Jade and Simon’s took over Cultplex in Manchester for their wedding ceremony, turning the stage in front of the big screen into their altar. As the bride is polyamorous, this wasn’t about tradition or legality – in fact the ceremony was not actually legally binding – all they cared about was creating something that felt collaborative and real. The bride’s other partners were also involved in the day, acting as their officiants and doing readings.

“We had three of our loved ones officiate our ceremony”, Jade explained, “We picked one each and our closest joint friend. Then four partners did readings. It was lovely to be able to involve our polycule in our big day.”

With a budget of just £3,000, they pulled off a wedding that was totally DIY. Their theme was black and red and inspired by their love of film and the independent movie house where they’ve spent countless date nights. They named the day Til We Are Ghosts and built everything around it. “It was very much just things we both like,” Jade said. Horror references, broom jumping, sword fighting, and handfasting all found their place alongside film quotes, glow sticks, and battle jackets handmade by Simon.

Jade’s grown-up child walked them down the aisle, following two flower girls. Each vow was a puzzle of film references – Hellraiser, Batman Returns, Who Framed Roger Rabbit – that had guests laughing through tears. “Although this all sound incredibly silly, it was very beautiful,” Jade said. “There were many people crying whilst laughing.”

The day was divided into three acts: the ceremony, a family-friendly section, and an adult-only rave. The middle act included speeches, food, and an hour-long soundtrack of movie songs while kids (and plenty of adults) staged playful battles with foam weapons. Guests solved horror film word searches, ate pizza and hotdogs, and discovered that the black icing on the cakes dyed their mouths! “Several guests looked a little zombified”, Jade laughed, “but that fit with the movie theme.”

For the evening, the couple changed into clubwear, grabbed glow sticks, and hosted a rave upstairs wat Grub while karaoke played downstairs. They screened a video montage of strange and gory film clips set to music. “It got a little too gory for some guests, but that’s ok,” Jade said. “By the end of the day it was like a really chill house party where everyone was hanging out in little groups, some dancing, some doing karaoke and some hanging in the gardens.”

Almost everything was DIY. Simon made the jackets, Jade did their own makeup, and they both handled the decor, printing, signage, and favours. “We bought as little new as possible,” they said. “We collected books from free sharing libraries for decoration and returned them afterwards.” The cakes were customised for different dietary needs and topped with skulls and roses so they matched the theme. The venue itself, not being a traditional wedding venue, helped keep costs low as well.

“Have fun making something with your partner”, Jade advises. “Be yourself. Make your crazy ideas work. Do the things you really want to do and try not to do things for the sake of other peoples’ opinions. This is your day. And make sure there are a few moments you can sneak with each other – there will be a lot of people who want your attention.”