The annual summer gathering was in full progress.
Our nearest relatives and dearest friends were mingling and conversing in our garden last year, preparedto enjoy a BBQ.
As they all took part indrinks, I gave my fiancé, Elliott, a wink.
Our hidden preparations were yielding results.
A short while later, I exitedin a wedding dress– and our unexpected wedding commenced.
Guests were stunned when "Marry You" by Bruno Mars played through the speakers, and a photographer began taking photos of their shocked expressions.
My sons, Alfie who is 20 years old, and Charlie, aged 17, distributed confetti while Elliott and I walked towards the summer house to meet our officiant, prepared for the ceremony to start.
Following 22 years as a couple, Elliott and I eventually tied the knot – the astonishment and surprise on everyone's faces was among the most memorable moments.
We’d kept the whole thing a secretright up until the very end, allowing us to have our ideal day: a relaxed, affordable, and unassuming wedding.
Elliott and I first encountered each other at our workplace in 1993.
In 2001, Elliott became part of my design company; the following year, we started dating.
We have children together, but I never viewed marriage as something that would be part of our future. I considered it a costly and unnecessary step, and didn't believe we needed to demonstrate our love through old-fashioned customs.
Over the years, Elliott repeatedly asked me to marry him– but I always refused. 'What's the use?', I would joke, insisting that we were already content as we were.
The pivotal moment for me was joining the reality television seriesMarried at First Sight in 2024.
I chose to experience some of that excitement for myself (the ceremony and the romance, at least – not the conflicts!).
I wished to honor our family and create a memorable occasion with our two sons, who are maturing rapidly – not to mention the bureaucratic aspects of getting married.
We operate a pizza business called CasaGees, and I realized that getting married would address legal matters. In case something happened to either of us, we would be considered each other's next of kin.
However, I have always preferred to do things in my own manner. Therefore, on February 29, 2024, I asked Elliott to marry me at the pub using a scratch card that read 'Marry Me'.
He chuckled and said, "Okay. How much will this end up costing me?"
It was a perfectly low-key proposalfor us, we simply aren't the very romantic kind.
We were determined for our wedding to be equally low-key, and the most effective way to achieve that was to keep it confidential.
If we held our surprise wedding in the garden, no one would have any idea – our summer gathering is an annual custom.
Now, we had to remain loyal toa tight budget of £4,000if we were aiming for a low-key day.
We concluded with a total expenditure of approximately £3,500, which I was pleased with.
What Rachael and Elliott acquired for £3,500
- The most costly aspect was the food and beverages, amounting to £1,200. Normally, we handle the catering for our summer gathering – however, we were unable to prepare meals on our wedding day, so we opted for a hog roast.
- Our main tent was £300 (it was fromArgos and not the biggest).
- Our adornments, such as streamers and artificial blossoms, cost £150.
- The attire and footwear cost £200 – I discovered a free Next suit for my son from the neighborhood.Facebookpage – and my dress, shoes, and accessories cost £120 from Amazon and Etsy.
- The blossoms were provided by a local amateur gardener who was delighted to assist me.assemble bouquetsand ornamental clusters with her painstakingly acquired treasures from the garden.
- She also gave us flower petals for the confetti.
- I purchased 20 white umbrellas in case of rain, at a cost of £100.
- Our rings cost £200 and the photographer's fee was £300.
- The authorized officiant charged £700, while our legal wedding at the registry office only cost £200.
I cherished every moment of the secret preparation, particularly because no one would impose on us what we 'should' do, wear or – most importantly – spend.
I do have one regret. Some of our friends and family were away on vacation, or unable to travel to join us – and they felt let down because I didn't disclose the real purpose of our meeting, which would have allowed them to make arrangements to be present.
But I wanted to stand by my decision and let things unfold as fate would have it – because in the end, the day was about me, Elliott, and our sons. It was perfect for us that we were all present.
On the morning of the wedding, I woke up with a sense of excitement combined with a peaceful mood. I felt nopre-wedding nerves. It all seemed effortless to me.
Thankfully, the rainThe clouds stayed at bay. The only issue was that, following the ceremony, our music didn't function – but our wonderful guests sang us down the aisle using the song "Chapel of Love." That awkward moment turned into a cherished memory and one of the day's highlights.
Following the ceremony, we enjoyed sparkling drinks and the prepared meals, and kept socializing with our guests until late into the night, filled with singing, hugging, and dancing.
Would you like to have a 'secret' wedding?
- Yes - I am fond of the conceptCheck
- No - I couldn'tCheck
- I have doneCheck
For us, a ‘secret weddingIt was perfect – even our boys only found out two weeks before the big event – and fortunately, none of my family members were upset about not being involved in the planning. In fact, my dad was happy because it meant no stress for him either – no need to worry about what to wear or purchase.
My recommendations for a modest, inexpensive wedding are: Consider holding it at your home or a family member's residence to cut down on venue expenses, and check out secondhand options such as Vinted and Facebook wedding groups.
I strongly suggest having a 'secret' wedding. Bringing together our loved ones without any restrictions, no mandatory gifts or family tensions felt like a blessing for both them and us.
As recounted to Michelle Morgan Davies
Do you have a tale you wish to tell? Reach out by sending an emailjess.austin@.co.uk.
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