With the groom being colour blind, and black the only colour he can confidently recognise, Belinda and Harvey used that as their starting point. Together, they built a monochrome wedding inspired by black and white Audrey Hepburn films and the desire to reshape classic wedding traditions into something with a little more edge.

“We would describe our wedding theme as ‘timeless, elegance crossed over with the Addams Family’,” they said.

They chose Edinburgh as their setting, drawn back to the city that had become their home away from home. Its gothic architecture and cinematic streets aligned perfectly with their vision. Sixteen guests made the nine-hour journey from Devon to witness it.

The ceremony was written by the couple and their celebrant. They stood on non-traditional sides so their families could see their faces clearly. At the end of the aisle, a table honoured family members who had passed away. Belinda walked to an instrumental version of Life on Mars by David Bowie. They also incorporated some Scottish traditions such as drinking from the Quaich.

“Originally, we planned to elope with just the two of us”, they explained. “However, after Harvey’s dad gave an incredibly heartfelt speech about us at a family gathering, we both realised how important it was to have our closest family and friends present for such a significant moment. After the ceremony, we took time alone together, just the two of us, to embrace and fully digest what had just happened. It was one of the most magical moments of the entire day, and something we would recommend to any couple. While we explored the city, our guests enjoyed personalised bingo and quizzes, a nod to how we first met online, with prizes for the winners.”

At dinner, there was no top table, everyone sat on one long table together. The atmosphere felt closer to a family gathering than a formal wedding reception. Instead of favours, Belinda and Harvey gave each guest a personal gift. Every item reflected their individual relationship with that person. Each gift included a handwritten and illustrated letter, designed in the style of traditional tattoo artwork.

Their £9,500 budget stayed under control through careful decisions and DIY work. Belinda sourced second hand décor, antique shop finds, and charity shop pieces. Her dress was pre-loved, purchased through a wedding boutique, with proceeds supporting the Wedding Wishing Well Foundation. They replaced a traditional wedding cake with a personalised birthday cake that matched their aesthetic. The playlist replaced live music.

Looking back, they stand by every decision they made. “We planned the wedding around us as a couple, stuck to our guns with our choices and planned the day together from start to finish”. they concluded. “Life can be rubbish; people can be cynical and cruel. Getting married is SO WORTH IT! It’s not just a piece of paper; it is so much more than that. Since getting married, our bound is the strongest it’s ever been, and as a team we can tackle any challenge life throws our way. If your person is the one, you’ll know this feeling very well.”