Literary Themed Weddings

What could be more beautiful than an amalgam of all you love? Your spouse to be and literature surrounded by family.

The Offbeat Bride suggests a library wedding

Raina’s library wedding

The offbeat bride: Raina, Graphic Designer

Her offbeat groom: Mike / freelance photographer & TV production guy

Location & date of wedding: The Clayville town library in Clayville, NY

What made our wedding offbeat: We really wanted to save a lot of money and keep it simple, simple, SIMPLE! We only had 7 people at the ceremony besides the two of us.

We did it at the tiny library in the town I grew up in. It was perfect because it was so small on the inside, and it happed to be a church at one point which lent itself to the layout of the ceremony well. We didn’t have a religious ceremony but it was kind of cute to be in an old church turned library (and my job involves designing book jackets, so it was extra special!).

… We spent under 600 dollars!

We spent the tiniest fraction of money you can on a wedding — we did this because we live in Brooklyn (high rent!) and our parents didn’t have money to give us so we knew we just had to be creative. The first step was to cut out guests and the whole idea of a reception.

I wore my mother’s wedding dress from 1979 which just so happed to be exactly what I was looking for in a dress! The only expense there was to have it taken in slightly and cleaned up a bit. Mike wore his grandfather’s wedding band, my mom and I did the flowers ourselves, and we had one of our good friends take all of the photos. Add in the cost of dinner for 9 people and we spent literally under 600 dollars on EVERYTHING! It was small, intimate, and the day was so memorable because of it. Everyone involved had a part — my brother was my “man of honor”! I just couldn’t have hoped for anything better.

Our biggest challenge: Our biggest challenge was dealing with all of the family drama that came along with not inviting my grandmother, and our aunts and uncles and cousins. We had to hear a lot of snide remarks, and people being hurt that we didn’t invite them! Our friends all understood — it’s so hard to be young and live in such an expensive city, so they were just happy that we were doing it OUR way. Family, however, just didn’t understand why we weren’t doing this huge, 200 guest shindig. I just have NEVER wanted that, or the stress that comes with it.

We had to politely explain, again and again and AGAIN (people just didn’t get it) That this was OUR DAY! And we can do what WE want! It’s a hard concept for family to grasp. We had a hard time keeping our cool having to tell them over and over, but in the end, we really didn’t want to offend anyone.

My favorite moment: My favorite moment of the day was a really unexpected one for me. I wasn’t planning on having my dad walk me down the aisle (being the modern lady I am!), but he really, really wanted to. So while everyone was inside of the library waiting for us, we had a few minutes for a nervous chat and a few laughs, out in the lobby and just the look on my dad’s face as we got ready to walk down the aisle (which was actually a row of bookshelves!) was wonderful and priceless. I always knew how much my dad loved me, but this was a moment that only happens once in a lifetime, and I’ll never forget it. It sounds awfully cheesy, but I was loving it.

My offbeat advice: Do what YOU want!!! I feel like I always read this advice on offbeat bride, but it’s so, so important. If you want a small wedding, find a way! If you want a huge one, find a way! Make a budget, too. If it’s 500 dollars, trust me, you can do it. If you want a huge wedding, that’s fine, just plan out exactly what your vision is before you go forward. You can do it!

Enough talk — show me the wedding porn: Who says you can’t have a beautiful wedding for $600?!

The wedding invites mentioned in the above:

A Librarian Author and His Library-Themed Wedding Invite
February 7, 2008

Southern California public librarian Scott Douglas LaCounte, aka "Scott Douglas," author of the upcoming humor memoir Quiet, Please and the "Dispatches from a Public Librarian" column for McSweeney's, is getting married, to a library assistant, and they've created some charming library-themed wedding invites.












Centerpiece idea for bibliophiles

Some centerpieces fit some gatherings perfectly, yet they're also pretty enough to decorate the table any other day. For a book club luncheon, a stack of books is the perfect anchor for the middle of the table. Use older looking books with dark colors, or new books with the dust jacket removed. Choose and stack the books with larger ones on bottom and smaller ones towards the top.

Storybook Invites





STORYBOOK gives you six pages to author the charming story of how you met, gather together special songs, or reprint parts of your love letters...be creative!

One Color Storybook $25.60/set
Two Color Storybook $27.80/set

Typewriter Guest Book (as suggested by Martha Stewart)

Set out an old-fashioned typewriter with long sheets of paper for guests to write good wishes to the bride and groom as the feeling strikes, says Martha. Look for inexpensive vintage machines online or at thrift stores or flea markets; they come in colors to go with any palette. After the wedding, tie into a scroll with ribbon.

Library board from snippets and ink

Board #164: Sshhhhhh...

...it's a library wedding! Complete with library card save-the-dates and stacks of books under every centerpiece. You can use an old typewriter for your guest book, and give small journals for favors. Here, even the bridesmaids' bouquet is part book (would that be a book-et? bad pun?), wrapped with colorful ribbon and decorated with chocolate cosmos. Another idea is to use book catalog cards as seating cards, and name tables after sections in the Dewey decimal system. Even if you don't get married in a library, the stacks of antique books as part of the centerpieces is one of my favorite elements, and is an easy way to incorporate your and your fiance's love of reading.

Mood: erudite elegance
Palette: rich red and mahogany, faded-paper ivory

{click image to enlarge}

Top row from left: boutonnieres from Rebecca Thuss, library book save-the-date by Crossroads Creative, cupcakes from Jen's Desserts
Row 2: bouquets by The Green Vase, Priscilla of Boston dress from Brides
Row 3: photo by Heather Waraksa, centerpieces by Artfool, library card invitation by Lily Darby, vintage type via More Ways to Waste Time (photo by thetypejunkie)
Row 4: centerpiece by LMD Floral, bow tie photo by Jessica Claire, old typewriter from Matthew Mead, book bouquet from Chewing the Cud (photo by Anna Kuperberg)

Update! I meant to include this earlier - Martha B did a library-inspired wedding board awhile back and it is truly lovely. For more library inspiration, take a look!
Update! How about this perfect invitation found on flickr?
Update! Look at these beautiful invitations by Sesame Letterpress via Faye & Greer.

Naming tables after authors

More examples can be found here

How to plan a Literary Wedding (from E-how)

Step 1:
If possible, plan the wedding on the day of your favorite author's birthday.

Step 2:
Write your own vows in the style of selected literature.

Step 3:
Use an officiant with an appropriate accent to enhance the feel of the wedding.

Step 4:
Design invitations in the format of a book. Use a play on the title in the invitation. Use a font that is reminiscent of the selected literature.

Step 5:
Plan the wedding attire to reflect the period of the story's setting.

Step 6:
Plan food and decorations for the wedding that are reflective of the culture found in the literary work.

Step 7:
If possible, give each guest a copy of the literary work on tape as a wedding favor.

Step 8:
Leave the reception in transportation fitting of the literary theme.

Some other wedding ideas I found on the indie bride forum

Dewey Decimal System Seating

Carrying a book instead of a bouquet, possibly including a single flower stem

A Lewis Carrol style tea-party reception with printed confetti and printed streamers to be thrown at the finale.

Song idea by Moxy Furvous

Lyrics below:

Well you should see my story reading baby, you should hear the things that she says
She says, "Hon drop dead, I'd rather go to bed with Gabriel Garcia Marquez."
Cuddle up with William S. Burroughs, leave on the light for Bell Hooks
I been flirtin' with Pierre Burton 'cause he's so smart in his books
I like to go out dancin'
My baby loves a bunch of authors
My heart's so broke and bleedin'
Baby's just sittin' there doin' some readin'

So I started watchin' some T.V., played my new CD player too
She said: "Turn it off or I'll call the cops and I'll throw the book at you."
All this arguin' made me get dizzy, called my doctor to come have a look
I said, "Doctor hurry!" he said: "Don't worry I'll be over when I finish my book"
I like to go out dancin'
My baby loves a bunch of authors
We've been livin' in hovels
Spendin' all our money on brand new novels
So I got myself on the streetcar and it drove right into someone
The driver said: "I was looking straight ahead!" but he was reading The Toronto Sun
So my honey and me go to a counsellor to help figure out what we need
She said: "We'll get your love growin', but before we get goin', here's some books I'd like you to read"
I like to go out dancin'
My baby loves a bunch of authors
Lately we've had some friction
'Cause my baby's hooked on short works of fiction
So we split and went to a party, some friends my girl said she knew
But what a sight 'cause it's authors night and the place looks like a Who's Who
Now I'm poundin' the ouzo - with Mario Puzo
Who's a funny fella? - W.P. Kinsella
Who brought the cat? - Would Margaret Atwood?
Who needs a shave? - He's Robertson Davies!
Ondaatje started a food fight, salmon mousse all over the scene
Spilled some dressing on Doris Lessing these writer types are scream!
I like to go out dancin'
My baby loves a bunch of authors
We'll be together for ages
Eatin' and sleepin' and
Eatin' and sleepin' and
Eatin' and sleepin' and
Turnin' pages