Kaley and Philip built their Tennessee wedding around the idea of something that felt Southern and gothic with Addams Family undertones. The bride had always pictured an autumn or winter celebration with deep colours, heavy foliage and romantic gothic styling. However, the date ended up being June because it marked the start of their relationship. They didn’t shift the aesthetic to match the season though – they held on to the mood that felt right for them.

They skipped a standard ceremony and chose a secular handfasting that reflected them both. “I am not religious and she is so we found a ceremony that would work and be meaningful for both of us”, the groom explained. Guests entered to an instrumental version of the Alice in Wonderland theme while the wedding party followed to Someday My Prince Will Come. Finally, the bride arrived to Prelude to a Kiss. The subtle Disney references were something Kaley really wanted.

Each colour on their handfasting cord represented something they hoped to carry into their marriage. They also wrote their own vows. “I have to be honest, the ceremony was a whirlwind for me”, Kaley explained. “I barely remember what the room looked like because I was too excited and had my eyes only on my groom.” The photos filled in the gaps later and, in her words, “were drop-dead gorgeous.”

Her dress set the tone for the entire day. She knew she didn’t want to wear white and although her gown took forty minutes to lace in the morning, it was exactly what she’d envisioned. Lanterns with a bit of foliage around then replaced bouquets. They fit the theme well and were a lot easier to manage for bridesmaids.

However, flowers were a big part of their reception and décor – in fact they were their biggest expense of the whole wedding. The room was filled with greenery, candles, terrariums and objects tied to the tarot-based seating chart. Snakes, turtles and fruit also sat across the tables. They brought in a buffalo skull from the bride’s father and used it as a guest book. Everyone signed it and it’s now displayed in their home as a permanent reminder of the day. “We feel that this will be quite a unique souvenir that we can old onto for the rest of our lives”, the bride said.

Wedding planning taught them how many small decisions sit underneath the big ones. A Pinterest board helped guide their team, but many details were shaped on the fly. They recommend starting early. “Find the venue and vendors well ahead of time to make sure you have as few last minute headaches as possible,” Kaley advises. “We had quite a bit of time between when we finished planning and when the wedding happened, and it made the lead up to the wedding much more enjoyable than if we had been fixing a lot of problems.”