Many couples meet on dating apps, and Elena and Philip were no different. They immediately bonded over their nerdy tattoos – his, a Zelda design and hers a Star Wars rebellion piece. Their love of ink actually ended up inspiring the custom-embroidery by Holly Winter Couture on Elena’s wedding dress, made by Beyond the Veil Boutique.

The September wedding was themed around Bilbo Baggins’ eleventy-first birthday party. Although they now live in the UK, they opted to marry in the bride’s home country of Spain, as it was much cheaper to get what they wanted there. The forest campsite was transformed into Middle-earth with plenty of DIY magic.

“We knew we didn’t want a typical wedding, and since people already dress up and put costumes on for a wedding, why not do it with something that represents us and we love?” Philip said. Elena added, “We wanted to celebrate the little things in life and like Hobbits enjoy the company of our fellow friends and breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, supper and all the good meals in between.”

Guests showed up as Hobbits in their own interpretations of Shire style. Even their photographers dressed as Hobbits too! DIY decorations filled the site, and the day unfolded like Tolkien fan-fiction rewritten as a wedding playbook.

The ceremony mixed Hobbit rituals with Scottish and Celtic handfasting. Friends and family (dubbed the Fellowship of the Ceremony) bound the couple with cords representing values like empathy, loyalty, and intimacy. Each was handed a Lorien leaf and a ring to channel their “magic” into the binding. One cousin gave them a clock with the time stopped forever at the moment of their marriage. Another cousin read from a book with a mirror hidden inside, asking them to look at themselves as “perfect as we are.”

Elena walked in to the music from Tony Stark’s funeral in from Avengers Endgame. Philip chose an orchestral Legend of Zelda theme. The rest of the soundtrack was a mashup of Lord of the Rings scores. Phones were banned. Instead, guests got little pouches to stash them away. “What a wonderful decision,” Elena said. “Everyone was mindful and in the moment. We hired professionals to capture it, and we do not regret any part of this.”

The reception was pure Hobbiton vibes. They entered to the Star Wars Cantina Band song and toasted with croquetas instead of champagne. A three-metre Hobbit door became the backdrop for a photo booth armed with foam swords, shields, and a cut-out of Gollum.

Almost everything was DIY. Elena embroidered Hobbit door badges, which doubled as favours, and launched her own Etsy shop off the back of them. Her family hand-painted wooden Hobbit door ornaments and even baked lembas bread. At one point during the party, the couple called every guest on stage to hand out the favours one by one, turning what could have been a forgotten detail into a moment where everyone felt seen and appreciated.

Philip summed up the day perfectly. “The atmosphere and the energy was incredible, it was all magical.”

Elena put it even simpler. “We laughed, we cried, we ate, we drank, we partied, WE MARRIED!”

Their advice for other couples? “Be present and mindful, not only on the day but on the journey to it. Communicate and create with love. Not all those who wander are lost, and may the force be with you.”