Reddit strangers were Cardiff couple’s only wedding guests

Planning a wedding often means stress and endless arguments over the guest list.

But Harmony Elmy and Seán Mauremootoo wanted none of this and chose to escape to a place that held “special” memories for them both.

The couple, who live in Norwich, traveled 261 miles (420 km) to Cardiff for the unusual ceremony, which was attended by just two guests they met after posting on Reddit.

With a minimum of two witnesses required for a marriage in the UK, Mr Mauremootoo said they chose strangers Ruairi and Sam over friends and family to make the day “easy, natural and stress-free”.

Their wedding day included their favorite things: fish and chips on Penarth Pier, an escape room and a carousel ride in Cardiff Bay.

Mr Mauremootoo, 32, said: “It was a day where we really felt like we needed to celebrate the love we have for each other and feel the love of the people of Cardiff.”

He and Miss Elmy, 31, met while studying on the same course at Queen Mary University of London and living in the same halls.

“We never really planned our relationship,” he said. “From being friends to dating to moving in together to even going long distance, it all felt natural.”

To ask this question, he designed a homemade escape room, one of their favorite things to do together.

The couple decided that a traditional wedding wasn’t for them and instead chose to get married in Cardiff, a city they visited several times while living in Worcester.

Mr Mauremootoo said the couple picked a date – August 1 – about a year in advance so they could explain the plan to their parents, who were “incredibly supportive”.

He said he expected little attention when he posted on Reddit a few months before the wedding asking for two witnesses, but was met with an “overwhelming response.”

Ruairi was one of those who stood out and his friend Sam was also in attendance.

Mr Mauremootoo added that the pair had a natural rapport and were “very compatible”, asking thoughtful questions, including what they should wear.

“It’s okay as long as you don’t wear a wedding dress,” he told them. “Everything fell into place.”

On the wedding day, the couple walked to the Peace Temple for the ceremony before having their first dance at Waterloo Sunset in the nearby park.

Mr Mauremootoo said the area was busy for the Faithless concert and strangers stopped to congratulate them and take photos.

“It felt very glamorous as we thought it would be a low-key event,” he said. “He was so kind-hearted and made it really special.”

After a delicious lunch, they headed out to Cardiff Bay for a Mr Whippy ice cream, carousel and big wheel, followed by the escape room, where staff surprised the bride with a huge bouquet of flowers.

The day ended with dinner at CasaNova, where another couple, Rob and Ruth, “quietly” paid their bills; It was a gesture Mr Mauremootoo described as “incredibly touching”.

They told the couple they recently celebrated 50 years together.

The newlyweds said they “wouldn’t change a thing” on the big day, which included eating a Welsh cake instead of a wedding cake.

Mr Mauremootoo described it as a “really beautiful day” with “perfect” weather and added that they “couldn’t have asked for anything more”.

While their families attended the ceremony via video call, he said the “love and kindness of strangers made the day even more special.”

“Cardiff has always meant a lot to us but this has made it even more meaningful. I don’t think we could repeat that or do better even if we tried.”