Today on Marry Me Ink, I get to share with you Beth and Drew’s wedding from Elaine Willams Photography. They cancelled their “big traditional wedding” (after sending out 90 invites) and changed it to a small afternoon ceremony with just 15 close family members.
“Everything was getting out of hand, suddenly it was about the flowers and the bridesmaids, the cars, the seating plan and not about us.”
We met on my 23 rd birthday night out in a bar called Full Moon. I was supposed to be going out for posh cocktails with the girls but half way through the night we jacked it in to go to our favourite rock bar (in our over the top cocktail dresses). We were the only ones in high heels and dresses in a sea of black t-shirts and jeans. I saw Drew walking down to the bar, smiled at him and the next thing I knew he came right up to me and said “do you fancy me? Are you single? Why aren’t we kissing yet?” A few hours later one of my best friends dragged me off him saying “He’s just a walking beard Beth. You’re not gonna marry him, and I need a McDonald’s. let’s go”… She made a point of telling everyone that at our wedding party!
There was no specific theme or dress code for the wedding, everything was so relaxed. When people asked what suits or dresses to wear we just said “come as you are and as you like”. Drew got suited and booted and I went for the big, Princess wedding dress because it was fun to do, and everyone else came in whatever suit they pleased. I think the fact that it was relaxed represented us. It
wasn’t about flowers or details, it was about us getting married.
We had an afternoon ceremony followed by Afternoon Tea at Park Plaza, it was all over by 6.30pm – there were so many magical moments during the day but I think the highlight was getting to spend the whole evening together. We got changed into our normal clothes, bought a bottle of gin then headed into town to drink and dance! It felt so personal and private, rather than spending the day entertaining hundreds of people we got to be with each other and that was perfect.
Our day was perfect; I spent the morning with just my parents, a few hours with family celebrating and the evening with my husband. The wedding party we had afterwards with 150 guests was the total opposite; I spent the day getting ready with friends but didn’t get to see Drew all day or night because I was busy trying to make sure I’d seen all our guests. No one’s going to remember the hand-crafted wedding invites, or the expensive wedding favours (which normally get left behind or just thrown in a draw somewhere), but you want to remember being with your husband or wife that day.
I absolutely LOVE that Beth and Drew did exactly what they wanted for their wedding – even if it meant not having everyone there all day and having everything wrapped up for 6:30pm and drinking gin with your new life partner. Thank you so much to them both for sharing their day with Marry Me Ink and to Elaine Williams Photography also.
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