Shannon and Tyler hadn’t been to many weddings before their own so they weren’t especially interested in following template. What they planned instead was a day that made sense to them. And what Shannon wanted was rainbows. Lots and lots of rainbows.

“I think they’re the most beautiful things in the world to look at,” she said. “The way the colours blend, how they work together. For us, this theme just felt right.” That idea shaped the visual direction of the day, most clearly in the eight bridesmaids dressed in different colours and the centrepieces made from dyed ostrich feathers, dollar store vases, and leftover floral supplies from Shannon’s mum, who sadly passed away before the wedding.

The couple, who don’t drink, also opted for a dry wedding. They didn’t put on an elaborate meal either, preferring to keep things simple. They choose a variety of appetisers instead of a sit-down dinner, which turned out to be both more practical and more enjoyable for everyone. “It gave us loads of food options, and we actually liked it better than a formal menu”, the bride explained.

The ceremony took place in a small local church. Shannon walked in to Zelda’s Lullaby, and the couple exited to Made to Love by TobyMac. While guests waited for the paperwork to be signed, the Jeopardy theme played in the background. “It’s usually a kind of dead moment, so we added a bit of humour. It was silly, but it worked”, she said.

Shannon’s dress, made by Firefly Path, was one of the few things Shannon had a strong vision for. She’d followed the designer for years and described the process as collaborative and surprisingly stress-free. ” I didn’t bother going to a bridal store since I knew they would have nothing even close to my tastes. I loved designing my wedding dress with Firefly Path, as I had been following her designs for years, and getting updated every step of the was as her drawing came to life was amazing!”

Asked what advice she’d give to others planning something similar, Shannon kept it straightforward. “If you don’t care about a tradition, skip it. If you don’t like the reason behind it, change it. You’re allowed to do things differently, and you don’t need a reason beyond that. Tradition for tradition’s sake is meaningless.”