Wedding Planners Gone Rogue: Our Favorite “Unconventional” Moments

At Ribbon and Rogue, we’ve seen it all. And we mean all. From rainbow chuppahs that take flight to cakes that wage war with Florida humidity. When you’ve planned and coordinated over 500 weddings combined, you start to collect some wild stories.

We recently sat down in the bridal suite at Ocoee Lakeshore Center to swap a few of our favorite “unexpected twist” moments. Grab your coffee (or champagne), because these are the ones that prove: if something can happen on a wedding day, it just might, but we’ll still make it beautiful.

1. The Day the Huppah Took Flight

Picture a breathtaking ceremony at a ski resort in Breckenridge, Colorado. The couple is saying their vows, holding hands, mountains in the background… and then WHOOSH! The chuppah catches the wind and sails straight off a cliff. Hundreds of feet down. Gone forever.

With no way to retrieve it, Claire improvised by gathering the bridesmaids’ bouquets and turning them into a gorgeous floral garland for the sweetheart table. Crisis averted, and the couple still got their “wow” moment.

2. When the Interpreter Ghosted

Jessica once worked with a couple whose groom’s parents were deaf. They’d arranged for an ASL interpreter… or so they thought. Minutes before the ceremony, she found out no one had actually been booked.

Plan B? Position the parents where they could clearly see their son’s face and read his lips. The couple made the call to skip a last-minute stand-in so everyone could enjoy the ceremony without distraction.

3. The Lesbian Jewish Pagan Wedding

One of Claire’s most memorable weddings combined three traditions into one: Jewish, Pagan, and a whole lot of love. The couple married under a rainbow chuppah, processed underneath it with “pole bearers,” created a sacred leaf circle, and signed the ketubah. All in a 50-minute ceremony that was as unique as it was beautiful.

4. Elmo Crashes the Dance Floor

File this under “things we didn’t see coming.” A bride who once worked at Sesame Street in SeaWorld got a surprise visit from… Elmo. In full costume. On the dance floor. No one (not even the planner) saw that one coming, but it was pure joy.

5. The Unity Taco

Forget sand or wine ceremonies. One couple sealed their love by biting into the same taco mid-ceremony. 10/10 on originality, and maybe a new trend in the making? For a smaller take with the same idea, you could choose to do a guacamole making ceremony.

6. Meet-and-Greet Brides

Disney cast members turned brides decided to give their guests the ultimate themed experience: a “meet and greet” after the ceremony. Guests lined up at a backdrop to take photos, just like at the parks, with their favorite characters, a.k.a. The couple.

7. That Time the Flowers Caught Fire

At Nova 535 in St. Pete, Claire spotted smoke rising from the reception tables mid-party. Turns out guests had pushed tea lights under the floral arrangements, and the blooms were literally burning. She and her assistant snuffed every candle, posted a lookout for the rest of the night, and the couple never knew. That’s stealth coordination at its finest.

8. Florida’s Cake-Melting Heat

Another day, another Florida heatwave but this time, a wedding cake was the victim. Arriving just before the ceremony, the cake had partially melted in the summer sun. Thankfully, the baker stayed behind to repair it during the “I do’s,” and by the time dessert rolled out, it looked flawless. The couple was none the wiser.

The Ribbon and Rogue Takeaway

Weddings are live events, and live events are unpredictable. But the best planners? We don’t just roll with it; we pivot, problem-solve, and keep the magic alive so you and your guests never feel the chaos behind the scenes.

Whether it’s a flying chuppah, a taco ceremony, or an unexpected Elmo cameo, we’ve got the experience (and the calm under pressure) to make your day unforgettable. For all the right reasons.

Want your wedding to be flawlessly you, even when things go rogue?
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