The Offbeat Bride: Kelly, hairstylist

Her offbeat partner: Jacob, support worker

Date and location of wedding: Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada - August 15, 2014

Our offbeat wedding at a glance: I have always had a thing for carnivals. When we thought about our dream wedding, the traditional options just didnt seem like us. I stumbled onto carnival weddings on Pinterest and went nuts from there. Most of my items were custom made on Etsy, such as the pinwheels, backdrop curtain, many more. I spent a year and a half collecting items that could play out the theme. It was so great to be creative.

Tell us about the ceremony:
We had a close friend marry us, which was such a personal touch and made us feel right at home. I wanted to include our own vows, since Jacob has a 5-year-old son, and I wanted to say something special to include him.

Our biggest challenge:
The biggest challenge was trying to transform an art gallery into a carnival. There were many limitations as far as items used, lights and such, so I did best with and it ended up perfect for us. Limiting the guest list to 75 was also a big challenge. We didn't want to hurt feelings, but we kept it to family and friends who are in our lives all the time and we both know, as a couple.

My favorite moment:
Having all of our family come from all over the country was so touching. It made the day so special. We didn't have a traditional dinner, we just got married at 7:30 and went right into speeches and first dance at 8:00, so that we could focus on the party and spend that time with our guests. We had a burger and hot dog stand come out at 9:00. It was so casual!

My funniest moment:
We had a retro circus cage set up as the photo booth. It was hilarious watching the grandmas get in there and go for it!

What was the most important lesson you learned from your wedding?
We only want one of these, so we didn't compromise our vision. And for us, in the end, it was all worth it.

Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?

Enough talk - show me the wedding porn!