Ghosthunting bride marries ‘goth soulmate’ in Halloween wedding complete with black dress, cauldrons and skeletons

A ghosthunting bride has married her “goth soulmate” in a Halloween-themed wedding featuring a black dress, cauldrons and skeletons, with the couple now planning a “haunted” honeymoon visiting the UK’s spookiest spots.

Lyndsey Bass, 35, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, met Martyn, 35, a security guard, in June 2026, and the two got engaged just weeks later after bonding over their shared love of rock music and ghosthunting.

After being diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND) in June 2026, Lyndsey wanted to walk down the aisle “while (she) still could”, so the couple set their wedding date for October 27.

FND is a condition that affects how the brain sends and receives information from the rest of the body. It can cause seizures, tremors, speech and swallowing difficulties, dizziness and cognitive issues, according to the NHS.

Lyndsey said she is currently waiting to begin intensive physiotherapy, and her doctors expect she will need a wheelchair next year.

The wedding featured flower girls carrying cauldrons, black and purple outfits, and a cake decorated with skulls and spiderwebs.

Lyndsey, who does not work because of her health, told PA Real Life: “I wanted to have the dignity of being able to walk down the aisle rather than being in a wheelchair.

“I wanted to have the magic of my veil behind me.

“Martyn is my soulmate and it was amazing to make our dream a reality, I can’t thank him enough for how supportive he is.”

From 2016 to 2024, Lyndsey said she was “constantly back and forth” to her doctors as she began experiencing weakness in her legs.

“In 2016 I was in the town centre and I suddenly just couldn’t walk – it was so painful,” she said.

“Then it just kept getting worse, and it felt like my limbs weren’t a part of me, like I had no control over them.”

Over the years, Lyndsey was diagnosed with a slipped disc, fibromyalgia and sciatica.

In 2024, she began having tremors and seizures multiple times a day, as well as blackouts.

Following further investigations, including an MRI scan, Lyndsey was “relieved” finally to receive a diagnosis of FND in June 2026.

She is currently on the waiting list for full-body rehabilitation through physiotherapy and can no longer drive or work.

She added: “I can’t even make dinner – I get brain fog and forget I’ve put the hob on, my brain just goes blank and I can’t move much to be able to do the housework.”

Lyndsey met Martyn in June 2026 after they were introduced by mutual friends, and the two quickly bonded over their shared love of gothic music, clothes, gaming and watching paranormal videos.

“We also like ghost hunting and visiting paranormal places like Whitby, York and well known paranormal sites like Stonehenge,” she said.

“However, due to my debilitating FND I can no longer visit these places with ease.”

In the first two weeks of their relationship, Martyn helped Lyndsey “get dressed” and get “on and off the toilet”.

She added: “There was a slight bit of embarrassment but at the same time there’s only so much you can do to be proud – I let myself fall into his arms and help me.

“It just felt like he had always been here really quickly.”

After three weeks of dating, Lyndsey said she and Martyn joked that they would get “married tomorrow if (they) could”.

This made them “realise” they were “not getting any younger” and they “actually wanted to wed”.

She said: “About a week later he got home from work and got down on one knee and proposed.

“It was a bit of a shock but my Nan always said when you know, you know – and we knew.”

At the time of the proposal, Lyndsey had been listening to Halestorm, an American rock band, before deciding to put on another group the couple love, Murderdolls.

She said: “I put on the song Die My Bride and we bonded even more over that song and the band – we said it was Halloween soon too, so why not do a Halloween wedding… he’s my goth soulmate.

“When I told my family about the proposal they were shocked too, they thought we should wait until next year but I didn’t want to because of my diagnosis. I wanted to be able to walk down the aisle while I still can.”

The couple quickly began planning their wedding, settling on October 27 after discovering October 31 was already booked at their local register office.

They opted for an intimate ceremony with 20 guests, followed by a reception at home for a further 15 people, to make the celebrations “more accessible” for Lyndsey.

Lyndsey wore a black wedding dress with a 20ft veil and purple and black flowers to “suit (her) persona” and complement the Halloween theme.

Martyn and his groomsmen also wore purple and black suits, while the flower girls carried cauldrons instead of baskets.

The guests also dressed in black and purple to match the theme.

Lyndsey said: “The wedding was filled with anxiety, thrill and excitement.

“Once arriving and having our pre-vow interviews it was then my heart was pounding with excitement and emotions.

“The moment I walked with my dad down the aisle looking to my very, very soon to be husband was my dream come true, enthralling our family and guests with every step.”

Lyndsey said the ceremony was “perfect” and “was so pleased” to officially have Martyn as a “member of (her) family”.

She added: “My chief bridesmaid said she couldn’t wish for a better husband for her best friend, which made me tear up even more.”

Martyn said: “I was so proud and happy that I finally married the woman of my dreams.”

At the reception, Lyndsey’s mother prepared Halloween-themed food, while the black wedding cake was decorated with toffee apples, skulls and spiderwebs.

The couple also “went all out” with their Halloween decorations and said the guests were “very impressed”.

It featured “massive foggy cauldrons” as punch bowls, a 1.5 metre skeleton on the front lawn, a 4ft inflatable skeleton on the roof, and a Halloween-themed wooden arch.

Lyndsey said: “The whole day was absolutely amazing.

“There are no words for living the dream.

“Time is precious, you can’t take a chance on tomorrow. Love is love, take that leap of faith, fall in love and then celebrate it because love conquers all.”

The newlyweds are now fundraising for their honeymoon, hoping to travel to Salem, Massachusetts, and visit some of the most haunted areas in the UK.

Lyndsey said: “We are going to donate 15% to an FND charity to support people like myself.

“With what’s left, we’ll put it towards going to a haunted destination for our honeymoon to celebrate the spooky way.

“We can’t have a Halloween themed wedding without a Halloween themed honeymoon!”

To donate, visit: gofundme.com/f/our-little-gothic-halloween-wedding.