When Lucie + Ross started dreaming up their Wales wedding, the goal was to create an experience with “a somewhat theatrical and immersive feel, filled with games, music, and laughter.” The result? This fantastical celebration packed with nonstop color + fun!
“We wanted the day to be vibrant and loud, with big energy and with a focus on fun and games,” say Lucie + Ross. So they enlisted the geniuses at Village Circus (the event-design-meets-festival-creation-meets-performance-troupe phenomenon). Together with fun + edgy farm venue The Giraffe Shed, Village Circus created a wedding experience in the heart of Central Wales that was unforgettably unique.
Lucie works for Greenpeace, so making the celebration eco friendly in its design was a top priority. One way they achieved this was by making sure some of their favorite decor moments were composed of handmade or secondhand elements.
Another way these two made their wedding day their own was by avoiding any traditional wedding conventions that didn’t fit their personalities. “We didn’t want to follow certain traditions, like the first dance or a groom speech just because that is what people do,” says the couple.
So relaxed excitement won out over sticking to a strict schedule. Partying took priority over posed portraits. And the gorgeous candid photos that Chloe Mary snapped throughout Lucie + Ross’s day are funky, joy-filled perfection.
“We had seen Village Circus perform at our favourite festival Shambala a couple of times,” says Lucie of the creative team behind their ceremony. “One year when we were there they did a wedding too, and we both said how fun it would be to have them at our wedding. Stars aligned and they were available for our day. They even hosted the ceremony with the amazing celebrant ‘Bon Bon!’”
“They have a magical way of bringing a crowd together, getting everyone involved, as well as being absolutely hilarious,” says Ross of Village Circus. “It was a perfect match for us.”
OK. We’ve got to talk about the gleaming + shimmering gold wedding dress that was at the heart of Lucie’s golden goddess bridal vibe. Lucie discovered the Rasario Plissé-lamé gown on Net-A-Porter, and we are OBSESSED with the pleats and cut-out sides!!
“I had a budget of £1K for the dress, and I was finding that all the white dresses I loved were so much more expensive than that! I thought that if I was to put a budget of £1K towards a dress that wasn’t a wedding dress, I could find something really special,” says Lucie. “I wanted to wear something that I would never get the chance to wear, something amazing. Suddenly the options opened up, I could wear gold, red, anything! And I had a budget of 1K – that’s loads! I found the perfect dress and I was so happy with it.”
Our Favorite Memory From The Wedding Lucie: During the celebrant-led ceremony when everyone sang along to “Bohemian Rhapsody,” or during the wedding breakfast when Village Circus hosted the big quiz we had created together in the months leading up to the wedding day, and the guests were all dancing on the tables singing their hearts out to Backstreet Boys - ha! Or when we tied the knot with colorful ribbon but it nearly didn't knot… Or when we walked out to confetti everywhere with “Love Shack” blasting in the background.
Ross: The ceremony was definitely the most memorable moment. It was everything we had hoped for when planning the wedding. Everything was perfect, even if it was a slight struggle to ‘tie the knot’ during our hand binding. Looking out onto all our guests, seeing their faces laughing, crying, singing, cheering, was really special. It felt authentic to us, right down to having our groomsmen and bridesmaids read out our vows.
Violinist Richard Sanderson Xerri busted out a fierce violin solo during the ceremony’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” sing-along.
Our Musical Choices Processional: "Magic Dance" by David Bowie
Recessional: "Love Shack" by The B-52s
First Dance: We didn't do one!
The Reception
A beer bath! This might be one of our fave takes on the traditional cocktail hour.
How fabulous is this vibrant pink + green mother of the groom dress?!
“I wanted the bridesmaids to make a statement and stand out with colorful sequins and look unique,” says Lucie of these stunning, sparkly bridal party looks. “We’ve been to a fair few festivals so I wanted to find something vibrant and sparkly. I wanted to break the mold of what’s expected of bridesmaids’ attire.”
“We also had a dress code of “colourful, fun, and vibrant” so the bridesmaids needed to lead the way with that! When I found the jumpsuits and dresses on the Warehouse website I knew those were the ones!”
LOVE that they left all of the ceremony confetti on the floor for the reception!
We love the ease + excitement of a reception food truck! Take a look at our deep dive into wedding catering styles to start narrowing down your wedding feast options.
Our Advice To Those Planning Now Lucie: The day goes so fast so anything you don't want to do - scrap it! Don't miss out on your own wedding because of strict schedules and traditions that don’t matter to you. If you want to write your own vows but feel like you struggle to say them, ask a friend or family member to read them aloud for you, we did that and it was really special. We could just look at each other and hear the words without feeling nervous about speaking. If its DIY wedding - Hire a great wedding coordinator, its a must!
Ross: If it doesn’t feel right, then it most probably isn’t. Don’t feel you have to do anything because you are meant to. Create a day that’ll make you feel relaxed and calm so you can really focus on the day itself and really truly absorb what it means.
The Brass Funkeys were on hand to treat guests to some live music—including brass band karaoke!
Congratulations, Lucie + Ross, on your unique + vivid wedding in Wales! GWS is so happy for you both!
photography: CHLOE MARY // venue name: THE GIRAFFE SHED, NEWTOWN, WALES, United Kingdom // event design: VILLAGE CIRCUS // planning: VILLAGE CIRCUS // florals: LUNA BLOOM // wedding dress: RASARIO // wedding dress boutique: NET-A-PORTER // hair stylist: CORAL LEWIS // music: BRASS FUNKEYS // dj: MAX GALACTIC // fiddle player: RICH SANDERSON XERRI