The Honest Guide to Planning a Wedding on a Budget: How to Plan a Dream Wedding You Can Actually Afford

Jon Carpenter

Electric Sugar Elopements

March 31, 2026

From prioritising your budget, to recognising good deals, finding your people, and avoiding those oh-so-tempting money-pits - here’s a step-by-step guide to planning a dream day that won’t financially ruin you.

Moody Romance With Mountain Views

Kat

Leena Rose Photo

March 31, 2026

Thalia and Ricky choose Suncadia Resort in Cle Elum, WA, as their wedding venue for its open views, tall trees and late autumn colour. Leena McKinney, who photographed the day, describes it as “the perfect mix of moody romance and mountain views.” The couple kept their surroundings largely untouched. The ceremony design stayed minimal, allowing the location and their styling to lead.

Your Wedding Photos Are Gathering Dust on Your Hard Drive, Here’s How to Fix It

Guest Contributor

March 30, 2026

We got married back in 2022. And, slightly embarrassingly for someone who runs a photo book company, I only made our wedding album last year. Not because I didn’t care about the photos, quite the opposite in fact. They were some of the best photos we’d ever had taken.

Gothic Masquerade Ball in Milwaukee

Kat

Alisa Grieve

March 30, 2026

Sam had always wanted to attend a masquerade ball, so that, her a long-standing goth aesthetic and love for antiques, vintage furniture and trinkets were the main inspirations for her wedding to Liam. "It was like a moody gothic masquerade with antique eclecticism", she said.

Anti-Capitalist Couture: Eclectic Wedding Shoot Where Everything Was Thrifted, Upcycled or Reclaimed

Kat

Black Stag Creative

March 27, 2026

This shoot is a riot against the beige, minimal, Pinterest-approved wedding machine, this shoot came to us by-way of a new team of wedding suppliers from South Africa who wanted to push what it means to create a “styled wedding shoot”.

Halloween Party Meets Graveyard Gothic Wedding on a £1,500 Budget

Kat

Amy Davies

March 26, 2026

Chloe and Grant planned a fully themed gothic wedding, but their original idea looked very different. Like many couples, they started by mapping out a larger celebration and quickly watched the numbers climb. “Our original plans were going to cost almost £16k", Chloe told us. "We found it all very stressful so ended up cancelling everything. We went online and booked a registry office ceremony for £150 and didn't look back! We have zero regrets. I did my own make-up, made my bouquet, put together the decorations - everything! We didn't even have a photographer for the wedding itself, all the photos were taken on my Instax or by friends. The most important thing to us was to be married."

Alternative Engagement Ring Stones That Aren’t Diamonds

Guest Contributor

Devlin Photos

March 25, 2026

By now you’ve probably already heard the story about how and why diamonds became the go-to stone for engagement rings. But just in case you haven’t, the answer is marketing! Before the mid-20th century, diamond engagement rings were not the universal tradition they are today. In fact, many people proposed with other gemstones or family heirlooms.

Honky-Tonk Disco & Bowling Wedding

Kat

Wren and Rose

March 24, 2026

Morgan and Sam got married in a place where people usually go to drink beer, bowl and hear live music. Butch and Anne’s in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin is a dive bar with a vintage bowling alley tucked inside. The wedding photographer bride and musician groom first met while working the same wedding. Having both worked in the industry for years, they already knew exactly what they didn’t want.

Cheap Wedding Ideas That Don’t Actually Feel Cheap

Guest Contributor

Carlita Sari

March 18, 2026

A cheap wedding and a bad wedding are not the same thing. Some of the most joyful, memorable weddings cost very little money, and some of the most expensive weddings feel like a corporate conference with flowers. The difference is rarely the budget. It’s how couples choose to spend it. If you’re planning a wedding without a huge budget, your goal probably isn’t to make everything as cheap as possible. It’s to spend money where it matters and skip the things nobody really notices anyway. Here are some genuinely cheap wedding ideas that still feel thoughtful, fun and completely intentional.

Fear Comes the Bride: How Much of Ourselves Do We Lose When We Gain a Spouse?

Guest Contributor

Anna Captured

March 16, 2026

I’m like a wild stallion,” I hear myself say. “Frolicking through the forest.” I’m sitting in a sports bar. I’m 30 years old. I know nothing about horses. “And then one day a fence is built around the forest. And even if it were the biggest fence ever, and it was so big I would never even reach it to see it in person, I would still know it was there.” This is how I explained my aversion to marriage a decade ago, to the person I professed to love, who I’d been dating for four, and then five years. I would be trapped; the part I left unsaid.

Your Wedding Planning Cheat Sheet

Kat

Flame by Sami

March 12, 2026

Planning a wedding can feel like juggling flaming bouquets while blindfolded. But you’ve got this. Whether you’re engaged for three years or three weeks, this guide will help you keep your cool — and maybe even have some fun along the way.

A Groom’s Guide to Alternative Wedding Rings

Kat

March 11, 2026

Spend five minutes looking at wedding content online and a pattern appears quickly. Dresses, bridal beauty, hen parties, shoes... The spotlight tends to land firmly on "the bride". Meanwhile, many grooms are Googling things like “men’s wedding rings that aren’t boring” or "wedding suits that aren't only available grey, black or navy" and still coming up empty.

Dolly Parton Meets Mars Attacks with a Wes Anderson Spin

Kat

Of Colour and Hue

January 20, 2026

Tattoo Artists’ Low Maintenance Vegas Wedding

Kat

Christina Sforza

January 16, 2026

Angela and Garrett wanted to elope, but they also wanted a few of their favourite people with them, So they had the best of both words with their micro wedding in Vegas. They invited a few guests but it was 'lets just run off to Vegas' elopement vibes through and through.

Wild West High Noon Wedding in Vegas

Kat

Mayhew Photo LV

January 12, 2026

Adam and Kitty got married in Las Vegas with a guest list of six and a budget of around £5k including travel and accommodation from the UK. The ceremony took place at High Noon at the Welcome to Las Vegas sign, followed by a limo ride out to the Valley of Fire for portraits.

Crown of Thorns: A Gothic, Las Vegas Celebration

Kat

Christina Forza

January 9, 2026

Alex and Chaniel's wedding was built around the symbol of a crown of thorns. For them, it marked suffering, redemption and spiritual resolve they found through their relationship. It reflected the changes they made to arrive at marriage together.

Fun & Flirty Vegas Wedding at the Neon Museum

Kat

Jamie Y

March 2, 2026

Beth and Elliott, who travelled to Vegas from the UK for their wedding, described their day as “Fun, flirty, and so Vegas!” They brought some close friends and family members with them and treated the whole experience like a holiday. “Honestly, we just know what we like and ran with it." Beth told us. "We work so hard in our everyday lives we just wanted a big break. A day for us, about us and overflowing with love!”

Moody Pin-Up Scottish Castle Wedding with a Mid-Wedding Hair Transformation

Kat

Faye Wilde

February 27, 2026

We've seen the trend for brides cutting their hair before their reception a few times (and we love it) but this is definitely the first time we've seen someone cut and colour their hair midway through the wedding! That was just classic Gaelle though - she didn't want their wedding to be like anybody else's. Not wanting to be outshone, the groom cut his long hair as well and the reaction from their guests was priceless!

Headbanging & Handfasting: A Viking Inspired Barn Wedding

Kat

Wilder

February 25, 2026

Lucy and Mark leaned into a loose Viking influence for their barn wedding. They wanted the day to be chilled but also a little bit of them.

Retro, Tropical Disco Wedding with a Disco Ball Carrying Flower Nan

Kat

Courtney Stannard

February 24, 2026

The main references for Christie and Kevin's wedding were The Shining, the 1970s and 1990s with lots of ideas pulled from Rock n Roll Bride magazine! A nightclub venue in downtown Saratoga Springs, NY was the backdrop, with everywhere they went that day being within walking distance. The morning began at The Adelphi Hotel, where they got ready and started their photo session. From there, they moved into Congress Park, bringing their entire wedding party with them into the indoor carousel.

Elegant & Moody Til Death Wedding

Kat

Trevino

January 27, 2026

Victoria and Jonathon chose the Emerald Theatre in Mount Clemens, Michigan, for a their moody yet elegant, 'til death' inspired wedding. The venue really helped set the tone, with guitars lining the walls, a giant stage and coloured lighting throughout. They used black everywhere from her dress to linens, chairs and flowers.

Gothic Romance at Arnos Vale Cemetery

Kat

Becky Weir

January 14, 2026

Gothic romance was a loose reference point for Izzy and Josh autumn wedding, inspired by the bride's all -time favourite band, My Chemical Romance. Everyone expected her to turn up in a black dress, which would have been very on brand, but when she discovered a star-covered gown and veil by Boom Blush where the stars literally glowed in the dark, there really was no other option!

Wild West High Noon Wedding in Vegas

Kat

Mayhew Photo LV

January 12, 2026

Adam and Kitty got married in Las Vegas with a guest list of six and a budget of around £5k including travel and accommodation from the UK. The ceremony took place at High Noon at the Welcome to Las Vegas sign, followed by a limo ride out to the Valley of Fire for portraits.

Crown of Thorns: A Gothic, Las Vegas Celebration

Kat

Christina Forza

January 9, 2026

Alex and Chaniel's wedding was built around the symbol of a crown of thorns. For them, it marked suffering, redemption and spiritual resolve they found through their relationship. It reflected the changes they made to arrive at marriage together.

This ‘Goth Glam’ Shoot Is Proof That Weird Is the New Luxury

Kat

Stag & Bird

October 29, 2025

This shoot, dubbed Goth Glam by everyone involved, was created out of a need to shake things up. The team wanted to bring together Kansas City’s weirdest, boldest, and most unapologetic creatives and make something that proved “high-end” doesn’t have to mean beige. They called it a love letter to the alt-lux side of weddings: velvet and smoke, drama and decadence, edge and elegance. The goal was to show that goth, glam, and alternative can sit right alongside luxury, without losing the grit.

Forbidden Fruit Alternative Bridal Editorial

Kat

Tia Leigh

October 23, 2025

A single bite can change everything. That’s the energy behind Forbidden Fruit, a conceptual bridal meets boudoir shoot dreamt up by Suzy Marrero of Pepper Lavender Events. She calls it her “version of temptation meeting wedding day glam, where indulgence, lust, and allure take centre stage". It’s unapologetic. It’s decadent. And it dares you to look a little closer.

Halloween Wedding Shoot in Ecuador’s Enchanted Dry Forest

Kat

LH Film

October 20, 2025

Halloween is a little different in the southern hemisphere. In the dry forests of Quito, Ecuador, it arrives with sun, dust, and a different kind of magic. Assyah of Jamila and Juliette, who conceptualised and styled this photo shoot, wanted to capture that energy in the shoot, blending local traditions with a gothic edge.

Renaissance Inspired Beauty and the Beast Wedding with a Gothic Twist

Kat

Laura Fitzgerald

October 15, 2025

Do you love Disney but in a dark, alt way more than a girly fairytale way? Then you’re going to love this gothic-meets–Beauty and the Beast inspired wedding shoot. Although it wasn’t a real wedding, there are so many creative ideas you could steal for your own. Think: moody candlelight, corseted gowns, blood-red roses, gilded mirrors, dripping wax, and that perfectly haunting mix of romance and rebellion.