Zack & Alene wanted a casual, fun and nerdy wedding – something that was perfect for them. “We knew all along that we didn’t want to do a traditional dinner and dancing wedding, and there was never a chance of there being a church ceremony (neither of us has ever attended a church service outside of weddings and funerals),” the couple explained. “We settled on an afternoon of games and hors d’oeuvres because we’re both nerdy, think appetizers are exciting, and I like to go to bed early. It’s not our proudest tradition, but Zack and I go to my parents’ house most Saturday evenings and play games with them – it’s one of the highlights of my week, and we always have fun, so we decided to extend that feeling to our guests. The reception space was filled with couches and ottomans, and then we had a few little tables brought in – it was laidback and jolly, and the games gave even people who didn’t know anyone else something to talk about and bond over.”
They didn’t want to conform to what anyone expectaed a wedding to be so they opted for an afternoon and achohol-free reception at Overture Center for the Arts, a performing arts centre. “We don’t drink and we didn’t want to blow our wedding budget on booze, so we had a non-alcoholic bar. Two bartenders were there to mix up non-alcoholic cocktails and make espresso drinks. Since it was the afternoon, no one really minded the lack of alcohol – and they got to try some new things. My specific request had been elderflower syrup, and we had a good time drinking elderflower sodas and lemonades.”
“A couple of time people asked me if I was growing out my hair for the wedding (NO), if I was going to start tanning (NO), and what I was planning to do to cover up my tattoos (NOTHING),” the bride continued. “I didn’t want to look like someone else on my wedding day – I’m a short-haired, alarmingly pale, tattooed woman, so why would I want to hide that? I don’t look like everyone else most of the time, and I didn’t want to look like every other bride. When I told some coworkers that my shoes made me way taller than Zack, they freaked out. I felt like a rock star, though, and Zack’s used to my ridiculous heels, so it was a non-deal.”
Huge thanks to Zack & Alene and their photographer Jamie for sharing this awesome wedding with us today
