A black wedding gown, an ornate three-piece suit, and a ceremony in front of a historic mausoleum. Morgana and Shean’s Oakland Cemetery wedding had all the makings of a gothic romance. With music from HIM and The Cure, a black-and-red color palette, and plenty of vampiric details, the couple went all in on their love of the dark and unconventional.
And the location wasn’t just chosen for its darkly romantic appeal. Morgana had taken Shean to the cemetery on one of their first dates, where they’d posed for photos in front of her favorite mausoleum. Years later, they returned to that exact spot to exchange vows with their closest family members, followed by a larger reception with friends and extended family a few days later.
What We Love About This Cemetery Wedding
- A ceremony at the same mausoleum they visited on an early date
- Elaborate black wedding attire with purple accents
- A coffin-shaped black wedding cake with ornate piping and blood-red icing
- Music by HIM and The Cure during the ceremony
- A handmade bouquet and custom gothic nail art
Featured Vendor:
The Rose Reflective
How Professional Wrestling Brought Morgana and Shean Together
The couple first connected through professional wrestling. Both were wrestlers who had known each other through mutual friends for years, but they became closer in 2021 when Morgana joined Shean’s new villainous wrestling group. As they worked together on ideas for their characters, their conversations eventually turned into shared playlists, voice messages, and something more.
Getting their relationship started took a little persistence on Morgana’s part. During a weekend spent with friends, she repeatedly tried to give Shean hints that she wanted him to kiss her. He missed every single one. Even after they cuddled together overnight, he remained completely oblivious. When they finally got home, she walked him inside, hoping he’d take the hint. Instead, he gave her a quick hug and sent her on her way.
It wasn’t until his brother and sister-in-law convinced him to make a move that he finally ran outside after her and kissed her beside her car. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a minute,” he told her. When she asked how long a minute was, he replied, “Definitely longer than 60 seconds.”
The Mausoleum Where They Once Took Photos Became Their Ceremony Spot
The couple originally explored castle-like venues before choosing Oakland Cemetery, one of Morgana’s favorite places in Georgia. She loved its greenery, historic architecture, and peaceful atmosphere, and already had a particular mausoleum in mind for the ceremony.
“We picked my favorite mausoleum to get married in front of. I took Shean to this cemetery on one of our first dates and we had taken cute pictures together at that exact mausoleum so it was very full circle to be wed in the same spot.”
Only their closest family members attended, with one of their good friends officiating. The bride and her mother handled most of the planning themselves, including the smaller details of the day.
Black Bridal Fashion, Purple Accessories, and DIY Gothic Details
Morgana wore a black gown from Desert Moon Bridal, while Shean chose an ornate three-piece suit from Shrine of Hollywood with purple accessories. Their family members also dressed mostly within the wedding’s black, red, purple, and silver palette for the group photographs.
She did her own makeup and asked a close friend to style her hair. Even her manicure got the gothic treatment. Her nail artist Cammy added a cross charm and Shean’s last initial to her nails.
Her bouquet was a DIY project handmade with her mother and aunt. The two also created a Victorian-inspired mirror displaying the couple’s names and wedding date, which guests later used for photographs at the reception.
Atlanta Traffic, an Unexpected Event, and a Photographer Who Stepped In to Help
For all the careful planning, the first half of the wedding day was stressful. Atlanta traffic caused delays, and another event was taking place at the cemetery that the couple hadn’t known about. Getting ready became more complicated than expected.
Fortunately, Junebug vendor Milly of The Rose Reflective stepped in to help. She offered Morgana a glass of wine while she was getting ready, helped organize where everyone needed to stand for the ceremony, and continued photographing the preparations.
Their photographer had actually been one of the couple’s first wedding decisions. They booked Milly before even settling on a venue because photography was their biggest priority. “I wanted to have beautiful pictures that we could always look back on fondly and remember our whole day in our personal style,” she shares.
Photography was their biggest investment, while they kept the rest of their wedding budget in check so they could also put money toward their honeymoon and other experiences together.
Handwritten Vows and a First Kiss to The Cure
Few songs could have suited a cemetery wedding quite like HIM’s “Join Me in Death,” which was every bit as moody as the setting. Morgana’s mother, who had raised her and her brother largely on her own, walked her down the aisle.
The couple wrote their own vows, which became their favorite part of the ceremony. Then came their first kiss as newlyweds, accompanied by The Cure’s “Lovesong.”
After the ceremony, the newlyweds took more portraits around the cemetery before cutting into their coffin-shaped wedding cake, complete with ornate black frosting and blood-red icing dripping down the sides. They enjoyed some quiet time together afterward before Morgana’s mother drove them home.
What Wedding Planning Taught Them
Morgana wishes they had spent less time worrying about other people’s opinions during the planning process. She and her mother handled most of the arrangements themselves, and while they managed to pull everything off, she acknowledges that they could have planned some things better or asked for more help.
“I would advise to truly think about what is important to you as a couple rather than trying to please or impress anyone else,” she says.
The Wedding Team:
Photography – The Rose Reflective
Ceremony Venue – Oakland Cemetery
Reception Venue – The Rock Barn
Catering – The Funky Eggroll
Cake – Anything But A Cake-Tastrophe Bakery
Officiant – Mika Crout
Videography – Mekahla Peterson
Invitation Design – Vistaprint
Makeup Artist – Morgana Moon (The Bride)
Hair Styling – Lily Mauldin
Wedding Dress – Desert Moon Bridal
Bridal Accessories – Darkling Beloved
Groom’s Apparel – Shrine of Hollywood
Rings – Coffin Gems + Art Jewelers + Thorum
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