Charlotte and Simon’s wedding was planned in just three months. Their motivation was to have a DIY wedding which was full of colour and to host it at their new venue, owned by Charlotte’s family, Himley Glamping, Weddings & Events in the West Midlands.
Their unconventional celebration, aptly nicknamed “Poolefest 2024,” embraced a relaxed festival vibe, with quirky touches that kept the day lighthearted and full of laughter. The bride’s mum, a licenced celebrant, led the ceremony, which kicked off with Simon’s father as the most enthusiastic ‘flower man,’ ever!
“We had Simon’s dad walk ahead of me throwing petals everywhere, and it was brilliant”, Charlotte told us. “He was so enthusiastic that it got everyone laughing even before I walked down the aisle. I walked down to This Is Me from The Greatest Showman with my mum and then she led the ceremony.”
Another standout moment came during the glass pouring ceremony led by Charlotte’s bridesmaid, Kayleigh. “We chose colours that mean something to us, and Kayleigh will create a blown-glass piece with them as a keepsake,” Charlotte said.
The couple resisted the urge to splurge on fleeting trends. Instead, they had things that felt like them, with their biggest expenses being their rings and photography. They also had smoke bombs for photos, an ice cream van borrowed from the local park, and inflatable animal and Pokemon costumes which people dressed up in!
Their cake—simple yet creative—was homemade featured pre-made layers decorated with colourful icing, laser-cut hearts, and 3D-printed versions of their Animal Crossing characters. “It cost about £70 in total. We didn’t want it to be a showy or spent of money, we just wanted to have a beautiful, fun day!” Charlotte explained.
The best part of their day? “The ‘we did it!’ feeling of everything coming together and seeing our friends and family having fun”, the bride concluded. “To be honest we kept the whole thing very simple. Personally, I had a difficult start to the year so it was important to have all the people we love around us to show support for our marriage!”
