Scott spends his weekends filming weddings for other people. When it came to his own, he and Sophie left everything familiar behind. They got married in Las Vegas by an Elvis impersonator, in the pink Cadillac parked in the Tunnel of Love at the Little White Wedding Chapel. “We skipped all of the traditions,” they said. “We didn’t even tell our family and friends that we planned on getting married.”

Their vows were full of Elvis lyrics. The ceremony included live renditions of Viva Las Vegas, Hawaiian Wedding Song, and Can’t Help Falling in Love. Afterwards, they walked out into the heat and straight into the chaos of Fremont Street. A few drinks, some live country music, and then dinner at Giada’s on the Strip before heading back to the casinos to play Craps.

Scott and Sophie had originally planned a traditional wedding in the UK in 2020, but the pandemic shut that down. After working in the industry post-lockdown, Scott realised the big wedding they’d been planning no longer felt right. “Whilst I love my job and all of the weddings that I have attended, that didn’t feel like us or right for what we wanted”, he said. “Enter Las Vegas.”

They didn’t bring any guests, but they did hire a fantastic photographer, Beth of Velvet Alchemy, who they say played a vital role in shaping the energy of the day. “Beth really made our day special and helped to add so much fun and also structure, which turned out to be vital to how smoothly everything went”, they continued. “She was just fantastic from start to finish. She really knew how to get the best out of us and we couldn’t be happier with the results. She shot both digital and film for us, and handed us 10 Polaroids at the end of the day to take away with us.”

Keeping the entire plan a secret from family and friends was the trickiest part. That, and finding their outfits. Scott didn’t want to be in a “boring blue or beige suit” so instead went for something more cowboy inspired, that felt more like him. Sophie’s dress wasn’t a traditional bridal gown either, it came from House of CB.

Everything about their day exceeded their expectations, even having never been to Vegas before. “Going to Vegas and having a wedding for just the two of us, plus having a built-in honeymoon (we road-tripped around the Southwest) was far, far, far less expensive than the wedding we had planned for in the UK,” they said. “If budget hadn’t been an issue the only thing we’d have done differently would have been have a far more extensive suite in one of the amazing Vegas hotels. The hotels were the most expensive part, because Vegas!”

Their advice to other couples? As a wedding videographer, Scott has quite a bit of it! “Your opinions are the only ones that are valid,” he said. “Don’t worry about what anyone else tells you or tries to make you think. Also, don’t have speeches in between courses. That’s just the videographer in me talking!”

Although Scott does love the UK wedding industry, he also love that they did their own wedding their own way. “For the most part, the UK wedding industry is a welcoming, inclusive and fantastic place, however as with all areas of life and every industry this doesn’t apply to everyone. Some people are just out to make money, they don’t care about you or your story. Find the right suppliers, make sure you find people that fit you and your vibe.”

“Ultimately, you just have to do what makes you happy. Don’t pander to the expectations of others to please their vision of what your wedding day should look like. You get to do it once so do it your way.”