“I married my duvet, but we’re not exclusive!”
After tying the knot, Pascale Sellick couldn’t wait to dive between the sheets for some pillow talk…
❛ HE IS HAPPY TO SHARE ME WITH A REAL MAN AS LONG AS I CHANGE HIS COVERS ❜
Like many brides, Pascale Sellick suffered the jitters in the lead-up to her wedding. But while the artist was busy with her wedding planner making final preparations, her groom was unable to help with the party planning. That’s because Pascale, 49, had decided to tie the knot with her duvet, which she’s owned for 10 years.
She explains, “The longest, most reliable and comforting relationship I’ve ever had is with my duvet. It always gives me great hugs, keeps me warm, and I’ll always be able to turn to it and have a duvet day when I’m feeling sad. I wanted to show everyone that self-love is important, so marrying my duvet is a way to say that, even if we’re feeling lonely, we can comfort ourselves. I’ve always been a bit ‘out there’, so my friends weren’t surprised by the idea at all – they loved it!”
PYJAMA PARTY
Pascale’s friend and fellow artist Anna Fitzgerald came up with the idea because she knew how much Pascale loved her bedding. Anna organised a lavish ceremony in Exeter earlier this month and invited anyone to come along – as long as they wore nightwear.
Before the event, Pascale scoured ebay for wedding dresses and managed to find a gown for just £7.50. She then bought two rings from Debenhams.
She explains, “I spent about £150 on flowers and cuddly toys for my bouquet and other bits and pieces; it was never about spending a lot of money but just about the symbolism of the day.”
The most time-consuming part of the preparation was making the 10 tog king-size duvet’s outfit. Pascale explains, “We held a workshop where fellow artists helped me create 30 squares of fabric with different messages and pictures on. Then I had some help sewing them all on to a cover for the duvet to wear. It took two days to create.
“We changed the venue a couple of times as we weren’t sure how many people would turn up after my story went viral. But in the end, we settled on Exeter Phoenix Arts Centre, followed by a party at local coffee shop and bar The Glorious Art House. The idea was that the whole day was one big artistic piece with an important message that we need to take the time to look after ourselves.”
I DU-VET
On the day, Pascale’s friends gathered in their best nightwear and Closer headed down to Exeter to witness the ceremony, which was not legally binding.
Pascale danced down the aisle as a crowd owd of over 100 people waved teddy bears in the air. Musical performances and speeches took place before Pascale said “I du-vet” with her polyester bedspread.
Following the ceremony,
Pascale posed for pictures with the duvet and her guests on the steps of the arts centre before parading through town.
“I was really nervous beforehand,” she explains. “But as soon as the ceremony was over I could relax and have a drink! I wrapped the duvet around me as I walked through Exeter to keep warm and giggled when people on the street looked surprised. It was such great fun and we all really had a laugh.”
BEDTIME COMPANION
At the reception, Pascale cut a custom-made cake, featuring Pascale wrapped in her duvet, for the occasion. As a local band played a cover of Dido’s Thank You, Pascale wrapped the duvet around her for the first dance.
She says, “I was so happy and we had a really great night.”
Pascale says she’ll share a bed with her duvet, but she reveals that the relationship is not exclusive. In fact, Pascale also has a long-term boyfriend, Jonathan.
She explains, “It’s not a sexual thing, it’s more about the symbolism of what the duvet means to me. Jonathan was proud that I took part in the event and even came along to the wedding – he doesn’t feel jilted by a quilt! And my duvet’s content to share me with a real man as long as I promise to change his covers once in a while!” ● Visit Facebook.com/pascale pauly.sellick for more about Pascale’s work. For details about Woohoo events, visit Facebook.com/artpopups