Andy and Brandi had just $8,000 to spend on their sunset-inspired dinosaur disco wedding, but that didn’t stop them from having one hell of a party! Second time around for the bride, this time she knew exactly what she did—and did not—want.
Their vision for the day was driven by their colour scheme and a love of dinosaurs. They also wanted a venue that showed off their city, Boise, ID, so the rooftop location was perfect. “The dinosaurs slowly infiltrated thanks to my obsession with Jurassic Park,” Brandi admits. “I even thought about walking down the aisle to the Jurassic Park theme song, but in the end, I opted for Africa by 40 Fingers—it’s a special song for both of us. Andy and the groomsmates entered to Nothing Else Matters by Midnite String Quartet, and the glitter girl, bubble boy, and bridesmates entered to Bohemian Rhapsody by Vitamin String Quartet.”
Though the wedding was infused with both their personalities, Brandi admits that the visual side was very much her territory. “We’re not pastel people, and I wanted something that sparkled. Disco balls might not be all that unique right now, but I started planning this ages ago! More than anything, a lot of DIY went into our wedding—we wanted something that reflected us.”
They also had a taco bar and mini cookies in addition to their colourful wedding cake. All the florals, decor, the bride’s veil, stationery, signs, and photo backdrop were DIY. “Seeing it all come together was the best part,” Brandi said. “I also really loved designing the stationery and signage.”
Brandi was candid about her frustration with parts of the wedding industry. “I’ve got a lot of thoughts,” she admits. “From venues texting instead of emailing to assumptions about our genders—it was gross working with some wedding-specific vendors. Things got a lot easier when we stopped searching for ‘wedding’ inspiration and started thinking about it as a party. Also, I saw red every time I saw an article that said ‘colourful wedding dress options’ only to click through and find a selection of off-white dresses with a touch of pastel embroidery. That is not what colourful means. The industry needs to de-homogenise itself so badly!”
“It’s your day, so include the people you want—not the ones you think you have to invite,” she advises in conclusion. “And don’t feel pressured to dress, act, or look a certain way. Smother those people-pleasing tendencies!”
