Saturday, May 30, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Steampunk: A Note
What exactly is Steampunk?
To put it simply, Steampunk is a subcultural trend, a descendant of fantasy and sci-fi, whose aesthetic is a blend of science and magic, and it’s based on the daydream: When the people of 19th century Victorian England imagined the future, what did they see?
Just like we picture Star Trek and space colonies, sleek steel and tiny computers, they might have pictured steam-powered information-gathering and organizing devices, dirigibles and airships that actually work. Steampunk combines today’s technology with the technology of the Industrial Revolution, the sense of adventure that came with the height of Orientalism, and the constant sense of discovery that infused culture in the 19th century.
And then submerse it in sepia tones and make it run on steam and clockwork and maybe a little bit of magic.
Think of Jules Verne and Mary Shelly. Think of the World’s Fair. Think of Adventure and Innovation, Exploration and Invention.
Some Links for the Curious:
I think madbrewlabs.com puts is very succinctly, and really gets at what Kris and I love about it:
Also, I just want to take this chance to note- since the wedding will be out-doors, you might want to make sure you're wearing comfortable, sturdy shoes, rather than those sexy spiked heels I know each and every one of you keeps in the back of the closet for those unexpected special luncheons with the president.
Some Links for the Fashion-Conscious:
(Now, just to be clear, neither Kris nor I mean for these links to encourage you to BUY BUY BUY. Not at all. Rather, these links bring you to some awesome resources of inspiration and idea-gathering. Steampunk fashion is very easy to DIY if you are so inclined, and if you aren't inclined to dress up like this at all, it's absolutely NO BIG DEAL.)
That said, the wikipedia article on steampunk had a really great description of steampunk fashion:
Also, just because I can't resist the opportunity to reccommend some good books or movies or cartoons and what-have-you, here's a list of some steampunk media, just to give you an idea:
To put it simply, Steampunk is a subcultural trend, a descendant of fantasy and sci-fi, whose aesthetic is a blend of science and magic, and it’s based on the daydream: When the people of 19th century Victorian England imagined the future, what did they see?
Just like we picture Star Trek and space colonies, sleek steel and tiny computers, they might have pictured steam-powered information-gathering and organizing devices, dirigibles and airships that actually work. Steampunk combines today’s technology with the technology of the Industrial Revolution, the sense of adventure that came with the height of Orientalism, and the constant sense of discovery that infused culture in the 19th century.
And then submerse it in sepia tones and make it run on steam and clockwork and maybe a little bit of magic.
Think of Jules Verne and Mary Shelly. Think of the World’s Fair. Think of Adventure and Innovation, Exploration and Invention.
Some Links for the Curious:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk
- http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-steampunk-science-fiction.htm
- http://www.boingboing.net/2007/06/17/what-steampunk-means.html
- http://www.madbrewlabs.com/index.php/2008/10/29/brass-goggles-what-is-steampunk/
I think madbrewlabs.com puts is very succinctly, and really gets at what Kris and I love about it:
"Airships, clockwork contraptions, steam engines, gears, cogs, Victorian fashion, gaslights, and of course, goggles. All of these trappings hold the flavor of Steampunk… I usually think of Steampunk as 19th century earth but with anachronistic technology, or rather, modern devices created with 19th century technology. Usually steam-powered, hence steampunk. It is what would have happened if the Industrial Revolution went wild. So we have determined the first root of the word steampunk, but what about the other part? I tend to believe that the punk is derived from the rebellious, swashbuckling element of the genre. Adventure. Defiance. Many stories of the genre defy established social mores, religious dogma, and government philosophies. Punk also embodies the do-it-yourself anthem of the Steampunk culture."So now that you have a grasp of the basics, on to fashion. If you’re worried about what to wear, don’t. Easy as that. We want you to be comfortable and have fun. But if you want to dress up, feel free! Go wild with some Victorian costuming! Combine an underbust corset with your favorite pair of corduroy pants! It could be as complex as a whole costume with bustle and corset or vest and bowler hat, pocket watch and coattails, or as simple as a necklace made of clockwork pieces from an old watch or a pair of aviator goggles thrown on with your dress. The point is to have fun above all else, so if you don’t feel comfortable dressing up in costume, don’t worry about it! We love you.
Also, I just want to take this chance to note- since the wedding will be out-doors, you might want to make sure you're wearing comfortable, sturdy shoes, rather than those sexy spiked heels I know each and every one of you keeps in the back of the closet for those unexpected special luncheons with the president.
Some Links for the Fashion-Conscious:
(Now, just to be clear, neither Kris nor I mean for these links to encourage you to BUY BUY BUY. Not at all. Rather, these links bring you to some awesome resources of inspiration and idea-gathering. Steampunk fashion is very easy to DIY if you are so inclined, and if you aren't inclined to dress up like this at all, it's absolutely NO BIG DEAL.)
That said, the wikipedia article on steampunk had a really great description of steampunk fashion:
“'Steampunk fashion' has no set guidelines, but tends to synthesize modern styles as filtered through the Victorian era. This may include gowns, corsets, petticoats and bustles; gentlemen's suits with vests, coats and spats; or even military-inspired garments. Often, steampunk outfits will be accented with a mixture of technological and period accessories: timepieces, parasols, goggles and ray guns.”
Also, just because I can't resist the opportunity to reccommend some good books or movies or cartoons and what-have-you, here's a list of some steampunk media, just to give you an idea:
- Disney's Treasure Planet or Atlantis (although, Atlantis as a movie was kind of terrible.)
- Jules Verne, Mary Shelly, H.G. Wells
- The Movies Howl's Moving Castle and Castle in the Sky
- The graphic novel The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
- The webcomic FreakAngels ( http://www.freakangels.com/ )
- The anime Last Exile
Venue?
SO! Kris and I may or may not have found our venue! Eee!
We went to visit the Massabesic Audubon Center in Auburn today, and it's gorgeous and they rent it for weddings and it's super affordable and the money would go to a GOOD CAUSE and it's outdoors and there's a handy dandy bathroom facility for guests to use so there wouldn't have to be port-a-potties and it's not too far away or hard to get to and and and it's absolutely lovely.
The whole thing feels quite serendipitous, actually. Seems like serendipity has been a theme in this whole wedding planning. There's an apple tree right in the field where we'd be set up, too, which felt like a sign or something. (If you know Kris, you know how important apples are to her- they're a symbol of life and healing [which is important to her because of all her health problems] and knowledge [which both of us value so much].)
The only thing is that you have to rent and coordinate all your own tents and tables and chairs and basically everything but the space. Which I think we can do, but it's a little daunting. I mean, those costs could be covered by what we save on the venue rental itself, and the space is nice enough that we won't need a lot in the way of decorations, so that's money saved too. I think it's definitely more than do-able.
So! My next task is to figure out exactly HOW to coordinate all that other stuff. Because I think the Audubon Center might be as close to perfect as it gets. The space is absolutely stunning- the trails are gorgeous and I imagine it'll be even more stunning in fall, when all the leaves are changing.
We went to visit the Massabesic Audubon Center in Auburn today, and it's gorgeous and they rent it for weddings and it's super affordable and the money would go to a GOOD CAUSE and it's outdoors and there's a handy dandy bathroom facility for guests to use so there wouldn't have to be port-a-potties and it's not too far away or hard to get to and and and it's absolutely lovely.
The whole thing feels quite serendipitous, actually. Seems like serendipity has been a theme in this whole wedding planning. There's an apple tree right in the field where we'd be set up, too, which felt like a sign or something. (If you know Kris, you know how important apples are to her- they're a symbol of life and healing [which is important to her because of all her health problems] and knowledge [which both of us value so much].)
The only thing is that you have to rent and coordinate all your own tents and tables and chairs and basically everything but the space. Which I think we can do, but it's a little daunting. I mean, those costs could be covered by what we save on the venue rental itself, and the space is nice enough that we won't need a lot in the way of decorations, so that's money saved too. I think it's definitely more than do-able.
So! My next task is to figure out exactly HOW to coordinate all that other stuff. Because I think the Audubon Center might be as close to perfect as it gets. The space is absolutely stunning- the trails are gorgeous and I imagine it'll be even more stunning in fall, when all the leaves are changing.
Monday, May 18, 2009
As I was working on coming up with designs for our wedding invites, I came across this awesome stock image site. It's full of high-res images and scans of and from old books dating mostly from the 18th and 19th century, as well as some early 20th century. It's very very cool, and free, not to mention all the images are in the public domain. I thought someone out there might also find it inspiring. *grin* You can find it HERE. Hope you enjoy it!
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