Charlotte and Sébastien’s wedding in France was held over two days in June. The couple wanted a kitsch Alice in Wonderland vibe to their celebration with lots of homemade details. “We called it The Kitsissime Wedding,” Charlotte said. “It means the most kitsch wedding. It was a mix of vintage, too much stuff, and a little bit of Alice in Wonderland.”
For their legal ceremony, Charlotte wore a floral dress and pink veil that she had made herself. Sébastien wore a pink suit from Shein, also customised by Charlotte to make it his own. The following day came their big wedding in the garden of a friend of Charlotte’s mother. The day began with a humanist ceremony, led by the bride’s brother, dressed in drag.
“I wanted him to marry us, and he could be whoever he wanted for the ceremony,” she said. The bride walked in to Kiss the Girl from The Little Mermaid. At the end of the ceremony, they didn’t exchange rings or receive blessings but were instead offered tiny sugar butterflies in a gentle parody of communion. “We are not religious” Charlotte explained, “but it was so cute. At the end of the ceremony we walked out to Viva Forever from the Spice Girls, which my brother chose!”
While the overall atmosphere was free-spirited and lighthearted, there were some logistical challenges. Rain, which was unexpected and rare for that time of year, did mean guests and decorations got wet. “We didn’t think to rent a wedding tent. It hadn’t rained at that time in years!” she admitted. “I also wish we’d had a wedding planner for the day, because no one was really in charge. Small things were forgotten, like a microphone for my brother and the a guestbook.”
Despite the hiccups, Charlotte looks back on the planning process with a mix of pride and exhaustion. She made everything she could herself, from decorations to both of her wedding outfits and all the accessories. “Making everything on a budget and within the time I had was really challenging,” she admitted. “And sometimes I felt very alone. Apart from my mum, we didn’t really have help. Our witnesses and bridesmaids live far away.”
Charlotte’s advice to other couples is simple: don’t compromise on who you are. “Do not make compromises for anyone except your partner”, she said. “I wore a white dress for the humanist ceremony to make my mother happy, but honestly, I didn’t want it. It felt too traditional for me. I regret not staying true to myself on that.”
The wedding planning experience shifted something fundamental for Charlotte. She concluded, “My wedding changed my life – not us as a couple, because we already love each other so much – but it made me realise I didn’t want to work as a nurse anymore. So, in 2025, I’m becoming a wedding planner!”
Suppliers
