Byron and Rose’s wedding was the ultimate blend of laid-back rebellion and deep personal style – think shotgun wedding energy meets backyard house party, with a punk twist. Hosting it at the a family home kept it intimate and unruly in the best way (but did mean it was a lot of work to organise!)

There was no pretense here – just real people, real food (shrimp and cupcakes, hell yes!), and the kind of chaotic joy that inly comes from swimming in your underwear with heart-shaped balloons! “Shotgun, with a twist,” is how Rose described it, and that checks out. No venue. No matching napkins. No pretending.

The couple planned everything at short notice and hosted it at a family home, a decision that shaped the tone of the day. It felt loose, familiar, and honest. “We were married by and with those we love, that’s all that mattered for us at the end of the day,” Rose said. “All of the decorations were ours, we used curtains and utilised burlap string to tie fake flowers to the table cloths and the wall hanging for a little ‘umph.’ Better than nothing!”

Food and alcohol was the biggest expense because keeping people fed and happy mattered more than appearances. “Probably all of it was a money-saver,” Rose admitted. “Doing it at our family’s house, decorating and cooking the food ourselves really helped keep the event reasonably priced. But it did add a little stress.”

That stress didn’t stop them from enjoying the day. The ceremony was short, funny, and exactly what they needed. “It felt very much like us,” Rose said. “A few laughs, and serious when it was meant to be.” The rest of the evening flowed without much structure. Hanging out, some accidental limbo, and eventually (because of course) people jumping into the pool in their clothes.

“It’s not that deep,” she said, when asked what she wished more people understood about planning a non-traditional wedding. “So much stress is released when you allow the traditional idea to go out the window.”

If she could go back and give herself a warning, she’d keep it real. “Strap in bitch, event planning this small of a wedding is going to kick your ass!” But even then, her advice to others stays grounded: “Just have fun. Life presents enough problems and you two are the respite for such. Take a deep breath and be in the moment with your partner.”