We kept our wedding secret to save money - we ate KFC then surprised our guests

A couple wanted to save money so kept their wedding a secret - and spent the day eating KFC with their dog before springing a surprise on friends and family.

Chris and Maisie Leyshon tied the knot at a registry office before doing a big reveal to friends and family that evening.

They told guests to be at the Lighthouse in Swansea on September 30 last year - to 'celebrate their engagement'.

Chris, 28, and Maisie, 25, only told their parents and siblings about the plan.

The groom then jumped on a mic for the big reveal in the evening - sending everyone "mad".

Maisie's cousin Chloe said: “As soon as we walked into the room it was such a vibe but then when the celebrant came out then that's when the real surprise hit us!

"There were laughs, tears and cheers, it was amazing, now bring on the post wedding hen and stag do!"

The couple, from Port Talbot, are now happily married and estimate they saved thousands by foregoing a big bash.

Maisie, a civil servant, said: “We quite quickly we realised that a big wedding wasn’t for us.

“It’s just the stress of it all and the money, and we didn’t really think it would be appropriate to elope.”

The couple made the secret plan in February after getting engaged on Christmas Day 2022.

They didn't tell anyone about the plan until the first week of September 2023, when they told just their parents and siblings.

Chris and Maisie married at 11:30am before stealing away to avoid being seen.

The ‘engagement party’ was then set for 6pm - leaving the pair “a few hours to chill and get a KFC” to eat with their French bulldog, Harry.

They then travelled to the venue, which may have aroused suspicion - as it’s “a bit posh for an engagement party", said Maisie.

Once the guests had arrived, Chris, an accountant, jumped on mic and said: “There’s been a lot of speculation, so we wanted to put record straight” - before adding “does anyone want a wedding?”

Maisie said: “At that point everyone just went mad.”

The couple then re-did their vows in the evening before partying the rest of the night away.

Maisie said: "We were really nervous.

"We thought some would be disappointed, but everyone seemed to love it. As far as we know it went down very well.

“Everybody was so shocked they had no choice but to be happy!”

Maisie said the major factor in their decision was money.

She said: “We are mid-renovation on our house.

"So we didn’t want to spend £30,000 in one day and then come home to a house that wasn’t finished.”

Maisie also said that weddings rarely live up to their hype.

“I’m not very good with stress and pressure, it wouldn’t have been enjoyable.

“Nobody cares about your wedding as much as you do, it’s just a lot of stress.

“You are paying for them to have a good time and there’s so much pressure.

“Also it seems like these days weddings just get bigger and bigger.”

The couple spent £8,000 in total. The average wedding costs £18,400, according to wedding planning website Hitched.