Yasmine and Matt wanted a Dita Von Teese meets gothic rock disco vibe for their October wedding. They brought in skull props and dry ice, had a black wedding cake, temporary tattoos as favours, and glitterball pumpkins. A drag queen performed in the evening and guests were given a dress code that was simply: “Flair as f*ck.”

The couple struggled to settle on one theme and eventually stopped trying. “The inspiration for the rock and disco elements came from all of the best experiences we’ve had together and all our shared loves, like Glastonbury and Las Vegas, and going to gigs together,” Yasmine explained. “The gothic element came from my love of all things dark, Halloween, macabre, witchy and skulls, as well as being a huge fan of Dita Von Teese and Kat Von D. The Marilyn Manson/Dita Von Teese wedding was also a huge inspiration for me in terms of colour palette, ethos, and just generally being awesome.” Luckily for her, Matt gave his bride full creative control.

They had already legally married the previous year after Matt’s diagnosis with blood cancer. They had a small registry office ceremony with just close family. This second celebration was the party they really wanted. “We knew we wanted it to be the opposite of the formal, legal wedding,” the bride continued. “That meant non-traditional, high-energy, and an event where our guests felt like they were involved in the day, not just watching from the sidelines.”

While they both wore traditional wedding outfits, they did so with their own flair. Yasmine wore a custom-made dress adorned with rhinestones and feathers, along with rhinestone-studded white cowboy boots for the ceremony. Matt leaned into Victorian gothic style but added extra detail with a leopard print waistcoat by Joshua Kane.

As they were already legally married, Yasmine’s brother led the ceremony. As a radio presenter and DJ, he was confident speaking in front of the crowd, and the personal touches he brought made the ceremony especially memorable. “We integrated a game show which we called ‘Family Misfortunes’. The night before, he surveyed some of our closest friends to get answers to questions that he then put to the congregation during the ceremony. Winners received prizes of a golden skull trophy and the whole thing was a blast. Everyone laughed at the various in-jokes and references, and the feedback we got afterwards was that everyone felt more involved in our ceremony than at any other wedding. It was incredibly special and really set the tone for the rest of the day.”

The party began as soon as the ceremony wrapped. A mariachi band appeared in Día de Muertos face paint and a drag performer appeared as a spirit guide during speeches before returning later for tarot readings. Mixologists dressed in Victorian steampunk served drinks including black margaritas.

Dinner had a similarly theatrical approach. The menu was designed around a concept of gothic banquet meets Heston Blumenthal. Savoury black ice cream cones were served as canapés, while beetroot-cured octopus formed part of the main course and charcoal meringues and chocolate skulls arrived for dessert. There was even a rose-scented dry ice course cleanser drifting across the table between courses.

Looking back, Yasmine does wish she had relaxed more during the first part of the day. Months of holding the creative vision made it hard to let go immediately. But by the time the cocktails appeared she was able to let her hair down and enjoy it.

“That there is so much pressure from both your loved ones and suppliers that weddings should be done ‘a certain way’,” she admitted. “We knew that a traditional wedding wouldn’t have represented us, but it’s so much harder to source all the things you want. Nearly all basic wedding goods and services are white, pink, or just plain terrible. You either have to make it yourself, pay through the teeth for it, or be lucky enough to have people in your circle that can help.”

“This is also true of venues. So many we looked at were so restrictive with their preferred suppliers lists that we barely had any freedom of choice at all. Thankfully, Huntsham Court were amazing. Their ethos is ‘have the party you want’ and it felt so liberating to be able to do things exactly the way we wanted them. Going to bed at 3am as the DJs finished and the survivors were finishing their last whiskies was something we so rarely see at weddings, and was just what we wanted.”