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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Leah Harper

‘We called the mums about an hour after the ceremony’: the rise of secret weddings

Jess Rudwick and Gerald Davies on their wedding day.
Jess Rudwick and Gerald Davies on their wedding day. Photograph: Allison Dewey Photography

Wedding season is upon us and – after two years of Covid chaos that saw nuptials scaled back, postponed or cancelled – you may think the temptation would be to go all out. But instead of expanding the guest list and adding an extra tier to the cake, many couples are opting to have not just small but almost entirely secret ceremonies.

With Covid case numbers remaining high and the UK’s cost of living crisis meaning that many couples are feeling the pinch, it’s no wonder that some are less than eager to send out save-the-dates. Plus, it can’t hurt that in celebrity circles – where sizeable weddings documented by glossy magazine shoots were once the norm – getting married in secret is all the rage.

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