The Nearlywed Diaries: Where It All Began

Guest Contributor

Angel Sanchez

July 28, 2026

Imagine this. You’re sitting outside your hotel at Universal Studios, Florida. You’re jetlagged after your flight in from London the night before, when a random man who turns out to be from Boston walks up and says hello. You spend a couple of evenings hanging out and going through haunted houses together. Then you both fly home, 3300 miles apart. And that random man, that you couldn’t have run into if you tried, will one day become your husband. Unbelievable, right? Well, that is how I met my fiancé, Ryan. Some would say it was fate, and you’ll catch us saying exactly the same thing. Six months after our chance meeting, Ryan made the first of many flights to London for a holiday. We crammed as much as we possibly could into five days. Whether that meant seeing friends and family or exploring the countryside. It was then that I knew he was the one… and that my phone bill was about to become incredibly expensive. Since meeting in September 2023, we’ve been completely inseparable. Or as inseparable as you can be with 3300 miles between you. It’s been a journey of countless flights, hotels, Airbnbs and tearful airport goodbyes. We both know Boston and Heathrow Airport like the back of our hands. Only recently have we been able to say goodbye to the distance and the FaceTime dates, as Ryan has hopped over the pond permanently to join me in the land of tea and red phone boxes. Three matching tattoos later, in April 2025, Ryan asked my father if he could have my hand in marriage. To which my father delightfully agreed. Did I mention this was only the second time they had met face to face? Long distance certainly has its challenges. Then came the big decision: which country do we get married in? When you only see your fiancé for one or two weeks at a time, three times a year, every place you visit together becomes special. We even reminisce about which petrol stations we’ve been to on our adventures. Sad but true! Ultimately, we decided to get married in North Conway in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We knew straight away that we wanted an autumn wedding. Our love of Halloween is what brought us together. And what better place to get married than the foliage capital of the world? There was very limited time to view venues and lock one in, as most venues in the area for autumn get snapped up over a year in advance. Talk about a time crunch. But Stonehurst Manor stood out to us. Built in 1872, it gave us exactly the vibe we wanted. A haunted manor on a hill, with pumpkins hiding in every nook and cranny. As sad as it is to say, this will probably be the only time both of our families are in the same place at the same time. With a guest list that’s 50% American and 50% British, we have a lot to consider. However, it’s incredibly exciting to know that in just shy of seven months, the people we love most will finally be able to put faces to the names they’ve heard so much about. And we are very excited to be sharing that journey on the pages of our favourite wedding magazine. So, it’s onto the next step of wedding planning… and what the hell are we going to wear?

Beyond Pinterest: Wedding Moments Your Guests Will Actually Remember

Guest Contributor

July 27, 2026

Are you looking for memorable wedding ideas? Wedding sparklers, personal touches, and fun guest experiences make every celebration truly unforgettable.

Vows, Vegas and the Valley of Fire

Kat

Maxime Decarsin

July 27, 2026

Océane and Pierre were planning a traditional wedding in France. Almost everything was already booked and 150 guests invited. But, a few months before the date, the couple cancelled everything, booked flights to Nevada and arranged to be married by a rhinestone-covered gothic Elvis impersonator named Hellvis.

This Is Not a Wedding: Drag Queens, Surrealist Florals & The First Same Sex Union in Montecosaro

Kat

Fotosam

July 24, 2026

The concept behind Alessandro and Francesco's wedding came before anything else, they called it "This Is Not a Wedding". For them, the words had several meanings. The first was a nod to René Magritte and his surrealist work The Treachery of Images, with its famous declaration, "Ceci n’est pas une pipe” (this is not a pipe). The second was due to the legal reality of their relationship.

Three Vintage Dresses, Two Days and One Very Pink California Elopement

Kat

Julia Goldberg

July 23, 2026

Bryn and Taylor travelled from Texas to California for a two-day elopement split between the pink interiors of the Madonna Inn and the cliffs of Big Sur. They wanted the day to have a 1960s meets Americana feel, with a road trip vibe and classic Hollywood glamour.

Your Wedding Isn’t a Board Meeting: What To Wear if You’re an Alternative Groom With Taste

Guest Contributor

July 22, 2026

For some reason, wedding fashion advice assumes grooms are happy to disappear into a sea of identical suits while all the personality gets reserved for the bride. Grooms tend to get handed the same options: black suit, navy suit, grey suit... or if you're really out there, maybe a bit of tweed. But if your wardrobe already leans towards the darker side, your wedding doesn't need to be the one day you dress like you're headed to a corporate awards dinner.

Pop-Punk Zoo Wedding

Kat

Portraits with Steph

July 22, 2026

Having been married before and come away disappointed by the ceremony, Sara knew exactly how she wanted her wedding to feel this time around. And when the chance arose to fulfil her lifelong dream of getting married at a zoo, the venue was an easy choice.

Why Your Core Values are Actually the Best Wedding Planning Tool You Have

Rachel Darwin

Jessika Christine Photo

July 21, 2026

Did you know that Claudia Winkleman took a nap half way-through her wedding? Yes, that’s right! Our beloved Patron Saint of Fringes, Great Telly, and The Colour Orange snuck off for forty winks in her wedding dress. Naps are non-negotiable for her, according to her memoir, Quite. Sleep is something she values above basically anything else. So, why on earth wouldn’t she have scheduled in a quick snooze on her big day? In this issue, all about self-love and having the confidence to do your wedding your way, I’m here to tell you to Be More Claudia when it comes to your wedding-planning… by making sure your day is a true reflection of the things that you and your partner really, actually value.

Unique Gothic Custom Engagement Ring Ideas from MollyJewelryUS

Guest Contributor

June 17, 2026

Your love story isn't a carbon copy. Explore darkly romantic gothic custom engagement ring ideas with us to capture your unique, edgy love story.

10 Wedding Readings Ideas for Elder Emos, Goths & Alternative Couples

Guest Contributor

Natalescha

June 16, 2026

Finding a unique wedding reading can be surprisingly difficult. The internet is full of the same handful of poems, movie quotes and Bible verses that have been appearing at weddings for decades. They might be beautiful, but they don't always resonate if your teenage years were spent in band tees, lurking on music forums or writing questionable poetry in the margins of your school books. Wedding readings don't have to come from traditional wedding sources and the best wedding reading is rarely the most famous one. Look through the books on your shelves, revisit the novels and movies that shaped your teenage years, read the lyrics that got you through difficult times. If you're planning a wedding that leans a little darker, a little stranger or simply a little more you, here are some places to start.

Quirky Engagement Ring Trends for Anti-Brides in 2026

Guest Contributor

June 12, 2026

Ditch the predictable sparkle. Dive into the quirky engagement ring trends defining 2026 — featuring sharp geometric cuts, blackened metals, and raw textures.

Menswear for Weddings That Doesn’t Suck

Guest Contributor

June 11, 2026

There is a huge disconnect in the wedding world. One partner can spend a year hunting for the perfect outfit while the other ends up in a rented tux chosen a fortnight before the wedding. It doesn't have to be that way.

Sea of Love: Intimate, Fun & Kitsch Sure Thing Chapel Wedding

Kat

Lauren Driscoll

February 10, 2026

Maggie and Kyle got married at Sure Thing Chapel in Las Vegas with Cat Power’s cover of Sea of Love playing as the bride walked down the aisle. “After choosing Sure Thing Chapel as the venue, we wanted to play off the colours and fun vibe", Maggie told us. "I had envisioned the colour scheme of black, red and light blue. We wanted to keep it intimate, fun, and kitschy.”

‘Til Death Do Us Punk

Kat

Christina Srorzah

January 26, 2026

Casey met Dwayne in 2005 while looking for a tattoo artist. Appointments turned into years of friendship. In November 2022, when they realised they were both single, Casey invited Dwayne to a local venue to watch a friend’s stand up set after a session. Sitting in the booth, he reached over, grabbed her face, and kissed her. “He said he’d been waiting to do that for a long time and we’ve been inseparable ever since."

If We Were Getting Married in Vegas in 2026, Here’s What We Would Want to Know

Kat

Of Colour and Hue

January 22, 2026

It’s no secret that we love a Vegas wedding here at Rock n Roll Bride. We’ve been lucky enough to shoot in Las Vegas multiple times over the last few years, so without blowing our own trumpet too much, it’s fair to say we’re pretty clued up on how to do a Vegas wedding well.

Dolly Parton Meets Mars Attacks with a Wes Anderson Spin

Kat

Of Colour and Hue

January 20, 2026

Colourful Midweek Wedding with Pizza, Dried Flowers and a Pulp Fiction-Inspired First Dance

Kat

EKR Pictures

June 8, 2026

So many weddings take years of planning, are filled with packed schedule and a carefully choreographed morning apart. Amy and Steve planned theirs in six months and spent the morning of theirs setting up the venue together

Let’s Clown Around and Get Married

Kat

Carrie Pollard

June 3, 2026

Cynthia and Michael, who were married on Halloween in Vegas, may go down in history as having one of the most punk rock, unique weddings we've ever seen. The clown makeup was Cynthia's idea - why? Well honesty, why not?

Fairy Forest Whimsy, Fruit Tables & Country Music in Austin

Kat

Solasta Media

May 29, 2026

Stephanie and Mason wanted their wedding to feel timeless and modern, but softened with unexpected details. Flowers became the biggest investment and the thing they focused on the most. As an avid gardener and tattoo artist, Stephanie spends plenty of time drawing florals, knew exactly where she wanted the budget to go. They worked with Ashton of The Spotted Poppy Floral who properly delivered on the visoin.

‘Tats & Cats’ Dive Bar Wedding

Kat

Lilry

May 27, 2026

Monique and Jay's London, Ontario wedding day began with a ceremony at Holy Diver where they actually got tattooed! They then moved to The Early Bird, a family owned restaurant and bar, where they had a second ceremony (with both their grandmothers as flower girls) and reception with their 35 guests. It was the very first wedding the venue had hosted, but the couple couldn't have been happier with how it all turned out.

Gothic Black Tie Wedding on Halloween

Kat

Ami Darling

April 7, 2026

Amber and Jago got married on 31st October in Cornwall. The date was significant because not only do they love Halloween, they started dating on and got engaged on Halloween! As goths, it just made total sense to keep the same date for their wedding.

Victorian Goth Ghosts in a Haunted House

Kat

Keri Lynne

April 6, 2026

Did you know there is no rule that says your engagement shoot has to be pretty pictures of you in a field or on a beach. I mean, those make lovely shoot locations and all but do you know what's way cooler? A freakin' haunted mansion! For Anita and Michael, who love all things dark and romantic, these vibes were elite.

Middle Earth Meets Pagan Gothic: A Dark Fantasy Wedding

Kat

Philipp Groth

April 2, 2026

Annika and Leon love Tolkien, fantasy worlds and video games, so they built their wedding from that foundation. They planned the day entirely by themselves, with the help of many talented friends, and held it at Mildenstein Castle in Saxony, Germany.

Gothic Masquerade Ball in Milwaukee

Kat

Alisa Grieve

March 30, 2026

Sam had always wanted to attend a masquerade ball, so that, her a long-standing goth aesthetic and love for antiques, vintage furniture and trinkets were the main inspirations for her wedding to Liam. "It was like a moody gothic masquerade with antique eclecticism", she said.

Anti-Capitalist Couture: Eclectic Wedding Shoot Where Everything Was Thrifted, Upcycled or Reclaimed

Kat

Black Stag Creative

March 27, 2026

This shoot is a riot against the beige, minimal, Pinterest-approved wedding machine, this shoot came to us by-way of a new team of wedding suppliers from South Africa who wanted to push what it means to create a “styled wedding shoot”.

Off-Duty Showgirl: Las Vegas Bridal Editorial for Rock N Romance Elopements

Kat

Jamie Y

March 9, 2026

Phew, where do we even begin with this one? A dream location, a dream team, and possibly the most over-the-top (in the best way) bridal looks we've ever put together. Everything really is better in Las Vegas.

Shakespeare’s Ophelia Meets Gothic, Rural Renaissance

Kat

Fairfoxes

December 8, 2025

The Baltimore based team behind this shoot built a world that sits somewhere between Renaissance folklore and the haunted calm of Shakespeare’s Ophelia. They worked with candlelight, irregular textiles, sculptural florals, velvet, and a couple styled like they had stepped out of a painting. The mood came from a mix of rural myth, faded royalty, and a willingness to sit inside the strange.

Woodland Witch: A Queer Love Story for the Lobsters for Life Alternative Wedding Fair

Kat

Marieke Maakt Foto's

December 2, 2025

The Lobsters for Life Wedding Fair in The Netherlands pulled in makers, creatives and couples from across Europe last month and gave us a look at how alt weddings are evolving outside the UK. We were so excited to be invited along and spent the day meeting vendors who are pushing ideas forward with real intention. If you missed it and you are planning something unconventional on European soil, this shoot brings that same vibe straight to you! Every look, prop and detail was created by vendors from the show and most of them work with couples all over the continent.