A Conversation With: Kat Williams of Rock n Roll Bride Magazine
Shell de Mar Photography
Let’s not beat around the bush here, today’s interview is with someone you can confidently describe as indie publishing royalty. For an entire decade now, Kat Williams (she/her), founder and editor of Rock n Roll Bride, has been bringing her online wedding blog success to the printed form. Currently a hugely successful, sexy, coffee-table worthy, bi-monthly magazine, devoured by alternative nearlyweds the world over, Rock n Roll Bride print magazine actually began as a cute, created-on-a-whim, wedding fair brochure designed to market the blog’s content and let nearlyweds at the fair know where to go for their alternative wedding inspiration. Safe to say that it’s a long way from Kansas now!
And because I’m an obsessed nerd when it comes to indie publishers’ origin stories, I need to deep dive into the whole story of how Kat got from online blog to one of the most popular wedding print magazines, one that has seen many other publications come and, indeed, go
The magazine produces its own shoot each issue where it showcases wedding suppliers’ work
I asked Kat, as a starter for ten, “give us your elevator pitch –what’s your magazine all about?” She explained that, “Rock n Roll Bride exists to celebrate weddings without rules. We champion individuality, inclusivity, and self-expression – whether your love story is loud, low-key, punk, pastel, budget, bougie, queer, neurodivergent, or anything in between. This is a space for the dreamers, the weirdos, the outsiders, and anyone who refuses to shrink themselves to fit a tradition. There’s no right way to get married, only your way. We’re not here to follow trends. We’re here to represent the underrepresented. Louder, prouder, and weirder than ever before.”
That last line refers to a recent homecoming for the brand. A fierce reclamation of the essence of who they are and what they want to say in the wedding world. A few months ago, a teaser campaign dropped hinting at a new look and feel…
“WAKE UP, we have news!” it went. “No, your eyes do not deceive you: Rock n Roll Bride has a hot new look! This isn’t just a fresh coat of paint. It’s a return to our roots. Edgier. Punkier. Weirder. More "us" than ever. Just like the real weddings we feature, we wanted what we create to feel 100% authentic. So, it was time for a change. We’re tapping back into the energy that started it all: alternative culture with an elevated edge. Not costume-y. Not fitting into boxes. Not trying to be cool for the sake of it. Your weddings are curated, considered, and unapologetically authentic – and the magazine should be, too.”
Launched in 2007 as a blog, while Kat was planning her own wedding and working as a full-time TV producer, Rock n Roll Bride website was launched because she became jaded by the limited offerings of the UK wedding industry. Kat saw a niche for alternative wedding inspiration and ran with it. The print magazine spin-off? “That started as a freebie to give away at a wedding fair we were invited to exhibit at. This was 2011, way before many people even knew what a 'blog' was, so we decided to make a brochure to hand out to show people what we were all about. We called it ‘Rock n Roll Bride magazine’ because that sounds way more exciting than 'here's a collection of articles we've published on our website'!”
“People lost their minds (in the best way possible) and some people even came to the event JUST to get the free magazine. The ones we had left afterwards, we sold online, and they FLEW out. So, we knew there was something worth developing there. We went on to do two more yearly issues after that, one in 2012 and one in 2013.”
“In 2015, we partnered with a publisher to make it a bi-monthly magazine. The partnership didn't work out, and we only ended up working with them for six months, but from then we were flying! We learned a lot about the 'proper' way to do things from them, and we got some great contacts. We brought it back in-house entirely after that, and we've just published our 64th issue!”
This latest issue – pictured at the end – shows just how much clout the brand has in the wedding world. Actual Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction and Red Hot Chili Peppers has his wedding featured, and he and his new wife are the cover stars. The reason I say clout is that it was the photographers who chose Kat’s publication and not something she approached them about. I mean talk about validation that you’re giving the public what they want. Here’s Kat putting it into her own words better than I can.
A little piece written by yours truly!
Rock N Roll Bride Magazine Cover Images Over The Years
Quickfire Question Time
Who do you speak to? Who do you publish for?
“Couples planning alternative weddings.”
Do you have a team or are you flying solo?
“It’s me and my husband Gareth, full time. We use freelancers for writing, design and social media!”
Are you self-taught or did you study publishing/design/etc.?
“Self-taught.”
First magazine/zine you ever bought and why?
“Oh, my gosh, probably Shout or Mizz magazine because I was a teenager and thats what you did in the ‘90s!”
What's your favourite publication, and why?
“I love the editorials of LUCY’S, the visuals of Paper, and the voice of Bricks.”
What does print media mean to you?
“Print is all about creating something tangible in a world that moves fast and mostly exists online. It’s a way to slow things down. When algorithms shift and digital content disappears into the scroll, print remains.
It’s legacy.
It’s something you can hold, keep, and return to.
Print shows intention, too – it means the work has been thoughtfully created, carefully considered, and made to last.
Long live print!”
Buy the latest issue – out now! – here.
