Hannah and Josh built their wedding from the ground up using yarn, paper, music, and the memories they share together. The day had a theme which combined Lord of the Rings and Elven references with boho, rustic, and rock influences.

Hannah crocheted every flower herself. Bouquets, buttonholes, aisle details, vines across tables, and the arch were all made from yarn. It started as a practical decision so save money and although it ended up being extremely stressful getting it al done, it really did make this element of the day totally unique to them. “We were both shocked at the price of flowers,” she said. “I really didn’t want to pay for something that would last briefly and then wilt and die.” Each piece she made was either kept or gifted to friends and family afterwards.

The bride’s background as a graphic designer helped with everything else. Hannah designed the stationery, signage, and seating plan, redrawing a map of Middle Earth in their wedding colours and assigning guests to locations across its landscape. Tables were named after places instead of numbers and guests travelled from the Shire to Rivendell between courses.

Family membered contributed to the décor where they could too. Hannah’s mum folded paper roses from the pages of Wuthering Heights and created book folded table numbers. The couple collected old books, brass candlesticks, jars, and bottles from charity shops and Vinted for the tables. Hannah also made a coffin shaped card box, a gothic addition that Josh had specifically hoped for.

Many traditions were left behind. They skipped cake cutting entirely. “Cake is another blooming expensive thing at the weddings we’ve been to. We felt the cake cutting interrupted the flow of the day so we skipped it.”

Hannah wore a secondhand dress gifted by her aunt, who works at Can Can Bazaar, a boutique style charity shop in Northern Ireland. It was altered by The Bobbin Bridal to match her vision, including lace wings that extended from the back. Designing, making, and sourcing preloved pieces gave them full control over the visuals of the day while also keeping costs down.

Josh, however, struggled to find an alternative suit that matched his ideas. “The amount of choice for alternative groomswear within our budget was small”, Hannah explained. In the end he found a green suit he liked at Suit Culture.

Music was a big part of the day, and they hired live musicians to create the atmosphere they wanted. “We would both say that the day wouldn’t have been the same without Lily’s amazing voice, and Here’s To Us’ energy and presence. If we’d had unlimited budget we would have hired a famous band! Would have been SO difficult to decide on just one though!”