A Phoenix Dress, a Timepiece Cake, and the Weird Sisters… Fans Chris and Kimberly Tie the Knot “Potter” Style

by Kevin Assam · October 24, 2014

This feature of Muggle Matrimony finds us with the lovely bride and groom Kimberly and Chris. The two married at the Foundary at Glassworks in Louisville, Kentucky, on June 17 of this year. Although Kimberly played with the idea of a Potter-themed wedding, she was nevertheless caught off guard by how game Chris was after he proposed. As is the case with many couples on this site, Chris quickly learned to make room for the third “person” in this relationship: Kimberly’s obsession with the series.

Before planning her wedding, she did have one personal piece of advice she adhered to:

Ask yourself, ‘What does Harry Potter mean to me?’ Everyone knows what Hogwarts looks like but maybe not what Hogwarts looks like to you. And stick to it! There are so many ways to have a themed wedding; from […] Quidditch, to a Honeydukes theme, whatever part of Harry Potter you want to convey, stick with it! It makes the overall feel of the room more meaningful if everything is cohesive!

Out of all of the series’s couples, it was the complex and heartwrenching romance between Severus and Lily from which Kimberly drew her inspiration. Like most fans, she was particularly captivated by the now infamous exchange between Snape and Dumbledore that reads “After all this time? Always.” Subsequently, with the assistance of her closest friends, the group took a literal approach to the wedding reception décor. The family tables were anchored by large centerpieces that read “After,” “All,” “This,” and “Time,” while the bride and groom’s table featured a display that read “Always.” Other Potter references were sprinkled throughout the venue and included a Fluffy replica guarding the gift table and a DJ who played to the tune of the Weird Sisters.

Kimberly’s gown, cut in a simple pink silhouette with added black feathers, was symbolic of Fawkes’s death and rebirth cycle. According to her, she loved Jany Temime’s (costume designer for Fleur’s wedding dress in the films) concept that just like a phoenix, love never dies but instead simply changes.

One of the most unique features was the wedding cake, which despite first appearances, contained an actual functioning timepiece. Yes, a clock was placed within the cake. This seemed fitting given that all the guests received Time-Turners as part of their wedding favors and kept in the overall theme of love being timeless.

As one final romantic act, the two of course exchanged their own Unbreakable Vows along with rings at the altar. This was certainly an intimate and well-themed wedding. We wish that, just like the phoenix, Kimberly and Chris have a marriage filled with warmth and longevity. Be sure to check out their Q&A below, and as always if you think you have a wedding or similar event that you would like featured here, then get in touch with us via our contact page.

Kimberly and Chris's Q&A

Q: You seem like a fashionable girl, are there any style icons you look to from the series?

Kimberly: Honestly I wish I was brave enough to pull off Luna’s wardrobe. It's fun, whimsical, and carefree. I love that! How amazing would it be to just grab random items for your closet and just go with it! When I do try to mix my florals with polka dots I think, “would Luna wear this?” Haha!

Q: How long have you both been a fan of the series?

Kimberly: I have been a big fan of the series since I was a sophomore in high school. My husband on the other hand, well I forced him to watch a movie marathon of the series before we started dating, haha, now he loves it!

Q: What was your process for finding the right dress?

Kimberly: Getting my dress was a nightmare! Originally I had someone make my dress for me. When it started to get really close to the wedding date and the dress was nowhere near complete I ran off to our local Davids Bridal and bought my dress ONE WEEK before our ceremony!

Q: Who added the feathers to your dress?

Kimberly: I wanted my dress to have subtle hints of Fleur’s dress with my own unique twist. So I bought a feather flower and ribbon and made my own sash to accent my dress. I also thought of a modernized way to have a ‘tiara’ that could be worn as well, and that is when I came up with making my own veil. I used the same feathers in my veil into my bouquet too!

Q: Why did you select that specific venue?

Kimberly: The venue kind of fell into our hands really, we won a discount at a bridal show the venue was hosting. I’m very glad, our wedding coordinator was very helpful!

Q: Were there any guests that did not understand the theme?

Kimberly: Because I have a lot of religious family members who aren’t so keen to Harry Potter I tried to make it as minimal as possible but also having this ‘omg wow’ moment for those who knew the stories very well. For my family who don’t know Harry Potter, they didn’t understand until they sat down and read the centerpieces I made, for the guests who love Harry Potter, they knew instantly from the Hogwarts theme being played by our pianist as they walked into the venue. I think it worked out wonderfully!

Q: If you could have danced with any character from the series at your wedding, who would it have been and why?

Kimberly: Hmm I would love to dance with Neville or maybe Luna, I think of myself as a nerdy oddball type, so both of them would be great dance partners!

Q: What one magical item would you most like to have received as a wedding gift?

Kimberly: I actually tried finding one with no luck, but I would love to have a life-size Mirror of Erised. I do have the miniature one and LOVE it!

Q: What advice do you have for anyone planning a themed wedding?

Kimberly: Ask yourself, what does harry potter mean to me? Everyone knows what Hogwarts looks like, but maybe not what Hogwarts looks like to you. And stick to it! There are so many ways to have a themed wedding from Harry Potter, Quidditch, to a Honeydukes theme whatever part of harry potter you want to convey stick with it! It makes the overall feel of the room more meaningful if everything is cohesive!”