Isabell Etz and Ferenc Mansen, from Solna, Sweden, first met at Oct. 2014 and bonded over a shared love of all-things fantasy. (SWNS)
Two kindred spirits — as well as two completely separate worlds of high fantasy — became one at a non-traditional wedding ceremony in Germany.
“Game of Thrones” and “Lord of the Rings” fans Isabell Etz, 38, and Ferenc Mansen, 47, say they began making plans for their “fantasy wedding” years before finally tying the knot in 2018. And now, approaching the one-year anniversary of the ceremony, the couple is opening up about their fantasy-themed, costume-heavy, falconry-inclusive big day.
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"It was the wedding of my dreams, and I'm so lucky to be surrounded by people who supported my vision and to have a husband who is just as passionate about fantasy as I am,” said Etz, who works as an accounting clerk, to SWNS.
"It was the wedding of my dreams," said Etz, 37, of the over-the-top ceremony. (SWNS)
Etz and Mansen, from Solna, Sweden, first met Oct. 2014 and bonded over a shared love of author J.R.R. Tolkien’s works. In fact, Etz was wearing a replica of “The One Ring” on their first date, which Mansen, a fantasy author himself, noticed right away.
"Ferenc was obsessed with my very long hair, and from day one, he started calling me 'his own Elven Princess,’” she told SWNS.
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The two were engaged in 2016. During their relationship, Mansen introduced Etz to “Game of Thrones” (she hadn’t been watching) and the two adopted a cat they named “Kalisi,” after a character on the show (an honorific title which, it should be noted, is actually spelled “Khaleesi” in the books).
Naturally, it only made sense for the two to theme their wedding after their fantastical interests.
Guests and members of the wedding party were instructed to dress as characters from "Lord of the Rings" or "Game of Thrones." (SWNS)
Etz, pictured here with a guest dressed as a Dothraki warrior from "Game of Thrones," wore an "elven"-inspired dress to her wedding. (SWNS)
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On the big day, both Etz and Mansen wore clothes inspired by the elves from “Lord of the Rings,” and guests were allowed to dress as any character from their beloved fantasy franchises. Dishes at their reception were listed under a menu titled “Dinner Is Coming” and given whimsical names, such as “Children of the Forest” mushroom soup. And the entertainment included a live falconry show, also featuring owls and eagles, which was staged to the music from the “Harry Potter” franchise.
The couple's ceremony also included an owl-inclusive falconry demonstration set to the music of the "Harry Potter" franchise. (SWNS)
"As I had a very clear image in my head, we managed to pull it together quite quickly through endless phone calls, hours on Pinterest, online ordering and lots of gluing, stitching and wrapping,” Etz said of the preparations.
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Despite all the prep work, however, Etz said she’d gladly “do it all over again.”
"I loved every second,” she told SWNS in an interview ahead of their one-year anniversary. “We went to bed at 5:30 a.m. and there were still people dancing!”
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