Inspired by festivals and the music they love, but with a whimsical, woodland twist, Emily and Tom’s Isle of Wight wedding was filled with good music, great food, and fun. The bride wore two dresses, the second of which was accessorised with wings! They wanted a day with zero pressure to adhere to formalities, where everyone could just relax and have a good time.

From the moment guests arrived, the laid back tone was set. Each table was stocked with different bottles of mead and fruit wine, accompanied by a note to ‘forage for other drinks’.”This small touch encouraged people to wander, talk, and share stories with new acquaintances.

Their day wasn’t just about having fun, though—it was also about the commitment they were making. They began the day with a church ceremony, which was important to Tom’s family’s Christian faith. Afterwards they had a sand ceremony where they read a second set of vows, and blended sand from their favourite beaches into a shared vessel.

At the village hall reception, live pop punk music filled the summer air, replacing the expected wedding DJ. Mitch’s performance was a real highlight of the whole day, especially when he surprised the couple with True Believers by the Bouncing Souls, a song tied to the bride’s childhood road trips with her father, and karaoke. “He chose Sk8r Boi for me as I’d not long seen Avril live with my uncle, and Rollin’ by Limp Bizkit for Tom”, Emily explained. “I had no idea until Tom’s performance that he didn’t know a single word other than ‘Keep rollin!’. It was pretty funny but he played it off very well!”

There was no sit-down meal, instead, food vans served up street-style eats, leaving guests free to roam and continue the celebrations without interruption. Emily and Tom also added unexpected activities, like a glitter tattoo and sand art tent to keep guests entertained.

Their wedding cake was another non-traditional feature. “We didn’t want something elaborate or overly perfect,” says Emily. Instead, they opted for a frog-themed cake, with Tom’s input being simply, ‘Make it swampy!’

DIY elements played a huge role in the overall aesthetic of the day. The couple spent weeks foraging and drying ingredients for an apothecary-themed bar, which served homemade fruit liqueurs in vintage teacups. They crafted giant flowers, crystallised old books, and created light-up toadstool walkways that added to the whimsical woodland theme. The wedding favours were meant to be paint-your-own biscuits, but Emily admits, “We overestimated our guests’ attention spans. Only one table realised they were supposed to paint the biscuits; everyone else just ate the paint palettes!”

Their advice for engaged couples is simple: “It’s your day, no one else’s,” Emily says. “Make sure the decisions reflect your happiness and what you both care about, not what anyone else thinks you should do. Wedding planning can feel like a second job with all the appointments, emails, and decisions. Don’t let it consume your relationship. Make sure you take time to do things together that have nothing to do with the wedding.”