These Punky Alternative Wedding Ideas Rock – 13 Parties To Inspire

What better way to celebrate Punky Mom’s month of Love than have a look at some of the ways in which our Punkies have become hitched. From the traditional English weddings to Vegas Weddings, a wedding at a dog park to one themed around skulls …they all show personality and make us feel all warm and squishy inside. Check out the pictures below of all these beautiful alternative weddings from our Punky Mom members around the world.

Nicole W had an autumnal theme for her wedding, copper and rose-gold pumpkins, autumn leaves, vines and fairy lights. She walked down the aisle to “When you wish upon a star”. When they signed the register they sat with their two children on their laps making it feel more special. The wedding reception ended with a bump, I broke my wrist doing an Irish jig to B*witched! So my wedding morning of relaxing in the spa turned to a trip to A&E! I did get a chance to sleep in my hotel bed on my wedding night thanks to the 13 tequilas numbing the pain.”

Dawn married her husband in Las Vegas. When talking about the theme Dawn wanted to capture the fun and excitement of Vegas without the cheesy, shotgun wedding element. We were more concerned with the food, drinks and fun…than flowers and centerpieces. They had a small intimate ceremony which Dawn feels led to all her family and friends bonding closely. There was almost a disaster with the wedding dress but luckily they found a seamstress who could help minutes before the ceremony.

Imogen’s wedding theme was skulls. Imogen said the wedding and becoming married was important as it made them feel like “a real unit… It represents us finally making it through everything and being totally happy.” Music played a very important role in the wedding. Imogen’s husband is in a band and the whole band attended the wedding. Their first dance was Bring Me The Horizon ‘Follow You’ and was incorporated into the Justin Timberlake song ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’ so that their children could join in with them. Imogen said “I feel like our wedding was perfect because it was exactly us, It’s was what we wanted and we didn’t worry about what anyone else thought or said!”

Laura and her husband wanted a relaxed wedding. They were married on one of the hottest days of the year and Laura spent most of the day barefoot rather than in her Irregular Choice heels. They had a cheese and pie wedding cake “We love tea, so there was lots. We also love cider, so there was lots.” They spent their wedding night at their family home in the Cotswolds and woke up surrounded by their family and friends.

Cosima married her partner at Dog Park Wedding at Keshet Kennels in Ottawa. This was particularly special to Cosima as they got to bring all of their dogs to the wedding. The dogs ran and played in the streams and caves and chased each other around. Cosima is a dog trainer by profession. Cosima wanted to share this with Punky Moms when speaking about her wedding, “We want to thank the history and social movements, as well as the immense sacrifices made by those before us that allowed us the right to get married. Not everyone has that, and I don’t want to erase the pain and fear that generations before us faced that allowed us to have such an amazing life together. We have a 5 year old, and a family. People died and were imprisoned for this. Thank you.” 

Kate’s alternative wedding was all outdoors, the ceremony and into the evening in the rambling gardens of a house on the edge of Dartmoor. Music played an important part in Kate’s wedding, close friends sang, played, and DJ’d for them thought the day. Instead of asking for gifts between their family and friends, all the food and drink, including the cake, was provided. Our friends contributed live music and DJ sets, decorations, dried petals for confetti, mixed cocktails… absolutely everything. “My advice to people planning weddings now is always to really focus on the fact that it’s your day. Do what pleases you. Invite people you want to be there. There really isn’t a rule book to getting married. Other than signing a document, you can make choices that are true to you.” (Kate is a modmin in our Down With Apathy facebook group).

Linsey and her husband eloped to Iceland taking a much loved Swedish photographer with them. They wanted a dramatic and moody landscape and photos, to dress in black (they both live in it) and everything to be very typical of them. Lynsey wore her DMs and a vintage leather jacket with Mrs Reeves painted on the back. “Marrying in a little black church in the middle of nowhere on an Icelandic peninsula, surrounded by the mountains and ocean. It was so remote which was everything we wanted and symbolized eloping perfectly. Nobody and nothing else except us.” They married 9 months to the day of their first date when Lynsey was 14 weeks pregnant. They wrote their own vows including favorite Literary quotes. They spent 2 days travelling around Iceland shooting in different locations including climbing onto a plane wreck.

Faith decided on decided on a loose theme of country and patchwork, with dinosaurs thrown into the mix. They had a colorful and unique wedding, and asked guests to send fabric for the wedding guest book quilt, everyone wrote wedding wishes on blank cotton to be sewn into a quilt. Faith walked down the aisle to the theme from Jurassic Park and instead of normal confetti the guests threw pompoms. (Check out this pom pom tutorial).

Kimberly’s wedding was 1950’s Vegas themed. When talking about getting married Kimberly said “It meant the world to me to be married to unite us a family and to be one. Our 4 kids we’re over the moon for us all to have the same second name as well” Kimberly’s bridesmaids wore 1950’s swing dresses that Kimberly had customized, her husband had a skull cane and top hat with red patterned waistcoat and red and black patent shoes. My dress was ivory with a champagne tulle overlay, and I had a pair of Windsor Irregular Choice shoes. Kimberly arrived at the wedding with her dad and sister in a Red 1957 Chevy. At the reception they made up our own photo booth area with cardboard cutouts of showgirls and Elvis!! And lots of props. There was a couple casino tables in blackjack and roulette and guests paid with money with the couples faces on. 

Helen’s favorite part of the wedding was the bit she was least looking forward to. Helen loved walking down the aisle and being the center of attention surrounded by all the people she loved. Zoe, Helen’s daughter played an important role in the celebration, “as we weren’t just getting married to each other, we are a family and we both agreed she needed to be a big part of it. So instead of the traditional walking down the aisle, we all three walked in together” (Helen’s a PMUK Modmin and you can see more of this alternative wedding here).

Nicola’s theme was ‘Budget Geek’ and she made many of the elements herself. From invites (Harry Potter map), to her bridal bouquet and bridesmaid’s flowers, using the Harry Potter House colors and Nicola’s used a Doctor Who light up sonic screwdriver for handle. She decoupaged comic book shoes and a cake stand, made a TARDIS cardbox (CARDIS). There were Harry Potter wands, paper heart garlands, My Little Pony hair accessories, centerpieces (complete with My Little Ponies and Lego superheroes), Dalek cookies and finally a program titled ‘So You’re Going To Sit Through a Geek Wedding – A Practical Guide To Not Falling Asleep And Figuring Out What Exactly Is Going On’, for the non- geek members of their families. 

Nicole S, realized when she met her now husband that getting married was something she had always wanted deep down “the promise of loving me forever more still makes me think, why me?” They had a retro American theme. Nicole’s dress was 50s inspired, their wedding meal was burger, fries and milkshakes. Nicole’s mother in law is a judge at cake international and made their unique cake. it included a floating burger.

Frances got married on their 10th anniversary being together. 10 years and 4 children (one being a beautiful 8 week old bridesmaid) “it felt like the next step to really celebrate our love and family unit we had created.” Frances’ favorite aspect was how everyone embraced the unconventional ideas and breaking away from tradition. Frances had glitter in her hair, a donut wall. There was no cake cutting or speeches. Kids were allowed to run around and go wild.

Love what you see? Be sure to check out last year’s Love is Love Punky wedding feature and playlist filled with even more amazing alternative weddings to swoon over. 

Em is a PMUK modmin, a mama to Juno and Starbug and a vinyl addict.