About the Writer
My name is Maddy (Susser) Hague. I’m a born and raised New Yorker who, after moving to Long Island in third grade, lost her Queens accent after being teased mercilessly for it. I was transplanted in the Twin Cities of Minnesota shortly after graduating from Rhode Island School of Design. I hold a BFA in Graphic Design and spend my nine to five working as a photo art director and graphic designer for a corporation based in the area. I also do freelance design and am the co-editor-in-chief of Nonpareil Magazine, an online-only wedding magazine with a do-it-yourself focus. I’m obsessed with letterpress (I own a Craftsman Imperial), baking (I love making and decorating cupcakes), and baseball (my heart belongs to the Yankees – yes, yes I know, boo, hiss…). I’m mildly obsessed with AMC’s Mad Men (the art direction! Be still my heart!) and am currently redecorating our place to be what I’ve come to call “Mad Men Modern”. I’m also a newlywed as of May 31, 2009, and my husband and I live in a loft in downtown Minneapolis with our two incredibly spoiled Bengal kitties, Marlowe and Jocko.
About the Inspired Bride™
The Inspired Bride™ was born on New Year’s Day in 2009 when I was in the middle of my own wedding planning. I’d found a lot of web sites and blogs that had a strong “Real Weddings” focus but they didn’t fit my way of thinking. Although they were beautiful to look at, I didn’t like having the finished product handed to me and felt like looking at what other people had done for too long would prevent me from injecting my own creativity and personality into my wedding. Call me picky, but I was also looking for something that fit my taste and was also thinking about the big picture. I wanted more of an emphasis on the “how to” – how to pull it together, how to make the favors, how to choose between this and that. I had always been into entertaining and party planning, and I was really enjoying how my own wedding was coming together, so I figured if it didn’t exist, I should just make it! Since its inception, I’ve been really influenced by my experience as an art director and by stylists I’ve worked with in the past (including some former Martha Stewart Weddings folks!) to find unique, stylish, and pretty details to work into any wedding.
Editorial Policy
Image Use: Photography on this blog is always credited to the best of my knowledge and is used under the Fair Use Doctrine of U.S. Copyright Law. If you own the rights to an image and would like it removed from the blog or would like to request a change to a credit, please contact me privately. The Inspired Bride™ reserves the right to request proof of copyright ownership in either case to ensure changes are accurate.
Content and Advertising: The Inspired Bride™ is a blog of daily editorial-only content. Advertisers are welcome, but blog posts are never sold. Purchasing ad space on the Inspired Bride™ does not guarantee coverage. If I elect to write about an advertiser who is currently active on a post’s live date, it will be noted that while they are supporting the blog, I have not been paid or otherwise compensated for the space.
Comments: Your thoughts, opinions, and suggestions are always welcome, appreciated, and respected at the Inspired Bride™. While I do not have the time to respond to each comment I receive (I wish I did!) I do monitor what is being said on the blog. Please be respectful of every couple and company that is featured on the Inspired Bride™; any comment that I consider rude, disrespectful, mean, or otherwise offensive will be deleted. If you have a complaint with a company that is featured, please remember that it is a private matter and the Inspired Bride™ is not a venue to air your grievances. Any comments that are clearly designed only to promote a company or website will be marked as spam.
Site Credits
The Inspired Bride™ and its logo was designed by me. The gorgeous floral motif at the top was designed by my incredibly talented father-in-law, illustrator Michael Hague.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will you feature same sex couples or [ insert any religion or lack thereof here ]-based ceremonies?
I have to admit, this question took me by surprise, but I’ve made an effort to keep my beliefs and politics off this blog. Yes, weddings are surprisingly political, especially in the States these days! For the record, I am totally in support of gay marriage, and I was raised Jewish but am an atheist (if you’re wondering, my parents, who are “still” Jewish are in support of gay marriage, too). You’re free to disagree with my choices, but I won’t push them anywhere because I don’t want this blog to be a venue for larger political discussions. That being said, yes, we’re an equal opportunity blog and these weddings will face the same editorial eye as everyone else. While I also encourage everyone to share opinions on this blog, I will not allow these weddings to be treated disrespectfully through inappropriate comments. I completely understand that not everyone agrees with my views, but that doesn’t give anyone the right to insult or harass individuals completely unconnected with him or herself.
Do you offer advertising?
Yes, we do! Thanks for your interest. See the blog’s advertising page here for more information.
May I link to you?
Yes! You don’t have to e-mail me for permission. I’m glad you like IB enough to include us in your blog roll, though!
Will you exchange links with me?
The Inspired Bride™ does not exchange links with vendors, however I’m more than happy to consider you if you are the author of a wedding blog or editorial site. I look for links that would be a good fit with the blog’s readers, are consistently updated, and are well designed. If I’m interested, I’ll certainly get back to you.
Can I pay for a post / create content for your blog?
The Inspired Bride™ does not offer in-post advertising, and I never intend to. In the same vein, I do not allow vendors to create content for this blog. The editorial level and authenticity of this blog is incredibly important to me. In keeping with that, I only extend guest posting offers to those who I think align with my tastes and are independent of any vendor who may have an interest in posting their products on this site. If you want to put your product in front of me, please submit it through the appropriate channels. I appreciate it and look forward to what you have to show me!
How can I become listed in your vendor directory (the List)?
The list is an exclusive, editor-approved directory. Unlike some other vendor directories, our listings are based purely on work and I receive no compensation for adding any company (except maybe in good karma). If you have any suggestions for our directory, I’d be glad to consider them. To be listed, the company must have a URL will a full website and portfolio to view rather than a “business card” website. If I like the work, I’ll list it! You can send a consideration request through the contact page form.
