Alishia and JC met at a grocery store, discovered they lived in the same apartment complex and married just three months later! A year on, they gathered their friends and family at Longwood Historic Community Building for the full wedding celebration.

The couple spent $6,500 on the day that was inspired by the bride’s love vintage whimsy. Her wedding dress originally belonged to JC’s mum, who wore it in the 1980s. Alishia had it altered, then styled it with a tiara, vintage jewellery and PUMA Speedcat Ballet shoes. Her tattoos and piercings stayed firmly part of the look; there was no way she was going to cover them.

“To anyone who feels like they need to hide their tattoos for their wedding, take out their piercings, or dial down their unique look… don’t!” she said. “I do not regret a single thing about how I portrayed myself!” Alishia’s also chose to stand on the right during the ceremony because that was her good side. Wedding customs were welcome to stay, provided they worked for them.

The day’s playlist featured an eclectic mix of beabadoobee, Deftones, Linkin Park, M83, Tigers Jaw, Turnover and Harry Styles. At the reception, tables were filled with objects that meant something to them. On their first date, Alishia and JC bought Happy Meals and kept the small toy clips that came with them. Both clips were placed on their wedding table alongside Calico Critters and other collected trinkets.

JC replaced the garter toss with a Pokémon booster box toss. The couple also received card packs as wedding presents and opened them during the celebration. Drinks included Four Loko, BuzzBallz and beer, while karaoke supplied the evening’s live entertainment.

Alishia created the welcome sign, while JC’s mum built the ceremony arch and decorated it with Alishia’s favourite flowers. She also prepared much of the catering, helping the couple keep within budget.

“Give me the vintage dress, Pokémon cards, karaoke, Calico Critters, random trinkets, and a cool historic building over a traditional wedding any day,” said Alishia. “Our wedding was definitely unconventional, but it felt true to us and every single one of our guests could see that. I think that’s what weddings should be about.”

The couple did find some parts of planning stressful, particularly navigating the endless lists of wedding ‘must-haves’. “It’s your day, and you should prioritise what you and your partner enjoy”, she concluded, “A lot of people would be very hesitant to do half of what we did but that’s exactly what makes it ‘us’!”