When Rachael and Bear began planning their wedding, they knew exactly what they didn’t want: stress, pressure, and anything overly conventional. Instead, they aimed for a day that was, as Rachael described, “All about us. Minimal drama, minimal planning—just pure celebration.”
From the moment Rachael walked down the aisle to The Menzingers’ Anna, it was clear that this was no traditional wedding. “We didn’t want vows,” said Rachael. “We had a personal blessing from a chaplain I work with instead. We only had close family and our wedding parties at the ceremony , everyone else waited at the reception venue.”
But it didn’t end there. Rachael and Bear entered the reception venue together to New Found Glory’s All Downhill from Here, and exchanged rings. Bear’s tears flowed when he realised Rachael had carved lyrics from The Menzingers’ After The Party into a skateboard wheel bearing which held his ring. The carving read: ‘It’s me and you.’
Their reception continued to reflect their laid-back, alternative vibe. Bear’s best man had everyone laughing when he and Bear got changed into the characters from Dumb and Dumber, fulfilling a bet they made back in high school.
Although the decor was simple and minimal, Rachael’s crafted her bouquet with help from a local florist. She also made the banner emblazoned with their new surname The Leonards.
For Rachael, the best part of the wedding wasn’t a particular moment or detail. “It sounds cringe, but the pure joy of marrying the person I’ve fancied the pants off since the moment I met him—that was it for me,” she said, laughing.
Their day was crafted with love, but also within a £5,000 budget. “Alex, our photographer, was the biggest expense, but also the best one,” said Rachael. “I’ll treasure those photos forever. He captured us being us, not some version of what people expect at a wedding.” The couple were able to save big thanks to their talented friends, who handled the cake and the hair and make-up.
Reflecting on their wedding planning experience, Rachael and Bear both found it hard to avoid the sense of pressure surrounding having something traditional. “There’s this push for things to be a certain way, and the costs ramp up around those expectations,” Rachael noted. “It’s the little things—the sneaky extras—that add up. But honestly, I don’t think they make a huge difference. We loved our day without them. So, our advice would be to just take whatever parts of tradition you want, if any, and make it your own.”
