Featuring neon skulls and disco balls, a Mariachi band, a cabaret act, a burlesque performer and plenty of booze, Claire and Matt’s wedding was a riot of fun from start to finish.
“We wanted to throw the best party of our lives but it had to be everything we wanted and loved,” Claire told us. “Our overall theme was ‘Til Death Do Us Party’ with added disco balls, neon skulls and lots of booze! We had lots of entertainment and even inflatable toys on the dance floor. We didn’t care if things clashed; we just knew what we wanted.”
Music played a central role in their celebration, reflecting Matt’s deep love for it. “Matt has such a strong love of music that we knew it had to feature heavily in the day”, she continued. “I am super girlie but that didn’t mean we couldn’t have a mix of both!” Claire walked down the aisle to an instrumental of Taylor Swift’s Wildest Dreams as a nod to her being a massive Swiftie. The couple then made their exit to a piano version of Bat out of Hell, a choice they found both apt and amusing!
One of the highlights of the day was during the meal. “It was so amazing to look around this loud, bright room and literally feel all the love everyone had for us,” Claire recalled. “We’d spent ages picking a wedding breakfast playlist but you couldn’t even hear it due to the room being so loud with chat and laughter!”
Matt and Claire were also thoughtful about their guests’ experience, ensuring there was always something exciting happening. “We had the day that we wanted and did things that made us happy but we also thought about what made us happy as wedding guests,” Claire explained. “A sword-eating cabaret and a sexy burlesque dancer definitely did the trick! We had the most amazing Mariachi band for our drinks reception and it’s still what people talk about.”
Despite their meticulous planning, there was one thing they wished they had done differently. “We wish we had hired a videographer. With two photographers we didn’t think we’d need one, but in hindsight, it would have been nice,” Claire admitted. However, they did have a GoPro with a massive tag asking people to pick it up and film throughout the day. “It has some excellent candid footage on it—the type of stuff that makes you laugh and cringe!”
Claire and Matt have some great advice for other couples planning their big day: “Do what makes you happy and sod everyone else. You don’t have to conform to the norms or worry about being judged. It’s going to be one of the best days of your life and there shouldn’t be a second of it you don’t love.” They also recommended checking the sporting calendar—a lesson learned when they realised their original date clashed with the World Cup! “We knew a lot of our guests were big football fans, so we decided to move the date a week earlier. It ended up being the best decision as England played on the original date!”
