Storybook Wedding ... in a Swamp? Couple Opts for a Shrek Wedding, Hoping for Their Happily Ever After
Many young girls dream of a fairy-tale wedding, but few of those dreams include onions, green face paint, and a hyperactive donkey.
Bethany Yorgason, however, wouldn’t have it any other way.
This summer, Yorgason, 27, and her then-fiancé Trevor Williams, 33, decided to host a Shrek-themed wedding, according to an exclusive People report.
The report said the idea began as a joke between the bride-to-be and her friend Krista. Within months, the happy couple stood before their loved ones, costumed as Shrek and his lovely bride Fiona, complete with green face paint and ogre ears.
Bride Says ‘I Do’ in a Swamp, Covered in Green Paint During Shrek-Inspired Wedding (Exclusive) https://t.co/3NfdKnpQUd
— People (@people) November 13, 2026
The August wedding in Pleasant Grove, Utah, brought together the joy of a childhood classic and the sacred celebration of their marital union.
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“I loved the idea of combining the ridiculous humor of Shrek with something genuinely beautiful and romantic,” the bride told People.
Friend Krista officiated the wedding dressed as Lord Farquaad, the diminutive monarch. Her husband, the flower girl, went as the giant gingerbread man, Mongo. Yorgason’s mom walked her green-faced daughter down the aisle as the Fairy Godmother (green because of the paint, not illness). The rest of the congregation wore similar costumes.
Yorgason told People that Farquaad — sorry, Krista — concluded the ceremony, “By the power vested in me by the city of Duloc, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride!”
At that moment, “I’m a Believer” by Smash Mouth began to play, and that’s when the party started.
The whimsical celebration continued with a reception meal of waffles, “ogre-ganic fruit,” and “swamp sludge” served on pottery made by Yorgason, at tables decorated with moss and other greenery.
It’s easy to mistake this as just a fun wedding. On the surface, you see a goofy, jovial celebration of a major life moment. But there is more going on here than meets the eye. Much like parfaits — which everyone loves, by the way — this wedding had layers.
First, forgoing a traditional church wedding implies some level of ambivalence toward the religious grounding of marriage.
Second, the imperfection — even the ugliness — of the ogre theme speaks volumes. In an age marked by perfectionist “bridezillas” and hyperproduced, picture-perfect Pinterest weddings, this humble, contrasting ceremony suggests that true beauty isn’t in the dress or the music — it’s something deeper.
Lastly, the return to a 2001 film shows young people clinging to the familiar amid a changing world. As AI, foreign wars, global pandemics, and political issues dominate the media, these two lovely people escaped to the swamp, where they found comfort, joy, and a new life together.
The point is, when we peel back the layers of the onion, we see a perfect representation of the Millennial/Gen Z spirit: resistant to tradition, tired of pretension, and still enraptured by the stories of their youth.
After all, true love doesn’t need castles or carriages; sometimes, a swamp does just fine.
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