A Disney-themed wedding at Rånäs Castle

Who are you? 

Henric and Jonas, aged 32, live in Stockholm. Henric was born and raised in the Stockholm area and works as a musical theatre performer whilst training to become a physiotherapist. Jonas was born and raised in Värmland and works as an anaesthesia nurse. 

The proposal

How and where did the proposal take place?  

Jonas had planned everything down to the smallest detail, but nothing went as he’d imagined. In the end, he proposed in our hotel room on Sandhamn. I (Henric) thought we were going to celebrate my birthday on the island and didn’t suspect a thing. After we’d walked out to a headland, which turned out to be full of partying German tourists, Jonas wanted to find a quieter spot. But as many areas were private, we didn’t get very far. We decided to go for a meal instead, and then check into the hotel, as I – unaware of what was about to happen – was starting to get hungry.

As soon as we stepped into the hotel room, Jonas had a bit of a meltdown. The romantic double room with a sea view that he’d booked turned out to be a room with two single beds and a view of the restaurant’s rubbish bins. I, happy and oblivious, thought the room was really cosy, though, and was looking forward to celebrating my birthday there with Jonas.

Whilst I was out shopping, Jonas really wanted to go home, but the water taxi was too expensive. After a chat with his best friend, he plucked up the courage. And when I came back, Jonas asked me to close my eyes. When I opened them, Jonas was down on one knee with a stunningly beautiful ring in his hand. I was so shocked and happy that I put my hands to my face, which made me start laughing. This was before I’d even had a chance to reply, so Jonas exclaimed: “Just say yes or no!” Of course, I answered without hesitation – “YES!”

Even though nothing went to plan, this was one of the most romantic moments of my life. The proposal was so typical of us, and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

Planning

What was your vision for the wedding?

We wanted the wedding to be just like us: gay, wonderful and a bit over the top. A real fairytale wedding. 

When you started planning, what was the first thing you decided on? 

The first thing we decided was that we wanted a wedding where all the guests would stay over for the whole weekend so we could celebrate in peace and quiet without any stress. 

Did you have a list of priorities – in other words, what was most important to you? 

The most important thing for us was that everyone could come, that everyone could afford it and was able to make it, which is why we wanted to invite everyone for the whole weekend. We also chose a ‘Gala’ dress code, partly because we felt ‘of course we have to have a gala dress code’, and we encouraged anyone who wanted to try to ‘outdo the bride’, but also because it’s completely open to interpretation and you should wear exactly what you want and feel comfortable and smart in. We can certainly say that everyone really pulled it off!

How long did you spend planning your wedding? 

Two years.

What were your thoughts on the wedding budget?

Jonas had been saving up for his wedding since he was 15, and as we’d both always dreamt of having a fairytale wedding, we decided that a celebration like this is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Let’s just say it meant plenty of extra shifts for both of us…

The day

Where did the wedding ceremony take place?

The ceremony took place in the grand staircase hall at Rånäs Castle. All our guests were standing on the stairs in front of us too, which meant we could see everyone throughout the ceremony – it was incredibly special and lovely. 

Where did you hold the reception? 

We held it at Rånäs Castle as well. A real Disney wedding!

What was your favourite memory of the day/weekend? 

When all the guests gasped as we walked up the stairs, hand in hand, to the ceremony, whilst “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” from Disney’s Cinderella was sung and played live, and we got to look out over all our loved ones for the first time that day. 

Did you organise any activities for the guests?

A tattoo studio and drag bingo!

What was on the wedding menu? 

It was a three-course menu based on seasonal produce: veal carpaccio served with artichoke crème, cheese from Löfsta, and sun-dried summer tomatoes, cress and truffle vinaigrette. Baked Arctic char served with crudités of early summer vegetables and garden herbs, new potatoes and beurre blanc. Strawberries served with lemon sorbet, soured cream and dark chocolate.

Did you have a wedding cake?

Yes, we had a fantastic cake with three types of chocolate (white, milk and dark chocolate)

Memories from the day

Memories from the day

We woke up early on the morning of the wedding in our suite at Rånäs Castle. The wedding nerves started to kick in in the very best way, and we realised just how happy we were to be able to spend the night and the morning together, which helped to calm our jittery nerves.

The day flew by at a rapid pace – we went through the wedding ceremony, fine-tuned the final parts of our vows, and soon the guests began arriving at the castle. Our fantastic photographers, Linda-Pauline and Ulrica, were with us all morning. They directed the photos, helped us, and made us laugh, which made the nervous hours before the ceremony much easier to cope with. Thanks to them, we have some of the most magical photos from that moment.

Suddenly, there we were, hand in hand, at the bottom of the stairs. The buzz of the guests mingled with singing and music, and it was time to make our way up to the ceremony.

After the ceremony, ‘Du är min man’ by Helen Sjöholm played, whilst confetti bombs filled the air with thousands of white paper butterflies. We threw ourselves into a hugging spree with all our loved ones.

Once the mingling was over, dinner began, and our outstanding toastmistress, Chantal al Arab – one of Denmark’s most successful drag queens – hosted the dinner with precision, humour and a generous dose of love. Thanks to Chantal, we managed to stick to the schedule and get through 17 (!) speeches without it feeling stressful.

Then it was time to party! After the first dance, the wedding cake was served, and the dance floor was inaugurated with Grotesco’s ‘Bögarnas fel’, which set the mood. For guests who didn’t want to dance, there was the chance to get a tattoo – a keepsake that would last forever. Our tattoo artist, Lukas, worked through the night and did around 30 tattoos on the wedding night.

Attire  

What did you wear? 

We wore matching white tuxedos from Steens Herrmode, to which we added white veils attached to our shoulders. Our florist had also created a stunning floral arrangement that covered the entire lapel. 

Which brand or designer did you use? 

Cavalier (from Steens Herrmode), veils from Etsy and flowers from Miss Fiori.

Was there a dress code for the guests? 

The dress code for the guests was ‘Gala’.

Tips

Best tip for a wedding?

Save money, start planning well in advance and don’t be stingy. This is your wedding, so just go for it!

Best tip during the planning stage? 

Plan and allow for EVERYTHING! That way, no unforeseen surprises will catch you off guard. 

Best tip for the day itself? 

Remind each other to take ‘mental snapshots’ throughout the day and evening. The day goes by so quickly, so the moments when we reminded each other to take a mental snapshot became priceless and are etched firmly in our minds.

Any dos and don’ts you’d like to share?

Do’s: ENJOY IT, take a breather, ask for help from friends, family or the coordinator, and have a tattoo artist on hand to immortalise your memories. Have a drag queen to host drag bingo when the hangover’s at its worst. Spotify is your friend! Order invitation cards on Etsy for an affordable touch of luxury (they’re absolutely incredible).

Don’ts: Don’t regret anything, don’t worry about the guest list, try not to stress.

Top tip for life as a married couple after the wedding? 

Don’t take each other for granted; talk, talk, talk; look through your wedding photos, cards and guest book every now and then. Keep going on dates!

Vendors

Venue: Rånäs Castle

Flowers: Missfiori

Coordinator: Pernilla Åberg (Rånäs Slott)

Wedding rings: Vanbruun

Clothing: Steens Herrmode, Cavalier

Photographer and videographer: Linda-Pauline Arousell and Ulrica Herlitz

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