Search

Saved articles

You have not yet added any article to your bookmarks!

Browse articles

GDPR Compliance

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.

Edinburgh Fringe Sees First On-Stage Wedding, Chaos and Glitter Ensue

17 Aug 2025

History twirled into the spotlight yesterday at The Pleasance Grand when Linus Karp and Joseph Martin, the spirited duo behind Awkward Productions, legally tied the knot in front of a sold-out audience of 750. Yes, a wedding as a ticketed Fringe event – the first in the festival’s 78-year history and, remarkably, the first LGBTQ+ couple to marry as part of the official programme. I have waited decades for something this audacious, or, depending on your tolerance for public matrimonial spectacle, utterly indulgent.

Reminds us why we keep coming back for the spectacle, the chaos, and occasionally, the actual heartfelt moments

The ceremony had the subtlety of a glitter bomb in a library. Cosimo Damiano Angiulli, Edinburgh designer and the mind behind SIMO THE LABEL, styled the event. Martin arrived like a brat set to Charli XCX’s Von Dutch, while Karp was hoisted onto the stage by three helpers to the strains of Jellicle Cats. Watching that choreography unfold – precise yet entirely unnecessary for the legal act – was a reminder that theatricality, not efficiency, is the Fringe’s true language. Edinburgh City Council’s Jackie Blackburn officiated, striking a delicate balance between heartfelt sincerity and gleeful chaos that only Fringe organisers could sanction. Sooz Kempner serenaded the room with 2 Become 1, a best man delivered a surprisingly moving reading of Party in the USA, and the rings were transported via a playful Lord of the Rings spoof courtesy of fellow troupe Recent Cutbacks. When the words “husband and husband” finally rang out, the audience leapt to its feet, a reaction that felt both joyous and, frankly, a little overwhelming.

After the vows, drinks were served, proving that Fringe weddings are best enjoyed with sugar, alcohol, and just a hint of disbelief. Later, the newlyweds performed their latest production, The Fit Prince, a camp fairy-tale romcom set in the fictional kingdom of Swedonia. I’m still weighing whether the on-stage nuptials added charm or just an extra layer of exhaustion for the audience, but either way, it made the evening feel unmistakably alive.

Martin and Karp have now firmly secured their place in Fringe history. The festival has always celebrated extremes, and this wedding – wild, heartfelt, and unapologetically camp – reminds us why we return year after year for the spectacle, the chaos, and those moments of genuine emotion that manage to sneak through the glitter.

Related to this article: