Bowling for "I do's"

I came across a super fantabulous article in the Hartford Courant about the trend of brides and grooms choosing to really think outside the box and throw weddings with their own quirkiness and style: 'I Do's' With a Difference.

My fave couple in the story, Kris & Rob, eloped on their own an then decided to throw a bowling party wedding reception, replete with personalized embroidered bowling shirts, and bowling pin centerpieces. The coined it "The Thompson Tournament of Love."

The message of the article is, though traditional weddings are mos def still alive and well, there is also a major identifiable trend of brides and grooms choosing to do things their own way, foregoing accepted traditions and inventing their own spins on what a wedding should and could be.

In terms of the wedding industry, many of us are already seeing this develop, and in fact, was my main impetus in creating Paper Bride. In a major way, it really sort of opens up the playing field. I bet this bowling alley in Connencticut, for instance, never considered that there might be a revenue stream for them in throwing weddings, and in fact, there just might be. Cupcakes, magnet/postcard save-the-dates, photo booths at weddings....unless you have been living under a rock, you have likely seen these things and many other unexpected items gain serious footholds in the industry over the past few years and this is absolutely, positively destined to continue. I think we all need to continue thinking waaaay outside the box regarding our own businesses and what we can be doing because...well...all the brides already are.