Laura and Ben didn’t just want to throw a wedding—they created a real three-day festival! Hosted at the Yoghurt Rooms in East Grinstead, the couple’s “Happily Ever After Party” brought together 80 friends and family members for a weekend of camping, music and fantastic food. Ben even designed a custom logo which graced everything from the temporary tattoos to high-vis jackets and was even stamped on empanadas! In fact, the event felt more like a real music festival than a wedding.
“We love festivals and raves, and we wanted to bring that same energy to our wedding,” Laura explained. “It was about equal parts party and love, and we definitely achieved that. The venue even had a dedicated soundproof 24-hour rave room!”
Laura and Ben walked down the aisle together to Koffee’s x10, greeted by cheers and applause from their guests. “We both wanted to experience the moment equally,” Laura shares. “It felt right to walk into it side by side.”
Their friend Jenny officiated a handfasting ceremony. Laura’s mother read Jana Lynne Umipig’s poem I’d Rather Rise In Love With You, and the couple exchanged vows they had kept secret until the day. At the ceremony’s conclusion, pink and green smoke bombs lit up the scene while Prospa’s Want Need Love (Dimension Remix) played.
Guests were treated to espresso martinis and empanadas printed with Laura and Ben’s logo on before a taco truck and margarita stand rolled in. A mariachi band played first and throughout the evening they custom games, a bouncy castle, and even a pedal go-kart track that the couple built themselves. They then had speeches, including a song that Ben’s mum wrote about them, a pizza making station and multiple DJs, turning into an all-night rave.
Kids were entertained with mini high-vis vests, clipboards, and ‘party forms’ to survey the adults about their experience. Adults, meanwhile, handed out ‘pirate doubloons’ that kids could exchange for sweets at a DIY tuck shop. For those who preferred to chill, seating areas made from hay bales and blankets offered a cosy escape. At the go-kart track, they threw in giant plushie Mario Kart mushrooms and bananas for people to throw at each other, and had a speaker in the middle playing Mario Kart tunes.
Just like a real festival, the weekend continued with plenty of DJs throughout the Friday and Saturday nights. They had multiple friends and DJs playing everything from breakbeat, drum and bass, garage to donk.
Looking back, Laura and Ben wouldn’t change much. However, planning such an elaborate event came with its challenges. “There were so many tiny details to consider, especially for a weekend-long event,” Laura says. “At times, we regretted not hiring a planner, but ultimately, it wouldn’t have felt so much like ‘us’ if we had.”
