The idea of splitting a wedding over two days—a smaller, intimate ceremony on the first day, followed by a larger, more laid-back reception on another day—gained popularity during the pandemic and remains a popular choice for post-COVID couples. This approach reduces the pressure of formality and having “all eyes on you” during the vows, making it feel more like a personal moment rather than a performance. It also allows for a more relaxed celebration with everyone else afterward. This is exactly what Sioned and James chose to do when they married this summer.

With a budget of £5,000, they opted for a two-day celebration in order to strike a balance between their different visions. “I’m a particularly introverted person who hates being the centre of attention, while James wanted to celebrate with all our friends and family,” Sioned shared. “This way, we could have our retro-themed wedding cake, and eat it too.”

The elopement was like something from a fairytale; ethereal, with a Celtic influence for their handfasting ceremony. The couple (literally!) tied the knot on July 2, at Pengersick Castle in Penzance. Sioned, wearing a vintage 1970s dress, felt drawn to the castle’s intimate atmosphere and its ethereal gardens. “We knew from the start that we wanted a medieval-style wedding with a fairytale feel,” she explained. “I am in love with the (very niche) medieval revival movement from the late 1960s/early 1970s and used this as inspiration.”

The sun came out just in time for their handfasting which took place outside, with the castle as their backdrop.”It felt magical to be part of such an ancient ceremony with the castle towering behind us,” she said.

Returning to Cardiff, they hosted a separate reception at their local pub. “We wanted a laid-back, informal party with our nearest and dearest,” Sioned said. The event had no seating plan, a buffet, and a heart-shaped retro cake to fit their 1970s disco theme. Pinks, oranges, and disco balls filled the space, creating a nostalgic Studio 54 vibe. “It was exactly as we wanted—filled with chatter, dancing, and a whole lot of food. We decided against the tradition of endless speeches; instead, James gave a toast thanking our lovely friends and family for their support, and we made a slideshow displaying some photos from our elopement on the projector.”

“We learned that planning a wedding is incredibly time-consuming and stressful”, the bride said when we asked if they’d make any changes to how they did things. “We were fortunate to have Boho Cornwall Elopements organise our elopement and Cinnamon Pig as our stylist for the reception.” They also postponed when things got too much and they needed more time to save. This ending up being a great decision to take the pressure off.

Sioned’s advice for other couples planning their weddings is clear: “Don’t rush to set the date as soon as you get engaged. Give yourself time to plan and figure out your budget. I understood very quickly how weddings can cost so much, and it felt really daunting at times. For us, we really had to narrow it down to what was important to invest in, and what we could do without or do ourselves.”

Looking back, Sioned is sure of one thing: choosing to elope was the right decision. “For someone like me, who’s socially anxious, the idea of walking down the aisle in front of 50+ people was overwhelming. Our elopement day was peaceful, leisurely, and exactly what I needed. We got to enjoy each other’s presence without any pressure, read our personal vows, and slow dance in a medieval castle. If you’re thinking about eloping, do it!”