and features lovely photos from Steff's wedding.

Want to win a copy for yourself? Of course you do! All you have to do is send an email with the subject GOTH WEDDING PLANNER to bloggerofthebride {at} gmail {dot} com. You know what to do! I'll announce the winner next Monday.

Skulls and kisses,

Kay Banks

Couple has wedding blessed in a cemetery

Samantha Smyth, 25, and husband Paul Adams, 33, met in their local pub eight years ago and married in a traditional registry office with two witnesses in February. However the couple from Wisbech, Cambs., had really wanted a gothic wedding in their local graveyard – but realised it would mean their marriage was not legally recognised. [I wish it explained why it would not be a legal marriage] So they decided to fulfil their dream by having a blessing, eight months after their ''legal wedding'', in Wisbech General Cemetery. It was performed by a Spiritualist minister, as 40 family and friends gathered around the disused four acre site's ancient stone chapel.

Despite driving rain mother-of-three Samantha wore a white gown, flecked with strips of red material and completed her outfit with a black fur coat and black flowers in her hair. Her bridesmaids and daughter, Raveena, nine wore matching outfits while her son Kurt, six, wore and AC DC T-shirt [hahahaha] and six-month-old baby Nathan wore a sailor suit. Samantha and Paul, who have three children, live just 200 yards from the cemetery where they have walked their three dogs daily for the last two years. [Three kids by 25? These people have been busy.]

Samantha, who is from a family of Catholics, said friends thought she was mad when she told them she was having the £2000 wedding in a graveyard. She said: ''My dad, who is a hard-core Catholic didn't believe me when I told him but when I showed him the site – he just said to do whatever made me happy. ''We had a wonderful day and it was actually very peaceful and tranquil with all the graves and trees sweeping over the chapel.''


My photo of the haunting and overgrown Highgate Cemetery outside of London

Following the blessing the couple returned to their local pub [English people in a pub? NEVER!] where they cut their giant French Fancy wedding cake with a metre-long Scottish broad sword. Paul added: ''It's a kind of a strange place but it is a really pretty building and everybody really enjoyed the blessing.''

I would totally have my wedding in a cemetery! Not to make this week all about my Europe/UK trip, but Mr. Kay Banks and I visited 8 cemeteries during our trip and all of them were beautiful or strange in their own way. Cemeteries would make great wedding locations because they are always full of flowers, they are quiet, and they are usually well-maintained. We all know what happens when weddings take place in a public park.

-Kay

Dark celebrity wedding

The celebrity featured today is someone who is popular in the Philippines. He is Jay Contreras from the band Kamikazee. I've never heard of the band, but that doesn't stop me from loving this guy's crazy funeral cross-dresser wedding. This one is pretty far out - even if it's not your style the pictures are interesting.

Jay Contreras and his bride Sarah Abad


Their reception decor is very classic with the red roses and white chairs, but the black table cloths add an edge.


The guests are all in black and the bridesmaids wear fabulous black gowns


This picture is so funny. Are the guests cheering or heckling? Either way, everyone seems to be having fun.


Here is a shot from what looks like the day after photo session. She is wearing an edgier dress, and he is...also wearing an edgy dress. She appears to be sitting on a tombstone, while he wears a drop-waisted gown with a full skirt. Lovely?

All photos from MangoRed.

-Kay

Horror-themed wedding

This story is amazing.

An Ohio bride and ghoul have vowed to love each other and haunt and howl at the moon together at a Halloween-themed wedding.

61-year-old Jack Holsinger and 44-year-old Connie Spitznagel were both made up as pale-faced vampires for their scare-emoney Saturday night at a haunted house near Cleveland. The two chose the location because it's operated by the same people who own a campground where the couple met.

Holsinger arrived in a coffin inside a hearse, and the coffin was carried to the altar by six pallbearers. Minister Greg Kopp was dressed as Jason in the "Friday the 13th" movies. After the vows were exchanged, he ordered Holsinger not to kiss his new bride but instead to bite her on the neck.



“I thought it was kind of crazy, but neat,” maid-of-honor and the bride's sister Kim Spitznagel told the Chronicle-Telegram. Her bridesmaid look was fashioned after the Bride of Frankenstein.

Like typical mortal couples, the groom said he just wanted his bride to be happy.

“This is her first wedding,” Holsinger said. “She had a common-law marriage the first time around, so she never really got a wedding. It’s what she wanted and it’s about her. It’s her time. Whatever she wanted.”

Awesome, right?! I love that they're a mature couple - that makes this even more exciting to me.

-Kay

Halloween wedding cakes

To celebrate Halloween, this week will be all geeky/goth/Halloween weddngs. Let's start the week with two of my personal favorites - Halloween and cake! Wait until you see the last cake because it is a-mazing.


From Flikr user discopalace
This cake gets big points from me for being entirely edible and spider-themed. I like the bold colors - this would work well at a costumed wedding.


Sorry, I don't know where this picture came from, but it's been in the folder, waiting for Halloween for months. The tall and skinny shape of the cake fits with Tim Burton's style. The bone garlands on the purple tier are my favorite, and you can just see a hint of Oogie Boogie on the top tier beneath Jack and Sally.


From Flikr user Zonks55
This is a classic wedding cake with some hints of spooky - small pumpkins and skulls dot the cake. I especially like the bottom tier and the little pumpkin patch under the columns.


From Zombie Research
This cake is so amazing and the execution is so excellent. It looks like a classic cake, but the wedding toppers have a little situation on their hands. Who knew the zombie uprising would begin on their wedding day?

-Kay