This aquarium wedding was perfect for a mermaid-haired bride named after a mermaid

Offbeat partner: Madison

Offbeat partner: Stephen

Date and location of wedding: Florida Aquarium in Tampa, FL — October 28, 2017

Our offbeat wedding at a glance:

My mother named me Madison after the mermaid in the movie Splash, so it only seemed fitting that the wedding take place in an aquarium. We took our first look photos in the "wetlands" area of the Florida Aquarium, and the ceremony was in front of the Coral Reef Gallery.

My favorite part of the venue were the sharks that appeared in our photos. The soft blue lighting throughout the aquarium was beautiful, and the venue was really fun.

Tell us about the ceremony:

Stephen and I gave a nod to our geeky side during the ceremony — he walked down the aisle to the song "Yes, I Do" from the Witcher series, and I walked down the aisle to the Rohan theme from Lord of the Rings. We only had one friend each standing with us: my "Maid of Honor" was my best friend Nick (who wore a flower crown through the whole ceremony!), and Stephen's "Best Man" was Alice. I was the one who proposed to Stephen, so it was fitting in a way that other roles were gender reversed.

Our ceremony included personal vows and a handfasting ceremony. Once pronounced married, we walked back down the aisle together to Lindsey Stirling's Zelda medley!

What was your most important lesson learned?

I proposed to Stephen in April of 2017, and for some reason thought it would be an excellent idea to get the wedding completed in October of the same year. I do not recommend such a short timeline for anyone. The first dress I chose actually fell through, so I had to scramble to find another one at a bridal warehouse only three weeks before the wedding! I was impatient to be married, and rushed the timeline as a result. I know waiting is difficult, but I would strongly advise other brides to take the time to spread out the planning process to allow for hiccups on the way.