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.

The ceremony moved away from a standard format. The day began with the couple doing a ‘first look letters’ where they privately read their vows to each other without looking at each other. Then they turned around for their first look. “One of the most special moments during the planning was writing that letter”, Sam continued, “I wrote a little bit for multiple days leading up to the wedding.”

The ceremony itself was handed over to Sam’s cousin-in-laws, Jacob and Caroline. They created something personal using answers Sam and Liam had written separately. Jacob opened with an excerpt about the boy and the fox from The Little Prince and Caroline spoke about the unity ceremony. Sam and Liam heard it all for the first time alongside their guests. “Jacob and Caroline did a phenomenal job and made the ceremony so much more meaningful”. they said. “They perfectly blended humour, personality, compassion, and creativity.”

Masquerade masks were worn throughout the evening, with guests fully committing to the idea. There was an expectation that the masks might be a short-lived novelty, but people love them! Some guests even brought their own when they’d heard about the theme. The only DIY element was the easel and framed display for the masks the couple provided. It became a focal point without needing to be anything elaborate.

Money was saved by skipping things like printed invites and instead using digital versions. Sam also bought things with their future in mind. Her dress will be worn again to a fantasy ball, accessories will be reused and most of the décor has already moved onto a new home. Pretty much anything marketed labelled specifically for weddings was avoided.

“The hunt for more alternative vendors and things we actually liked was quite tedious but well worth it”, admitted Sam. “It was hard to find vendors in my area that either cater to or have portfolios that exhibit ‘alternative’ work. We were so happy with Alisa Grieve Photography, Memory Poets, who did our video and B-Style Floral in particular. They were all affordable, kind, great to work with and had quick response times to our emails!”

By the end of it, the couple had having very few regrets about their day. “Something I wish I had heard more about is that there’s no ‘right’ way to emotionally react during your wedding”, Sam concluded. “It’s okay if you don’t cry, or if you cry at unexpected moments. There can be a lot of subtle pressure to react in certain ways, especially when you’re aware that everyone is watching. I’m also incredibly grateful we have as much footage from our wedding as we do. There were moments when my attention got pulled away, maybe by a random noise, the realisation that all eyes were on me, or even the thought that I might not cry at the ‘right’ time. Being able to look back at those moments later helps me appreciate parts of the day that I might not have fully taken in at the time.”