Long before I set about the daunting task of getting married last year, I noticed that the blogosphere was crammed to its virtual seams with twee little blogs about dainty arty hipster themed weddings. Bicycle weddings! Vintage barn weddings! Cupcake and record player weddings! Analogue camera weddings! And I also noticed that there was one theme that Portland twentysomething graphic designer couples hadn’t yet mangled with their feathered hair accessories and mismatched china patterns: CRYPTOZOOLOGY.
I owe my inspiration for this theme largely to Gregory’s (aka Mr. Forest Friend’s) best friend Jesse, who has never let the lack of definitive chupacabra sightings stop him from fabricating evidence. I assume everyone goes through a cryptozoology phase, just like everyone goes through a dinosaur phase. But for us sensible grown-up humans, the “study” of cryptozoology holds the same excitement as discovering weird animals and bugs is for a kid. When we discover another example of the paleolithic relics and genetic anomalies that lurk in the unexplored depths of the ocean and hearts of the forest, we’re shocked into a state of awe at the variety and mystery of the natural world. The study of strange, evasive and possibly non-existent creatures is important because it reminds us that the whole of life is but a never-ending quest of exploration… much like marriage (which should probably qualify me as a card-carrying cryptozoologist, n’est pas?).
This was my philosophical meta-explanation for celebrating the purported existence of semi-supernatural fauna on my wedding day. The parallel and more obvious reason was that cryptozoology lent itself well to visualizations and accessories (Binoculars! Maps! Terrariums! Edwardian-style illustrations! “Artifacts” evidencing the presence of mythical creatures!).
Besides the megafauna cryptids on the cake and my giant jellyfish on the invitation, the Dryad Tiara was the most interesting piece to come out of my hare-brained wedding theme. It was inspired by this insanely expensive but very beautiful Maison Michel crystal headband, designed by me and produced by my mother and myself, with minerals indigenous to Nova Scotia (white quartz, hematite, rose quartz, purple quartz, jasper, geodes) and gold wire.
At first, I wondered how it would stay on my head. But the tiara is heavy enough that gravity does most of the work, and the wire clings to your hair to keep it from slipping. I will definitely whip this out this summer in a dressed-down capacity… maybe with a long skirt, flat sandals and a holey t-shirt tied at the waist. Oh man, February sucks. Will the dulcet summer rays ever return to caress my naked skin? I want to roll in long grass in a diaphanous gown like a girl in a pre-Raphaelite painting! I want to climb trees in lace like the schoolgirls in Picnic at Hanging Rock! (Actually, that was pretty much my wedding. I regret nothing.)
Anyway, if you want to get inspired for spring, this is the headgear to do it in! The Dryad Tiara is now available on Etsy.
