Groovy Comic Book Wedding

black and gold wedding stationery @weddingchicks

It was important to this couple that their wedding reflected their personalities and be fun and memorable. They chose a non-traditional venue, Rock n Bowl, and tied together traditional yet modern elements within their theme.
Their wedding theme consisted of peacock and comic book elements. The challenge was to blend these two themes without being tacky; the trick was being subtle with both. Be inspired by the entirety of this groovy comic book wedding found in the full gallery here, captured by Arte de Vie.

peacockweddingshoes

peacock feather embellished wedding shoe @weddingchicks

handmade wedding banners @weddingchicks

DIY BROOCH BOUQUET

DIY and custom-made items became a big theme for our decor. Many hours of shopping and crafting with family and friends made it a fun and collective effort! My bouquet was handmade with brooches that were gifted by family and friends as well as thrift store and flea market finds. Our table top decor consisted of 28 assorted jewel-toned vases with carefully curated peacock and peasant feathers and gold embellishments accompanied by various lanterns and candles. All of the cake toppers, ring box, and “I DO” letters were beaded and glittered by hand. My bright blue shoes were trimmed with handcrafted feather shoe clips.

custom groomsmen mugs and cuff links @weddingchicks

blue and white wedding party @weddingchicks

brooch bouquet @weddingchicks

custom comic book cufflinks and boutonnieres

The groom’s and wedding party boutonnieres and corsages were custom-made paper flowers from comic book pages (a character for groom and each groomsman) and pages from Doctor Zhivago (paying homage to the origin of my name, Lara). All of the men in the wedding party wore cufflinks that were made to perfectly match each boutonniere. The mothers’ paper flower corsages were embellished with brooches and feathers to tie the elements together. The bridesmaids each carried a custom-made clutch with handcrafted decor in lieu of flowers while the flower girls carried unique “princess wands”. Other custom-made items included personalized wooden mugs for each groomsman designed by the groom and made by a friend of the couple, a Superman garter knit by a friend of the bride, engraved wine and pint glasses, and personalized lace handkerchiefs for our 2nd line at the end of the evening.

rock n roll bowling venue @weddingchicks

music venue ceremony @weddingchicks

bowling heels @weddingchicks

fun bowling alley photos @weddingchicks

trust and time

In hindsight I held too closely to much of what I was doing. Also, I should have stopped my “research” much sooner and focused on the vision that I developed. Sadly, I wasted some valuable time scouring the internet making sure that there wasn’t something else out there that I might like better… Trust yourself and your own vision. And most of all, I would have been better organized so we weren’t still crafting on my wedding day! But it all worked out perfectly and came together exactly as I envisioned. My advice to DIY brides is not to get too caught up in the DIY idea. Being a DIY bride takes a lot of extra planning and organization and some things are more time- and money-efficient to just outright buy! Also, stay organized and on schedule – time will quickly escape if you don’t manage it properly causing undue stress. Plan for your projects to take double the amount of time and trust me when I say you will be wondering where the time went. Most of all, have fun and enjoy every moment!

comic book grooms cake @weddingchicks

comic book inspired cupcakes @weddingchicks

Read on to see how much this ___ wedding cost. Please note that costs change as the years go by, and prices are subject to change. This is just one couple’s breakdown to give you a rough estimate on how much a wedding like this may cost you.

Budget Breakdown:
Venue Rock n Bowl 11,577.50
Band Groovy 7 3,500.00
Ceremony Guitar Nick Taravella of Groovy 7 300.00
A Cappella Trio Jay-Ray & Gee 150.00
Photographer Arte de Vie 3,000.00
Videography WedFlik 649.00
Officiant John Zimmer 325.00
Event Artist Christina Pappion 700.00
Calligraphy Gifts from friends 0.00
Wedding Invitations Wedding Paper Divas 416.95
Personalized Napkins Wedding Paper Divas 76.45
Transportation Limousine Livery 1198.80
Wedding Cakes (3) Sucré 1259.25
Groom’s Cake Cakes by Jeanne (silent auction) 100.00
Cupcakes and Turtles Haydel’s 250.00
Additional Food/Dessert Dickie Brennan & Co. (gift to bride) 0.00
Bridal Gown Humbug Bridal/Maggie Sottero “Emma” 1300.00
Veil Etsy - CocoBridalBoutique 57.95
Bride’s Shoes BCBG 69.95
Bride’s Bowling Shoes Striking Products 114.00
Bride’s Makeup Ashley Sievert Beauty 65.00
Bride’s Hair Gerald William (gift) 0.00
Bride’s Necklace Peora (Superman Pendant) 73.98
Bride’s Earrings Something Borrowed from Groom’s mother 0.00
Bridesmaid’s Earrings Chloe + Isabel 380.00
Groom’s Suit/Shoes Jeff’s Haberdashery (gift from mother) 0.00
Etched Wine/Pint Glasses customglassware.com 750.18
Bridesmaid Clutches Ruby Rue Creations 300.00
Flower Girl/Ring Bearer Gifts Ruby Rue Creations 150.00
Paper Flowers/Cufflinks Etsy – glamMKE 352.00
2nd Line Handkerchiefs Etsy – roxygs 382.00
Wooden Mugs Big Easy Beer Mugs 330.00
Wedding Wands Amazon.com 95.31
DIY Rough Budget:
Bouquet Brooches and supplies 250.00
Cake and Cupcake Toppers Wooden L and words/hearts 25.00
Table Decor Vases, Feathers, Candles, Lanterns, Misc. 800.00
Miscellaneous Wine charms, Serving platters, Misc. 100.00
Miscellaneous Supplies Glue, Ribbon, Glitter, Beads, etc. 100.00
Time. Bride, Groom, Family, Friends Priceless. 0.00
Shopped from: Michael’s, World Market, Pier 1 Imports, Hobby Lobby, Stein Mart, Kirkland’s, TJ Maxx, Hancock Fabrics, Gordon’s, Tuesday Morning, flea markets, amazon.com, etsy.com, craftcuts.com, lamplightfeather.net