Samantha and Bradley spent $2,670 on their New York City elopement. They got married at the NYC Clerk’s Office, bought flowers outside the courthouse, hailed a yellow cab and spent two nights at the Hotel Chelsea. Their wedding theme was NYC punk with a touch of washed-up rock star. It celebrated the city where they met and the unserious life they have built together.

“If I had to make it cute I would say ‘a little NYC Rat became a human when her Prince Charming kissed her!’” said Samantha. “We are fun and very unserious so we wanted our wedding to be the same.”

There was no cake, stationery, catering package, entertainment or décor. No content creator either – Samantha took care of that herself. Most wedding traditions didn’t interest them. “We skipped probably every tradition,” she said. “I don’t think we did it on purpose. It just didn’t feel like us so we didn’t even think about it.”

They didn’t buy wedding outfits either. Samantha’s dress came from Local Pervert, her shoes were second-hand Pleasers and Bradleys entire outfit was thrifted and then tailored to fit him.

The ceremony was unexpected. They assumed it would be a short thing where they just signed the paperwork. Instead, they found themselves inside a gloriously camp chapel room, giggling through the entire thing. “The chapel was so funny,” said Samantha. “It felt so campy and we were both giggling and just like what the fuck is happening. We didn’t even know we had to go to the chapel. We thought we signed a paper and left. It was so cute. I hope they never revamp the court house!”

There was no music and the couple chose to skip personal vows. Once married, they explored the city with photographer and friend Krys Fox, turning its torn-up benches into sets and recruiting a few local pigeons for photos. “I am not sure how different it is but I made our photographer take photos of us with some pigeons! It was pretty funny.”

The two-night hotel stay accounted for almost half of their total budget. Two nights cost $1,300, but staying there had been Samantha’s dream since childhood. The Chelsea’s history of artists, musicians and beautiful troublemakers made it the right setting for their own rockstar wedding.

The hotel also allowed the couple and Krys to take photographs around the building. One of Samantha’s favourite moments happened on the balcony of their room, with the HOTEL CHELSEA sign looming behind them. Friends sent flowers, cookies and champagne to the room, creating a miniature reception for two.

Dinner was at John’s of 12th Street, an old-school Italian restaurant with a vegan menu. Samantha changed into a vintage 1960s champagne jacquard micro mini dress and kept her veil on. A stranger at another table spotted the newlyweds and paid for their entire meal. “It was really special just walking around after being married,” she said.

They then returned to the hotel bar for “the most ridiculous Martinis” and passed out by midnight. The rockstar behaviour resumed the following morning, when Samantha had both sides of her head tattooed!

Eloping allowed the couple to spend their money on the parts they cared about, including their hotel and a two-week honeymoon. The planning itself was super simple. The hardest part was telling their families that a larger celebration was never going to happen.

“Telling everyone it would just be Bradley and I was difficult,” she admitted. “But it was just so nice to not have to think about anyone else! I think it’s hard for a lot of people to grasp that some people just don’t want a massive wedding or even a small sized wedding. If someone is tying the knot just shut the fuck up and let them do it how they want to. It is their day and not yours. I remember the exact moment I knew a wedding wasn’t for me. I told a family member we got engaged and the person groaned and said ‘Ugh, it better not be an all vegan wedding’. I was like well you won’t know because you won’t be there and neither will anyone else!”

That exchange confirmed the decision to elope. Samantha and Bradley wanted a day focused on them and their relationship in the city they love. “Everyone all of a sudden loves to tell you what you should do and how it should be done,” she concluded. “It’s important you don’t listen to them. If you want to have the wedding of the century I am so stoked for you. If you want to elope in a back alley wearing hot pink and platform crocs fuck yeah please do it. Follow the rules or don’t as long as it’s your choice! Please. Please. Please do whatever you want.”