Linnéa + Leon by Amanda Stevens

Leon and I found ourselves in some pretty unforgettable situations last year, as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. Like hundreds of thousands of others around the world, our year didn’t exactly go to plan. Little did we know that we would get stuck in Thailand, sleep on an airport floor for a week and end up being stranded in Australia for three months!

Leon and I found ourselves in some pretty unforgettable situations last year, as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. Like hundreds of thousands of others around the world, our year didn’t exactly go to plan. Little did we know that we would get stuck in Thailand, sleep on an airport floor for a week and end up being stranded in Australia for three months! The pandemic has been unforgiving on a lot of people’s mental health, but we managed to make the best of the situation and the experience brought us closer together.

Leon is Australian and I’m Swedish. We met in Sweden through mutual friends when Leon was living there and our paths miraculously crossed again several years later when I travelled around Australia with a friend. It was then that we first started dating. It was our shared love of music and travel which cut through any cultural differences and created the building blocks of our relationship.

We’re not traditionalists and initially wanted to tie the knot at the city hall, just the two of us. Later, when we decided to have a more traditional ceremony, we made sure it was on our terms. We wanted our wedding to feel like an easygoing summer weekend, so didn’t stress over the little details.

The location we chose is just a few minutes from where I grew up and we kickstarted the celebrations on a Thursday. Our parents arrived and together we prepared for the big day. Family and friends from Australia came on Friday and we threw a traditional Swedish ‘Kräftskiva’ (crayfish party) to welcome them. It was a wonderful blend of cultures and really helped to loosen up the crowd. We spent the rest of the wedding weekend swimming, drinking wine, playing games and enjoying the sunshine. Saturday was dedicated to finalising preparations for the wedding as the last of our guests arrived. Sunday was the big day.

The story behind my wedding dress is a personal one. I was originally planning to design my own gown but just a couple of months before the wedding, I paid a visit to my grandparents’ house. We got talking about my wedding dress and my grandmother asked: “Can you try on my dress just for fun? It’s been hanging in the closet for the last 50 years.” I tried on her beautiful 1970s gown and instantly knew it was the one. I asked my grandmother if I could get married in her dress and I don’t think I’ve ever seen my grandparents so excited! I paired my grandmother’s gown with a veil I made myself and spent the day barefoot. After the ceremony, we all gathered in the main house for traditional Swedish ‘Fika’. While we drank hot coffee and devoured cinnamon buns, my little sister sang Elvis Presley’s ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’. Our guests even started singing along! It was a really special moment that we’ll cherish for years to come.

Photographer: @otherweddingstories | Location: Finnsjöstrand, Järnboås | Videographer:@noomiphotography | Bride’s dress: Bride wears her grandmother’s wedding dress | Hair: @saxessbyasa | Planner: @drommigafester | Flora: Emelie Hummerdahl | Rings: @jamesallenrings | Accessories: @antiquegeneralstore, @carolinesvedbom | Groom’s fragrance: @dior | Bride’s fragrance: Romance by @ralphlauren.