Halloween lover” barely scratches the surface when it comes to Madi’s aesthetic, but she and her fiancé Caleb leaned fully into the spooky mood for their October wedding. Their celebration took place after they had already eloped a few months earlier, bringing together their closest friends and family for a laid-back gathering with a budget of around $5,000.

They worked with what was close to home. A local church tucked and a small cemetery became the venue. The graveyard wasn’t chosen for shock value but because Madi’s grandparents are buried there and she wanted to have them included in the day.

Tradition wasn’t high on the priority list either. The couple spent the night before together and they were by each other’s side the entire day. “We skipped a lot of traditions”, Madi said. “Instead of sitting alone as bride and groom, we had our bridal party sit at a table with us. We also didn’t do public vows. We express love for each other in many ways every single day.”

At the reception they had a candy apple cauldron station that looked like something straight out of a witch’s kitchen. The dance floor delivered some of the day’s best memories, with early 2000s filling the room.

The couple were extremely thoughtful about where they spent their money. Flowers were one area where they cut costs, choosing artificial ones from Hobby Lobby that Madi could keep afterwards. Their biggest cost was the bride’s dress from David’s Bridal. “What can I say, if my taste is anything, it’s expensive!” she laughed.

“It is YOUR wedding day” Madi concluded “Nobody else’s opinions matter. So what if people think it’s cringe? At least we are happy, in love, and free to be ourselves and love each other for who we are. I have never been normal a day in my life, so why would I try to pretend to be so on my wedding day? Working in weddings is tough industry. Our vendors were all amazing and honestly, I don’t think they’re charging enough for what all they do. It is an art overall, and should be appreciated as such. We used all local vendors, and encourage everyone to do the same.”