When you marry your high school sweetheart with a dreamy dance party love fest

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Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 42 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)
Photos by Vanessa Shambrook

Offbeat partners: Grace & Yanni

Date and location of wedding: The Button Factory in Victoria, Australia — 03/27/2021

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 4 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 15 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 14 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Our offbeat wedding at a glance: The dress code was fab and fancy. No theme other than focusing on great food (woodfired pizzas, massive grazing table with so much delicious cheese, arancini, etc.). Music was so important; we spent months choosing special songs for certain moments and curating playlists for every part of the day/night.

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 1 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 10 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 8 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 25 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 29 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Tell us about the ceremony:
Our ceremony was so beautiful. My brother walked me down the aisle because my beautiful father passed away a few years ago. It was everything and more. I walked down the aisle to “ain't no mountain high enough” Martin Gaye.

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 18 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Our celebrant is one of my brother's high school friends who's known my family and me for a very long time. He made it all feel so personal.

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 2 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Our vows were tear-jerkers for sure but also definitely a couple of laughs in there. We have known each other for 14 years; we are high school sweethearts, so there was so much to cover, and we were very conscious of not wanting to go on and on…

Sharing our love story online would require multiple tabs.

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 39 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 36 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Our sisters were our witnesses, and we had our oldest and closest friends as our bridal party.

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 41 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 19 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

After the ceremony, we walked out together to “Finally” CeCe Peniston.

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 21 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Tell us about the reception:
Our reception was the same venue as the reception.

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 23 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 22 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

We blasted party tunes, did the Nutbush, of course. We ate delicious food and served delicious cocktails.

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 32 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 5 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

 

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 48 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 49 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

There were speeches galore, and our first dance was to “Love at First Sight” by Kylie Minogue. Jake, one of our beautiful friends, then took the night to the next level on the DJ Decks.

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 34 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 33 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 50 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Before everyone went home, they took a custom-made cocktail that Yanni spent days creating with flavors that represented us and our backgrounds and family.

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 47 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 45 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

 

What was the most important lesson you learned from your wedding?
The most important thing I learned was that not everything is going to go to plan. You can't please everyone in your life.

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 26 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

And most importantly, your wedding is about you and your person. The main takeaway; have so much fun. Lay expectations aside and take in all the love.

Marrying your high school sweetheart on offbeat bride 28 alternative wedding ideas from Offbeat Wed (formerly Offbeat Bride)

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