Gloriously Gothic Halloween Wedding
Till Death Do Us Party: Vanessa and Lewis’ Autumnal Gothic Wedding at Theatre Royal, Dumfries
When Vanessa and Lewis set out to plan their wedding, they knew one thing for certain: it had to be unapologetically them. Think gothic romance, heartfelt vows, tattoos, and a horror-themed reception inside Scotland’s oldest working theatre. But more than that, Vanessa and Lewis wanted a ceremony that reflected their love and was true to their values. Their wedding was a celebration filled with meaning, music, and moments that felt completely personal.
Why did you want a humanist ceremony?
We decided to have a humanist ceremony because we wanted something that truly reflected us without the constraints of tradition or religion. It was important to us that every word spoken felt genuine, personal, and meaningful. A humanist ceremony gave us the freedom to celebrate our relationship in a way that was heartfelt, inclusive, and unique. It wasn’t just about signing a piece of paper; it was about honouring our connection and the journey we’ve taken together, surrounded by the people who mean the most to us. It felt raw, powerful, and unforgettable…just like love should be.
Which celebrant did you choose and why?
When it came to planning our wedding, one of the most important decisions we had to make was choosing the right celebrant… someone who would truly understand us, reflect our personalities, and make our ceremony feel like us. From the moment we came across Lindsey Mason Ross, we knew she was the one.
Lindsey has this incredible energy… warm, grounded, and full of heart. We instantly felt seen and understood by her. She took the time to really get to know our story, our quirks, our humour, and what makes our connection unique. It never felt like a generic service but a genuine celebration of us as individuals.
What stood out most was how she listened. She didn’t try to fit us into a box or follow a template. She encouraged us to be unapologetically ourselves. As two people who live a little off the beaten path (especially with our Halloween wedding vibes!), Lindsey embraced every part of it with excitement and respect. She made us feel like our love story mattered… and that meant everything.
Tell us a bit about your wedding venue and why you decided to get married there…
We chose to have our wedding at our local theatre, Theatre Royal in Dumfries. Being able to get married at this venue meant the world to us…especially with it falling on Halloween. It’s the oldest working theatre in Scotland and it’s believed to be haunted…we just had to make it the place for our wedding!
For me [Vanessa], that theatre was like a second home growing up. I performed in countless plays and pantomimes there over the years, so to come full circle and celebrate one of the biggest moments of my life on that stage was incredibly special. It wasn’t just a venue…it was a place filled with memories, creativity, and comfort.
And then came the reception…and it was something else entirely. We transformed the whole theatre with the help of family and close friends into a full-blown Halloween party. Everyone came in costume, and the effort was unreal. We’re huge horror fans (every month is Halloween in our house!), so we went all out to create the spookiest, most memorable night possible.
We had two tattoo artists giving real tattoos to our guests, a screening of Saw playing on the big screen, and Shades of Sax bringing the most unreal atmosphere with their live music. It was spooky, unbelievable and so full of love…it honestly felt like stepping into our own little haunted dream world.
What was important to you when planning your wedding?
Our wedding was everything we dreamed of – bold, unforgettable and absolutely us. We’re not traditional people (and everyone knew that), so it was important to us to have a day that was authentically us. We set out to create a day that truly reflected our personalities: alternative, passionate, and horror-obsessed. Every detail was filled with intention, emotion, and a whole lot of spooky magic.
The theme for our ceremony was autumnal gothic. Our bridesmaids wore rustic orange multi-way dresses, the best man wore an all-black suit with a matching shirt to match the colour of the bridesmaid’s dresses. Lewis was in all black, and of course, I wore a black dress. The styling was dark, romantic, and perfectly dramatic.
Tell us about your humanist ceremony. What were your favourite parts?
Our ceremony was honestly magical, it felt so personal and full of emotion. We wanted it to truly reflect us but we were both a bit too emotional to read our own vows. Instead our celebrant Lindsey read them out for us. She delivered them with such warmth and care, and hearing our own words spoken aloud like that was incredibly moving. When she finished reading our vows, we looked at each other and said “I do”…and honestly, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place.
We had the insanely talented Karolína Kubálkova from Glasgow playing metal music on the grand piano throughout the ceremony. Her performance was hauntingly beautiful and gave the ceremony an intense, emotional energy that we’ll never forget.
But if we had to choose one favourite moment, it would be that final “I do” …when everything came together and it felt like the whole universe paused for us.
How did you personalise the ceremony to make things feel authentic to you both?
Lindsey chose the most beautiful readings for us, and they had everyone in tears. She really captured the essence of who we are and what our love stands for. It meant the world to feel so seen and understood.
We included a few symbolic gestures that made the ceremony feel even more meaningful. Our handfasting was deeply emotional. The rope represented different parts of our bond, and the act of tying them together felt powerful and ancient. We also lit unity candles, symbolising two lives joining into one shared path, and it gave us a quiet moment of reflection in the middle of all the excitement.
And then came… jumping the broom! It brought this burst of joy and celebration…stepping into married life with both feet, surrounded by love, laughter, and the cheers of our people.
Your photos are beautiful! Who did you choose as your photographer and why?
When it came to capturing one of the most important days of our lives, we knew we didn’t just want photographs… we wanted memories frozen in time. Real, raw, beautiful moments that told the true story of our wedding. That’s exactly why we chose Kirstin McEwan.
From the minute we first connected with Kirstin, we felt totally at ease. She has this calm, kind energy that instantly made us feel comfortable, not just in front of the camera, but in trusting her with something so personal. We knew right away she wasn’t just taking photos but capturing emotion, energy, and all the little moments in between.
Kirstin embraced our Halloween wedding and alternative style with genuine excitement and creativity. Nothing about our day was cookie-cutter, and she got that. She saw the vision, felt the vibe, and captured it all in a way that felt effortless. Her eye for detail is unreal – from the soft glances to the big laughs, and even the chaotic little in-between moments that made the day ours.
Difficult question but...what was your favourite part of the wedding?
Honestly, it was all the most authentically “us” day we could have ever imagined. It wasn’t just a wedding, it was a full-blown celebration of everything we love. Every moment was filled with emotion, love, music, unforgettable memories, and the most incredible energy. If we could do it all over again, we’d relive every second in a heartbeat!
Huge congratulations Vanessa and Lewis, and thank you for choosing Humanist Society Scotland!
Supplier shout out
- Cake – The Snooks
- Catering – CJM Catering at Dumfries and Galloway Golf Club
- Dress alterations – The Fitting Room Dumfries
- Favours – Woowoos Waxes
- Hair – Nicole Sim Base Hair
- Humanist Celebrant – Lindsey Mason Ross
- Make up – Hannah Mason Makeup Artist
- Nails – Nina Birschel
- Photographer – Kirstin McEwan Photography
- Pianist – Karolína Kubálkova
- Post box – Tantrum Events
- Saxophone – Shades of Sax
- Suits – Anderson Kilts
- Tattoo artists – Callum Powe (Powe Tattoos) & Nina (Swampwitch Tattoo)
- Venue – Theatre Royal Dumfries
Find your celebrant!
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