The boys of Rooney, image courtesy of VH1

If you’ve been following Poptastic Bride on Twitter, you’ll have read that I was listening to the Robert Schwartzman (if that name doesn’t ring a bell, maybe “Michael Moscovitz in the Princess Diaries movie” will?)-fronted power pop band Rooney‘s latest album Eureka sometime last week (which IMHO has some really great moments so do check it out). It should be no surprise then that this week’s indie love song is the ear-friendly “You’re What I’m Looking For“, a track from said album.

I do like me some Rooney and while this song may not be as brilliant as their past melodic masterpieces, it’s got a laid-back ’60′s pop-rock vibe that will get your guests on the dance floor with you in no time. And if that doesn’t convince you, check out the lovey-dovey lyrics below:

When I look at you, my troubles all go away
I’m someone new, it feels just like a new day
When you hold me tight, I get lost in your arms
I know tonight I’ve finally found what I’m looking for
You know you’re what I’m looking for.

Listen!

All images courtesy of Tinywater Photography

I wasn’t supposed to blog about this until tomorrow but I just couldn’t wait to share these amazing steampunk wedding photos with you as soon as I got the kind permission of Caroline from Napa & San Francisco based Tinywater Photography.

From the Tinywater blog:

Violet and Eric were our amazing Steampunk Wedding couple that finally did the deed at San Francisco’s Verdi Club and put the whole amazing production together. Complete with a dramatic 5 minute ceremony where the band was playing “The Final Countdown” and the bridesmaid pulls out a gun at our officiant to hurry him up! Little did their guests know how much fun the night was doing to be when they were invited to “a raucous celebration of our nuptials.”

The beautiful photos indeed show how fun the celebration went and how astounding the couple’s creativity and attention to detail was.

The bride, Violet, wore a gorgeous purple striped vintage style Victorian bustle jacket and skirt ensemble which she accessorized with steampunk jewelry (natch) and super funky awesome purple boots. Her headpiece is made up of  vintage WWII Swedish glacier goggles from a local army surplus store decorated with felt flowers. She also carried a cute little handmade bouquet made of felt flowers, vintage buttons & handmade glass buttons that perfectly matched the color motif.

Meanwhile Eric wore a Victorian gentlemen’s outfit complete with a frock coat and a top hat. Goggles on the hat, a purple tie with clockwork and machinery graphics, and a matching DIY felt flower corsage completed the groom’s steampunk look. Custom made posters that reflected the mood of the era decorated the venue.

The party was a masquerade and so the wedding party and all the guests gamely came wearing masks while rocking their steampunk best.

The guests partied all night on the dance floor and in the photobooth.

What a truly extraordinary wedding! Congratulations Violet and Eric and thank you once again to Caroline of Tinywater for allowing me to share these gorgeous photos to readers of Poptastic Bride. Visit the Tinywater blog to see more photos.

Ceremony & Reception Venue: Verdi Club in San Francisco
Catering: Verdi Club
Cakes: Verdi Club
Bouquets, Corsages and Boutonnieres: Diy (felt, vintage buttons & handmade glass buttons from Mary Barron)
Corset: Dianna DiNoble of Starkers!
Skirt and bustle jacket: Kambriel
Headpiece: vintage WWII Swedish glacier goggles from a local army surplus store decorated with more felt flowers
Necklace: Goddess Joy Designs
Groom & Groomsmen outfits: The Gentleman’s Emporium

If you’e dead set on having a wedding that does not adhere to the rules of tradition, why not cap your nonconformity with alternative wedding invites. Besides, just how truly “alternative” can an invite be if it’s made of paper?

On that note, I’ve scoured the net to find non paper wedding invitation ideas that you can adapt and personalize to suit your wedding theme.

1. Earth friendly fabric wedding invitations

Fabric wedding invites are environment-friendly and are a refreshing change from the typical ones printed on paper. Artful Beginnings on Etsy has a great selection of fabric invites including handkerchief save the dates and other textile wedding accessories.

Coral & Brown Wildflowers Fabric wedding invitation set, $257.50 from Artful Beginnings

Teal Wildflowers fabric wedding invites, $80 from Artful Beginnings

Scroll wedding invitation, $175 from Artful Beginnings

2. Eco-Chic Wood Wedding Invitations

Wood is another great medium you can use for your wedding invites, after all it’s technically paper in it’s most raw form. Night Owl Paper Goods has a fantastic selection of very cute wood wedding invitation designs. You can even submit your own artwork and they will print it on wood for you. These wood invites would work well for nature-themed weddings.

Owl Picnic from Night Owl Paper Goods

Zinnia Reply Card from Night Owl Paper Goods

Wood Aqua Starfish Save the Date Card from Night Owl Paper Goods

3. Invitations made of Plexiglass or Acrylic

Plexiglass wedding invitation image courtesy of The Wedding Guys

Acrylic is a useful, clear plastic that resembles glass but is much lighter (it’s only half as heavy as glass), more durable, and can be shaped easily to suit your needs. The example above is an invitation designed by A Milestone Paper Co. which was able to integrate acrylic, paper and metal in one solid design. The entire ensemble comes in a metal clam box. You can read more about how this invite came about on The Wedding Guys.

4. An invitation made of… chocolate?!

Chocolate wedding invitation image courtesy of Chocolate Graphics

So here’s an idea:  make a sweet, memorable statement and have your wedding invitation molded on chocolate! There are companies, like Logos on Chocolate for instance, that accepts orders for customized chocolate candy gifts using your logo or message (see example below). It’s something all your recipients will appreciate for sure. Just remember to print your wedding details on the customized wrapper so that your guests won’t forget to attend your wedding after they’ve eaten the invitation!

Image courtesy of Logos on Chocolate

5. A cookie wedding invite

Since we’re on the subject of edible wedding invitations, here’s something I chanced upon on the interwebs: a cookie wedding invitation.

Cookie wedding invitation image courtesy of Favor Affair

You can order one exactly like this from Favor Affair or, to save on cost and make the invites even more personal, bake them yourself and have an artist friend ice on the text for you. The great thing about this is you can make the cookies in any shape and color you want easily.

Wedding Cookies image courtesy of It’s All About Weddings

I hope you enjoyed and were inspired by the various non-traditional wedding invitation ideas I shared on here. If I come across some more I will blog about them another time!

Our rock love song for the week is The Prettiest Girl In The Whole Wide World by Weezer — that’s right, we have back-to-back Weezer tunes for this month since I’m quite a fan (no duh).

The song appears as a bonus track in their latest studio album Raditude but it was in fact originally released by frontman Rivers Cuomo in demo form on his solo compilation album Alone 2- The Home Recordings Of Rivers Cuomo.  It was recorded in 1997 during the band’s hiatus and was initially a contender for 2001′s Green Album.

Anyway, I thought it would make a great rock wedding song because of the sweet aww-inducing lyrics (see below) enveloped in that classic Weezer Blue Album era power pop sound.

I’ve got the prettiest girl in the whole wide world
And nobody can take her from me.
And in the evening when she goes out walking alone
I waited all patiently

I’ve never been so happy
I’ve never been so sure

I’ve got the prettiest girl in the world
And I’m in love with her.

Listen to it below:

Rock and Roll Bride and Groom Annette & Dennis Diaz

Remember musicians Annette and Dennis and their delightfully psychedelic Beatles-themed wedding? I know I’m working backwards here but I thought you’d also like to see their uber cool (and action-packed!) rock and roll engagement photo session by LA-based Kurt Kim Photography. They are obviously a very fun couple as you will see in the following non-traditional e-session pics below.

All photos are by Kurt Kim Photography.

Rock on Annette & Dennis (and thanks for allowing Poptastic Bride to share your engagement pics with our lovely readers!)

Image courtesy of Y2Kers

Weezer is one of the most popular groups to emerge in the post-grunge alternative rock aftermath (and is by far, one of my all-time favorite alternative rock bands) so I couldn’t resist spotlighting this track from their 2009 album Raditude as this week’s Indie Rock Love Song selection. It makes absolute sense to play this sometime during the reception if you’re having a rock-themed wedding.

Love is the Answer was written and recorded by Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo in 2005 during the Make Believe sessions but it wasn’t included on the album. In 2009, Cuomo gave several of his demos to funk metal band Sugar Ray who, as it turns out, chose and recorded the said track which was eventually released on their album Music for Cougars.

A completely new version of the song which includes the use of Hindi vocals and instrumentation was eventually released by Weezer in 2009. The first Hindi verse is loosely translated as “There will come a day when love will reign. Where there is love, life flourishes.”

Love is the answer
Makes no difference what you have heard
Love is the answer
You have got to trust in the world.

Listen to the Weezer version:

There’s a version without the Hindi instrumentation, just in case you didn’t quite like it:

Sugar Ray’s version which features Rivers Cuomo on spoken word:

Let me take you back to my high school days with “Perfect“, a cute love song by (the now-defunct) Eddi Reader-fronted Scottish acoustic pop band Fairground Attraction. The song is actually their first single from their debut album “The First of a Million Kisses” and was launched in April 1988. It was an immediate success, reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart, and won the award for best single at the 1989 BRIT Awards.

Don’t let its seemingly mainstream popularity deter you from using it in your wedding though because it’s an earnestly-sung really sweet and bouncy track that you and your new husband, not to mention your guests, will surely enjoy swaying to. Apart from how beautiful the vocals are, the lyrics are gold too:

It’s got to be perfect
It’s got to be worth it, yeah
Too many people take second best
But I won’t take anything less
It’s got to be, yeah, perfect.

Listen to it here.

Today I am excited and extremely honored to share with you a unique, beautiful and wicked cool rock and roll wedding — and it’s all because the bride and groom chose to do everything their way.

But first, let me tell you a little bit more about the couple.

Photo by Kurt Kim Photography

What I actually love most about featuring this real wedding on here is that for the first time I am writing about someone I know personally!

The bride, Annette -- whom I’ve known since her Fatal Posporos drumming days in the mid- ’90s -- is a Ska-punk drummer, editor, bad-ass bassist and all-around tough chick. The groom, Dennis, is a bassist, pianist, guitarist, producer, programmer, company glue, and a hella good cook. (Read more about them on their wedding website). As you can tell, their lives are centered around music and rock and roll so it was only natural (and fitting) for them to have chosen a Beatles theme for their wedding.

The Yellow-Submarine inspired wedding invitation designed by a friend of the couple’s. They got guests to RSVP online to save on postage.

From Annette:

We had a 60s themed Beatles wedding at the Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo (California). Friends and family were game enough to come in their Sixties best. We were a budget couple so most of our wedding was DIY.

Presenting Annette and Dennis’ Marital Mystery Tour:

(Left) The ceremony was held in the museum’s gallery amongst vintage cars.
(Right) The gorgeous bride and her mom. Annette’s gown and gloves are the very same ones her mom walked down the aisle in 41 years ago -- what can be more meaningful than that? The veil she wore was from another vintage bride.

(Left) The groovy Maid of Honor.
(Right) The band sang and performed “Strawberry Fields” for the entourage entrance and the groom sang “Something” as the bride walked down the aisle.

Colorful beaded curtains gave the ceremony site a hip 60s vibe.

The band performed the Beatles’ “Across the Universe” for the couple’s exit and Dennis jammed with them towards the end of the song.

While the ceremony was completely Beatles’ themed, the reception had a touch of Metallica.

The entourage and couple’s reception entrance.

The sweethearts table had a Metallica mug on the groom’s side and a Beatles mug on the bride’s.

Each table was named after a Beatles album.

Instead of a first dance, the couple chose to do what they do best: rock the house to the tune of  Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”.

Guests enjoying the impromptu rock concert.

Congratulations and thank you for allowing me to share your wedding with Poptastic Bride’s readers, Annette and Dennis, you guys rock!

See the rest of Annette and Dennis Diaz’ wedding photos on Flickr.

Photos by: Katsi Del Rosario, Sarah Antona, Lyn Chun, Miguel Rodriguez, Johnny Uribe, Steven Wang, Ray Warriner

A couple’s slideshow that was shown at their wedding featuring photos from their rock and roll e-session

More photos from their rehearsal dinner and wedding day.

Image is a screenshot from the track’s official music video (embedded below)

Those familiar with the Chicago jangle-pop band The Hush Sound (currently on hiatus) will be pleased to know that vocalist Greta Morgan now fronts newish indie rock act Gold Motel whose music sounds like “ice cream melting in the sun“. Indeed it does. Their self-titled EP is a delightful collection of happy, sunny pop reminiscent of 60s girl band harmonies that instantly bring images of polaroid-tinted childhood summers to mind.

If you are planning a retro or vintage themed wedding, including this song in your reception playlist is a must! (In my humble opinion, at least. )

Morgan’s songwriting is ace as always. Take Perfect in My Mind‘s lyrics:

I don’t have forever, but I’ll live like I do
Feels like endless summer with the light shining through
All I have is borrowed, my skin and my bones
All I have is borrowed, but I wear these summer clothes

Every thing is just fine
Every thing is just fine
So long as I’m by your side
It’s perfect in my mind

Now listen to it:

ARATTA8XRH3Q

A few days ago, I wrote about how fun and easy it is to dress up for a striped wedding. This time, I will provide you with some visual inspiration on how to style a stripe-themed wedding reception.

Striped Wedding Reception

Striped Wedding Cakes

Aside from the bride and groom, the cake is usually the star of the wedding reception. There are tons of inspiration on Flickr but I particularly love this simple yet very attractive striped wedding cake that was featured on Martha Stewart Wedding website’s Striped Wedding Details feature. The stripes are formed by layering strips of multi-colored fondant around the cake’s circumference.

A few more striped wedding cake photos for your inspiration:

1. Striped Wedding Cake, 2. Madhatter Cake, 3. Striped Wedding Cake, 4. More playing!

Striped Wedding Bouquets

For a stripe-themed wedding, you can go ahead and choose your favorite flowers. Arrange them into a bunch and tie them up with striped ribbons that match your color motif.

Image via Better Homes and Gardens

You can buy striped ribbons at craft stores. Alternatively, you can also wrap solid-colored ribbons around your bouquet’s handle in layers to form stripes  (like in the first striped wedding cake above).

Striped Table Setting and Reception Decor

Image via Martha Stewart Weddings

To ensure that the striped wedding theme is carried all throughout the event, deck the reception area with bright and funky striped details in your color theme. Here are a few items to get you started.

Neat Stripes Table Linen Collection

Sydney Plaid Table Linen Collection

Jonathan Adler Italia Trio

Rosebud Stripe Runner

Summer Splash Corn on the Cob Dishes/Picks

Happy Cheeks Lola Stripe Chair Cushion

Stripes Stackable Ceramic Salt & Pepper Shakers (set of 2)

Candy Cane Dessert/Snack Plates (set of 4)

Earth Tone Stripes Ribbed Placemat & Napkin

Striped Wedding Favors

You might as well go all out with the striped theme and extend it to the favors and keepsakes to send your bridal party and guests home with as a reminder of your colorful celebration.

"About to Pop!" Popcorn Favor Box (Set of 24)	Cool Stripes Personalized Mint Tin
"Hearts-n-Stripes" Personalized Mint Tin	Wedding Stripes Favor Saver
The Sweetest Couple Pastel Stripes Personalized Hershey Chocolate Bars	Chocolate Bath Salts

Striped Gifts for your Bridal Party

Gifts for your bridal party should also reflect your wedding’s theme so that they’ll remember you and your striped wedding whenever they see or use it.

Trifold Note Cards with Hinged Box

Foldover Notecards w/ Keepsake Box (set of 12) – Be Square, Miami Venn & Offset

Spiral Photo Album

Belgravia Cactus Stripe Cosmetic Bag

Chartreuse Stripe Market Tote

And finally… A Striped Gift for your Groom

Give your new hubby a keepsake that will remind him of your unique and special stripe-themed party.

Stripe Cadet Slim Laptop Tote