Cameron and Amy's Wedding in Stroud, Gloucestershire

We wanted to keep things as Covid compliant as possible so we picked a registrar wedding, with no speeches or readings to keep it shorter and limit time indoors. We did however write our own promises to say after the vows, which we decided to keep secret from each other until the day! One of my favourite parts of the day was hearing his promises for the first time and watching his reaction when I read out mine. We did the traditional ring exchange and first kiss and my dad walked me down the aisle but we asked the registrar to cut the part about who gives you away as I didn't like this tradition.

We hired a beautiful blue Bentley as our wedding car for the day, it was a little nod to the groom who grew up near Crewe where they are made.

After the Ceremony, we all travelled to a local park to take pictures as it's beautiful there and I spent a lot of time as a child there so it's extra special.

We had an extra special guest join us at the Park and that was TWO wedding OWLS! Called Bilbo & Fuzz! We kept this a complete surprise from our guests and only our photographer knew. We originally booked the owls to fly our rings down the aisle but when we changed venue this wasn't an option but we really wanted to keep the owls in so we changed the plan.

The owls instead had a flying show between the groom and I and then afterwards each guest got to hold the owls and take photos with them and ask their handler as many questions as they wanted. Our guests loved this experience and we hope we made a memorable day for them.

After the pictures in the park, we travelled to a nearby Restaurant for a Pizza buffet and Cake! Here we did had our first dance as a couple as well and gave our speeches.

My nan was very important to me and I wanted to honour her as part of my wedding, I wore her favourite perfume throughout the day. I also had a photo charm on my bouquet so she was walking with me down the aisle. It was a little touch but very special.

We had a lot of non-traditional elements in our wedding, which I loved!

We did not have a bridal party, no best men, no maid of honour or bridesmaid. Just us. This originally stemmed from a small budget and covid restrictions but it certainly made wedding planning easier! And I would recommend skipping the bridal party to anyone.

We had owls!

Pizza buffet afterwards

Silly dinosaur toppers on our cake

My co-worker made our cake as a gift, she made a beautiful two-tier red velvet cake that was incredible!

We are both cat mad! But our cats wouldn't have enjoyed being at a wedding! So the groom wore socks with their faces on and cufflinks with their faces. This made all our guests laugh and a lovely way of including them (without actually including them).

I wore Cat shaped (faux) pearl earrings. I don't have my ears pierced so I bought clip-on converters!

I have a latex allergy and struggled to find lashes without latex glue! So I bought Magnetic lashes!

Our friend designed our invites and filled them with lots of personal touches, such as our love of coffee, bees and cats.

We got married at 11am and had lunch at 2:30 with our guests. All our guests left by about 6:30 pm, which is exactly what we had planned.

We skipped the evening do part of the day. A lot of our guests had travelled or had children so we didn't want them to have to drive home late.

All our guests were with us from start to finish, we didn't have any reception guests only.

We skipped save the dates entirely and just told our guests the date. We did send out formal invites a few months before and luckily all our guests were already aware of the date and didn't mind the late formal invites.

We skipped the wedding signage entirely

We didn't book a DJ or have a dance floor (because at the time of booking everything dancing was banned apart from the couples first dance!) Even when the rules changed, we stuck to that plan! The venue had a surround sound system so we just plugged our phones in and had some playlists going.

We skipped the favours entirely! But we did include a pack of wildflower seeds in each invite that we sent out.

We didn't do the garter toss or bouquet toss. I did wear a garter! But that was for my husband's eyes only afterwards. I bought a silly garter in the colours of his favourite football team and it was a lovely little touch!

I bought my wedding dress online for under £50 and didn't have any alterations!

Planning a wedding in 6 months, in a pandemic with the rules and regulations were ever-changing was challenging. The plan for the wedding changed at least 3 times based on what the current covid rules were. Finding a restaurant that would take our booking was challenging! And where we booked, took our booking on the hope the rules would change (which thankfully they did) But we had multiple different seating plans depending on covid bubbles and rule of 6.

It was an experience! But I wouldn't change a thing! And remember, the only thing you have to do is the legal bit. Everything else is up to you. There's really no pressure to fit the traditional mould. Make it as weird as you like, it's you and your partner's day, make it yours.

My top wedding tips;

WEAR YOUR SHOES BEFORE THE WEDDING!! You will be on your feet all day, at the ceremony, for the photos and walking around to talk to your guests/dancing. I tried my shoes on but didn't wear them much and my feet were so sore by the end of the day! Wear them for a day and if they pinch, get some cushioned insoles or gel pads!

Take some time with your new spouse to take in the day. This is the tip that everyone tells you but with good reason! Sitting with my new husband in the wedding car after the photos, talking about our mornings and the ceremony and reading our promises to each other was one of my favourite moments of the day.

For the groom, ask if he can turn around and see you walk down the aisle. It might sound like a little thing, but being able to do that let him take in the moment more and helped steady any nerves we both had. It makes a lovely photo too.

Meet your photographer beforehand and discuss with them how long you want them for. It really helps if you can get on each other's wavelength before the day. We also saved quite a bit not having him attend me getting ready or the meal afterwards. No one needs to see pyjamas or dozens of pictures of people eating.

Give your guests ice-breakers, especially if you plan on seating guests next to people they don't know. We made little quizzes and had advice slips for us, and they really got people talking to each other whilst waiting for their food.

Print your own invites. Even if they're personalised, it's much cheaper to get them printed through online printers than with a specialised wedding stationer with no dip in quality.

Trust your plan! A week before the wedding my brain was telling me to buy signs, print out maps, order personalised items, order more confetti and it was hard but I ignored it and stuck with what I had already bought and it was more than enough. I didn't need anything extra. And I was so worried that guests wouldn't find their way to everything, would get lost or that it would be boring. But it was absolutely perfect. No one got lost, there was more than enough confetti, and no one complained about being bored at all. Trust the plan you have made and the wedding you have planned.

Write your own promises to each other. My favourite part of the day was hearing my husband's promises to me and reading mine to him. If you don't want to read them out in front of people have a quiet moment later in the day just the two of them and read them to each other.

It's totally ok if you go through a period of panic where you hate your dress! Three weeks before the wedding I was convinced I HATED my dress. and was frantically searching for a new dress that arrived in time. But then I had a shower, banished future husband from coming upstairs, and tried my dress on, with the underwear and shapewear I bought for the day, the jewellery and accessories and the veil. And I looked in the mirror and instantly felt a wave of calm rush over me. I loved my dress again.

In your makeup trial ask your MUA what lipstick they are using and then buy one for yourself. Keep it in your bridal bag for touch-ups throughout the day! There is a lot of kissing involved on your wedding day! Also, ask your MUA to recommend a sunscreen that's make up friendly and not greasy!

Seriously, wear your shoes before the wedding.