Not everyone dreams of extravagant nuptials—just ask Ruth and Martyn Ridyard, who opted for a cheap and cheerful surprise wedding that went down brilliantly with friends and family.

Without a “fancy proposal,” the couple, based in Manchester, England, casually discussed having a low-key wedding while standing in their kitchen. Then, in February 2024, their idea came to life—and their loved ones didn’t find out until the night before.

Ruth, 35, recently shared a slideshow of images from their big day on TikTok (@ruthannieridyard), racking up over 537,000 views by February 7.

She told Newsweek: “We always knew we wanted to get married this way, and giving everyone a good day out meant the world to us because we just wanted to have the same surname. We didn’t want to spend thousands of pounds just to do that.”

In total, the couple spent around $3,100 (£2,500), which included her white dress, outfits for their four children, the registrar, a hotel and drinks for their guests. Their biggest expense was $1,112 on unlimited pizza and alcohol.

“We didn’t want anyone to make lots of effort, buy presents, or purchase outfits just for us,” she said, adding that she didn’t want anything formal and aimed to keep costs down for their guests.

She explained how they managed to keep it a surprise by giving guests fake Christmas “presents” to ensure they had the day off. This even involved contacting their managers.

“It all got a bit stressful closer to the time, with people talking to me about their plans, so I tried to stay away from as many people as possible,” she said. “We sent the text at midnight—some people were still up, but some didn’t see it until the next morning.”

An excerpt from the lengthy message read: “You are not doing whatever you think you’re doing today—we’ve tricked you. We’re getting married, and you’re invited.”

Even her kids only found out that morning, though they were slightly “disappointed” to learn they weren’t going to a trampoline park. Instead, they headed to a hotel and the registrar for 2:45 p.m. (less than 15 hours later), they were joined by 20 guests in total. The celebration ended in a karaoke bar, followed by a cup of tea and chicken nuggets in bed for the newlyweds.

She told Newsweek: “I know a lot of people say this, but our guests still tell us it was the best wedding they’d ever been to. From a surprise point of view, everything was free, and they all got a day off work!

“We got so many lovely messages from people saying they wish they’d done the same.”

Micro Weddings Are on the Up

Newsweek discussed the wedding, which gained 32,200 likes online, with leading wedding expert and the editor of Hitched.co.uk, Zoe Burke.

“We’re definitely seeing people get more creative with how they celebrate marriage, there’s still definitely space for the traditional celebration,” she said.

“The big wedding isn’t for everyone however, and our Wedding Trends Report shows that searches for micro weddings are up by 22 percent, so it’s not surprising to see couples looking for more unusual ways to make sure their big day stands out and reflects them as a couple.”

TikTok Reacts

So far, users are obsessed with the surprise idea, with many hoping to do the same. But some can’t help but worry about the stress involved.

“The way I would be panicking as a guest u had no outfit make up or hair booked in,” said one user and another wrote: “I love this, creds to you for keeping it in! I’d die with all the stress.”

Has a wedding come between your relationship with a loved one? Let us know via [email protected]. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.