Sophie & James’ geeky pastel Welsh wedding

The Offbeat Bride: Sophie, Theatre Dresser/Seamstress

Her offbeat partner: James, Software Engineer

Date and location of wedding: Glen-Yr-Afon House Hotel, Usk, South Wales, UK — July 5, 2014

Our offbeat wedding at a glance: We definitely didn't want real flowers and didn't like the idea of a first dance. We're not good dancers and the idea of everyone watching us as we awkwardly swayed in the middle of the dance floor sounded like hell. So we chose the Mr. and Mrs. Game as the opener to the evening festivities. It made everyone laugh and we didn't answer too differently.

The table names were another personalised part of our wedding. We chose table names based on our favourite video games from our childhoods and adult lives. Tekken, Mario, Portal, and Day of the Tentacle to name a few. The placecards were personalised to each table as well.

The invitations again were very personalised. The designer used our love of Star Wars and our three kitty cats as inspiration to create the design which we then replicated on the order of ceremony. The cake maker also then took the design and recreated two of the cats as cake toppers.

Tell us about the ceremony:
Our mothers read a small selection of Lang Leav poetry which I thought summed up James and I perfectly:

You have said all the things I need to hear before I knew I needed to hear them.
To be unafraid of all the things I used to fear, before I knew I shouldn't fear them.
You were you, and I was I;
we were two, before our time.
I was yours, before I knew;
and you have always been mine too.
When words run dry, he does not try,
nor do I. We are on par.
He just is, I just am and
we just are.

Our biggest challenge:
The biggest challenge was the creation of five bouquets, 11 floral wreath centrepieces, two wrist corsages, and 50 metres of bunting. The bunting was made the week of the wedding and finished off in a production line fashion in my mum's kitchen the day before the wedding! Without my mum co-ordinating and organising us, we would never have gotten it all done.

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My favorite moment:
I asked James this question and his reply was, “the moment where we got married.” It was the moment where we finally became husband and wife. The whole point of the day and his favourite moment.

The most meaningful moment for me was seeing all my family and friends sat in front of me during the speeches, laughing, crying, and cheering along with my dad, James, the best man, and my mother-in-law as they expressed how happy they were that this day was here. They said how we were all one big family now and how proud James' father would have been on his wedding day if he had been there.

My funniest moment:
The best man's speech. Hands down. He has known both James and myself since childhood. He's known us separately and together. He was the person who introduced us, and he knows us so well.

Care to share a few vendor/shopping links?

• Dress: La Sposa bought from With Love Bridals
• Second 50s Dress: Made by a family friend who works at a alterations shop
• Shoes: Rachel Simpson Shoes bought from Fur Coat No Knickers
• Suits Hire: Dyfed Menswear
• Mens Cufflinks: Gifts For Me Online
• Bridesmaid Dresses: Veromia bought from Heading Up the Aisle
• Hair: Inigma Hair Designs
• Venue: Glen-Yr-Afon House Hotel
• Car Hire: Henrietta Hire
• Videographer: Aurora Video
• Photographer: Nanette Hepburn, Hepburn Photography
• Photo Booth Hire: Fuzzyhead Photobooths
• Printers: The Color Company
• Invitations: Clark Carter, a family friend
• Cake: Little Black Cat Cake Company
• Toastmaster: Bruno Cook

Enough talk — show me the wedding inspo!

About the Author: Offbeat Weditors

@offbeatbride @offbeatwed

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