Alternative Engagement Ring Stones That Aren’t Diamonds

Guest Contributor

Devlin Photos

March 25, 2026

By now you’ve probably already heard the story about how and why diamonds became the go-to stone for engagement rings. But just in case you haven’t, the answer is marketing! Before the mid-20th century, diamond engagement rings were not the universal tradition they are today. In fact, many people proposed with other gemstones or family heirlooms.

What No-One Tells You About Eloping (And How to Make It Still Feel Special)

Kat

Jenn and Pawel

March 23, 2026

For a long time, eloping meant running away to get married in secret. But today it usually means the couple have chosen to elope because they want a wedding that feels calm, intentional and focused on the two of them rather than the expectations of everyone else. Some elopements even include a small guest list (although these should more accurately be called micro weddings). But while elopements are often portrayed as effortless and carefree, there are a few things people rarely talk about when planning one. So, if you’re thinking about eloping, here are some practical things to know and simple ways to turn it into a meaningful experience rather than just a quick legal formality.

Cheap Wedding Ideas That Don’t Actually Feel Cheap

Guest Contributor

Carlita Sari

March 18, 2026

A cheap wedding and a bad wedding are not the same thing. Some of the most joyful, memorable weddings cost very little money, and some of the most expensive weddings feel like a corporate conference with flowers. The difference is rarely the budget. It’s how couples choose to spend it. If you’re planning a wedding without a huge budget, your goal probably isn’t to make everything as cheap as possible. It’s to spend money where it matters and skip the things nobody really notices anyway. Here are some genuinely cheap wedding ideas that still feel thoughtful, fun and completely intentional.

Fear Comes the Bride: How Much of Ourselves Do We Lose When We Gain a Spouse?

Guest Contributor

Anna Captured

March 16, 2026

I’m like a wild stallion,” I hear myself say. “Frolicking through the forest.” I’m sitting in a sports bar. I’m 30 years old. I know nothing about horses. “And then one day a fence is built around the forest. And even if it were the biggest fence ever, and it was so big I would never even reach it to see it in person, I would still know it was there.” This is how I explained my aversion to marriage a decade ago, to the person I professed to love, who I’d been dating for four, and then five years. I would be trapped; the part I left unsaid.

Your Wedding Planning Cheat Sheet

Kat

Flame by Sami

March 12, 2026

Planning a wedding can feel like juggling flaming bouquets while blindfolded. But you’ve got this. Whether you’re engaged for three years or three weeks, this guide will help you keep your cool — and maybe even have some fun along the way.

A Groom’s Guide to Alternative Wedding Rings

Kat

March 11, 2026

Spend five minutes looking at wedding content online and a pattern appears quickly. Dresses, bridal beauty, hen parties, shoes... The spotlight tends to land firmly on "the bride". Meanwhile, many grooms are Googling things like “men’s wedding rings that aren’t boring” or "wedding suits that aren't only available grey, black or navy" and still coming up empty.

The Engagement Pressure Test: How to Deal With All the Questions & Opinions When You First Get Engaged

Rachel Darwin

Lilia Abrahamsen

March 5, 2026

If you are new here, or even if you are not: congratulations! I wish I could hear your proposal story. I always love hearing them. Getting engaged is always a wonderful story in itself… one that you’ll be telling for the rest of your lives. I hope you know you don’t need to rush on to the next chapter now if you don’t want to - even if there are people in your life who are urging you to do so.

Halloween Party Meets Graveyard Gothic Wedding on a £1,500 Budget

Kat

Amy Davies

March 26, 2026

Chloe and Grant planned a fully themed gothic wedding, but their original idea looked very different. Like many couples, they started by mapping out a larger celebration and quickly watched the numbers climb. “Our original plans were going to cost almost £16k", Chloe told us. "We found it all very stressful so ended up cancelling everything. We went online and booked a registry office ceremony for £150 and didn't look back! We have zero regrets. I did my own make-up, made my bouquet, put together the decorations - everything! We didn't even have a photographer for the wedding itself, all the photos were taken on my Instax or by friends. The most important thing to us was to be married."

Honky-Tonk Disco & Bowling Wedding

Kat

Wren and Rose

March 24, 2026

Morgan and Sam got married in a place where people usually go to drink beer, bowl and hear live music. Butch and Anne’s in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin is a dive bar with a vintage bowling alley tucked inside. The wedding photographer bride and musician groom first met while working the same wedding. Having both worked in the industry for years, they already knew exactly what they didn’t want.

Sunrise Lover’s Leap Elopement

Kat

Stag and Bird

March 17, 2026

April and Brandy married twice, both in ways that made sense for them. In July, under a willow tree in the garden of their friend and photographer Courtney of Stag and Bird, the couple made it official. By autumn, they decided they wanted a second day that marked the marriage in a different way. So, in October they drove four hours south from where they live in Kansas City to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Waiting for them were Courtney and her assistant Kendal, along with a loose plan to say some vows at sunrise at Lover’s Leap, a scenic overlook just outside the town.

Tiny Gretna Green Wedding with a Jellycat Bouquet

Kat

I Love You Thirteen

March 11, 2026

Laura and Jordon married in the original marriage room at Gretna Green with 13 people present, including themselves. The day was intentionally small. The couple got ready together and walked from our hotel to the venue hand in hand. They also walked to the anvil together. "Jordon struggles with anxiety at times so being with me helped reduce a lot of nerves for him", Laura wrote. "We also only had 13 people including ourselves at the wedding and then wedding meal with no big evening do. We wanted the wedding to reflect our love and not put on a show.

Kitschy, Vintage & Colourful Wedding at the Madonna Inn

Kat

Jenny Markham

March 4, 2026

Samantha, who works in influencer marketing, and Josh who is a videographer and director, approached wedding planning in a similar way that do their jobs. They pooled their creativity to plan a wedding which felt entirely right for them. Their venue choice really set the tone too. The Madonna Inn gave them pattern, colour and kitsch without needing to go overboard on the decorations.

Fun & Flirty Vegas Wedding at the Neon Museum

Kat

Jamie Y

March 2, 2026

Beth and Elliott, who travelled to Vegas from the UK for their wedding, described their day as “Fun, flirty, and so Vegas!” They brought some close friends and family members with them and treated the whole experience like a holiday. “Honestly, we just know what we like and ran with it." Beth told us. "We work so hard in our everyday lives we just wanted a big break. A day for us, about us and overflowing with love!”

Moody Pin-Up Scottish Castle Wedding with a Mid-Wedding Hair Transformation

Kat

Faye Wilde

February 27, 2026

We've seen the trend for brides cutting their hair before their reception a few times (and we love it) but this is definitely the first time we've seen someone cut and colour their hair midway through the wedding! That was just classic Gaelle though - she didn't want their wedding to be like anybody else's. Not wanting to be outshone, the groom cut his long hair as well and the reaction from their guests was priceless!

Off-Duty Showgirl: Las Vegas Bridal Editorial for Rock N Romance Elopements

Kat

Jamie Y

March 9, 2026

Phew, where do we even begin with this one? A dream location, a dream team, and possibly the most over-the-top (in the best way) bridal looks we've ever put together. Everything really is better in Las Vegas.

Shakespeare’s Ophelia Meets Gothic, Rural Renaissance

Kat

Fairfoxes

December 8, 2025

The Baltimore based team behind this shoot built a world that sits somewhere between Renaissance folklore and the haunted calm of Shakespeare’s Ophelia. They worked with candlelight, irregular textiles, sculptural florals, velvet, and a couple styled like they had stepped out of a painting. The mood came from a mix of rural myth, faded royalty, and a willingness to sit inside the strange.

Woodland Witch: A Queer Love Story for the Lobsters for Life Alternative Wedding Fair

Kat

Marieke Maakt Foto's

December 2, 2025

The Lobsters for Life Wedding Fair in The Netherlands pulled in makers, creatives and couples from across Europe last month and gave us a look at how alt weddings are evolving outside the UK. We were so excited to be invited along and spent the day meeting vendors who are pushing ideas forward with real intention. If you missed it and you are planning something unconventional on European soil, this shoot brings that same vibe straight to you! Every look, prop and detail was created by vendors from the show and most of them work with couples all over the continent.

Nosferatu Meets a Candlelit Western Wedding

Kat

Nick and Lauren

November 25, 2025

When Nosferatu flickered back onto cinema screens, Lauren from Nick and Lauren Photography left the theatre feeling inspired by the film’s shadowy beauty. “I was inspired by the cinematography used in the movie, and wanted to do a wedding shoot that emulated that same aesthetic, but without being vampire based,” she told us. “We decided to combine the elements of country meets alternative, and started joking about what Nosferatu's wedding would look like if it were in the West. Everything snowballed from there!”

Electric Love & Neon Dreams at Camino Real Ranch, TX

Kat

Lomonico

November 20, 2025

This wedding shoot was a riot of neon lights. Born inside the restless brain of Brooke Conaway, founder of CAT HAUS Collective, she wanted to create something that was the opposite of boring and beige. With a Lady Gaga lookalike bride, she built this shoot as an act of rebellion - against conformity, perfectionism, and the wedding industry’s obsession with fitting in. “I’m not a traditional wedding planner,” she said. “I have ADHD, I’m plus sized, an advocate for LGBTQA+ and someone who has had to fight to ‘fit in’ including how to work with my chaos brain, not against it.”

Cherry Bomb: A Rock ’n’ Roll Wedding Shoot for the Wedding Rebels

Kat

Juliana Noelle Jumper

November 4, 2025

The concept for Cherry Bomb came straight from Vegas glitz and rock ‘n’ roll grit. Conceptualised by Heavy Petal and shot by Juliana Noelle Jumper, this shoot palette slams the door on restraint, leaning into saturated reds, punchy pinks, and metallic shine - all with an unruly 70s edge.

A Hauntingly Beautiful Corpse Bride Editorial

Kat

Lauren New

October 31, 2025

Nothing says Halloween wedding more than the Corpse Bride and this shoot may be one of the best homages we've ever seen. In fact we loved it so much, we made it the cover shoot for our November/December print issue which dropped yesterday! It blends slight Victorian-inspired details with modern drapery and design elements, bringing together a touch of the past and present for a hauntingly beautiful, editorial goth vibe.