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You may now sniff the line (Picture: Getty Images) ‘Magic mushrooms fill me with an overwhelming sense of joy, wonder and gratitude,’ says Lisa Curry, 41. ‘It felt very appropriate for a wedding.’ Comedian Lisa, who lives in Los Angeles, speaks fondly of attending a close friend’s nuptials, and ‘amping things up’ with some class As. ‘It’s not that we needed mushrooms for it to be good, but it just enhanced it. We were celebrating with one another and it felt so nice,’ she tells Metro. A 2024 ONS survey found that 8.8% of people aged 16 to 59 reported using a drug in the last 12 months — according to their data, that’s 2.9 million people (and they’re just the ones who admit it). When that’s broken down by age, 40% of those are aged 20 to 35. Meanwhile, the most recent YouGov research about drugs shows that 23% of Brits aged 25 to 39 have taken ‘soft’ drugs such as cannabis and speed ‘many times’, with 10% of this age group saying the same about ‘hard’ drugs, such as cocaine and heroin. When you consider the average age for getting married in the UK is 32 for men and 30 for women, the imagined Venn diagram speaks for itself. Lisa enjoyed being on mushrooms at a wedding in Mexico (Picture: Lisa Curry) ‘I had a threesome in the hot tub with the best man’ And, industry insiders confirm it. ‘I get offered a line at like, 90% of the weddings I shoot,’ said photographer Josh Huggett, on his podcast, Tog Talk. ‘It’s at every single wedding.’ ‘There’s a lot more talk of drugs in speeches these days,’ adds Georgie Davis, a wedding planner based in Essex and founder of Georgina Rose Events. ‘The best man might joke in his speech that he had some lines to say, but he sniffed them,’ she tells Metro. ‘I don’t know if you’d have got away with that 10 years ago. It’s more out in the open. ‘I’ve also worked at wedding venues where they’ll spray bug spray on the surfaces in the toilets. It means if you put coke down, it’ll crystalise, so you can’t take it. ‘I know photographers who’ve had to point out to couples that they’ve got powder on their noses before they start shooting.’ And of course, taking drugs comes with serious risks. Earlier this month, it was reported that a 61-year-old man collapsed and died at a wedding venue in Oxfordshire due to ‘cocaine toxicity’. And, even when the consequences aren’t quite so life-altering, a cheeky few lines at the reception can still have unintended consequences. That was certainly the case for mum-of-two Susie*, 40, who took cocaine at a wedding back in 2022. Industry insiders say it’s more ‘out in the open’ now (Picture: Getty Images) ‘Some old uni friends were getting married,’ Susie tells Metro. ‘They were pretty straight-laced, and always had been. ‘Even when we were students they didn’t go out much, and rented a flat together rather than living in halls.’ So, keen to spice up the reception, Susie and a friend brought coke to the wedding. ‘It was one of the first weddings I’d been to post-pandemic, and I didn’t think much of it. I don’t often do drugs, but I’m not a total novice — I’ll dabble on holidays or big nights out — so when my friend suggested it I thought it would be fun.’ But, the situation got out of hand pretty quickly. ‘We got absolutely wrecked,’ Susie says. ‘There was a hot tub at the back of the venue, and my friend and I got in with the best man. ‘Next thing I knew I was topless, and we ended up having a threesome. Of course her entire family, including her grandparents were there, but thankfully nobody saw us — although word still got out.’ Susie says the hotel breakfast the morning after was more than a little frosty. ‘The bride was absolutely furious,’ she says. ‘I didn’t actually apologise, but I tried to make amends. I sent flowers afterwards and thanked them for inviting me to their big day. But it didn’t help matters. ‘There was no big blow-up, but we haven’t spoken since. We crossed a line, and she couldn’t forgive us. It’s fair enough really.’ ‘Shall we do a little key, shall we have a little line?’ But while drug use may have once conjured up images of Trainspotting and back-alley deals, the vibe is growing ever-more sophisticated. Last year, private members club, Soho House, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle famously had their first date, was forced to send an email warning it’s clientele of the ‘strict no-drugs policy’. ‘This also applies to anyone found in a toilet cubicle with another person,’ director, Velma Simmons, wrote. Charli XCX has been accused of glamourising drug use (Picture: Francis Specker/CBS via Getty Images) Meanwhile A-listers have been accused of glamorising drug use. In her hit single, 365, Charli XCX sings: ‘Shall we do a little key? Shall we have a little line?’ When the Brat popstar married her long-time love George Daniel, a platter of cigarettes was passed around the guests – but satire website, The Onion, questioned whether nicotine was the only drug on the menu. A joke headline reads: ‘Charli XCX, George Daniel gather wedding guests to cut the coke.’ It’s also worth noting that according to the ONS, those who earn £52,000 a year or more are the most likely to use powder cocaine. It paints a picture of drug taking as being, well, kind of chic. And drugs at a wedding? Even cooler. What are your thoughts on taking drugs at weddings? If the bride and groom are fine with it, why not? It adds to the funCheck No way, it's not appropriate at allCheck ‘I just felt so relaxed and comfortable’ For wedding guest, Lisa, she first started smoking weed to help with insomnia in her 20s. She was introduced to mushrooms more recently, at a 4th of July party. ‘Somebody offered them around,’ she says. ‘I decided I’d take a little bit and I just felt so relaxed and so comfortable. Not necessarily high, but just at ease.’ Then, in 2023, Lisa was offered mushrooms at a wedding for the first time. ‘The couple are both creatives, and so were lots of the guests — it’s a different vibe with artists. ‘They blocked out an entire hotel in Cancun, Mexico, for their wedding guests for the weekend and there was no children — I’d never be on drugs around kids. ‘Obviously the bride and groom’s families were there, so once they turned in for the night, it was just the friend group left and and somebody started passing around mushrooms on the dance floor. I don’t remember who it was, but it was some absolute angel.’ ‘I just felt so relaxed and so comfortable’ (Picture: Lisa Curry) Lisa, who isn’t a big drinker, says the drugs helped everyone to ‘get in their feelings’. She adds: ‘We were celebrating one another and just enjoying being together. It was a really great time.’ Lisa adds though that she wouldn’t do drugs at every wedding where they were offered. She says: ‘A few weekends ago, I planned on doing drugs at wedding. I brought a guy I was seeing, and I’d started to develop deeper feelings for him. I thought, if I do mushrooms at this wedding, I’m already in such a good mood, and so naturally high, that I’m going to sob through the entire thing. ‘I knew I’d be a mess all night and not be able to keep it together and you can’t do that — it puts too much attention on you, and it’s not about you.’ Ultimately, Lisa says you need to factor in the feelings of the newlyweds. ‘You have to consider everyone around you, above what you want to do. It’s just decency and tact,’ she says. ‘I struggle to think of anything more disrespectful’ While Lisa’s experience is from the perspective of a guest, there are many brides and grooms who are actively choosing to incorporate class As into their big days. Metro spoke to one bride who designated a toilet cubicle at their venue to allow guests to do drugs, while another did a line of coke with her bridesmaids before she walked down the aisle. Both declined to have further details of their shenanigans published, but we would have loved to have been on those top tables. But for one groom, the thought of his guests doing drugs at his wedding only added to the stress of planning. Mark* tells Metro that he had to have a ‘sit down chat’ with a friend. He says: ‘I have friends who often take cocaine, and one of my biggest concerns ahead of my wedding was that they’d not only be doing it on the day, but be seen to be doing it by someone on my wife’s side of the family, which would then immediately tarnish me with the same brush.’ It’s not just booze doing the rounds at weddings anymore (Picture: Getty Images) In the end, it was Mark’s now-wife’s idea to address the situation head on. ‘She suggested chatting to a mutual friend about it, and asking him to “keep an eye” on the people I was worried about. Thankfully, he took my concerns seriously.’ Mark isn’t 100% sure that his wedding was a completely clean event, though. ‘I suspect some drugs were taken on the day, but I have never officially been told, or heard anything from other guests to suggest they saw anything,’ he says. ‘I don’t think it’s extreme for me to say weddings should be drug-free events. In fact, I struggle to think of a more disrespectful thing to do at a wedding.’ What happens if you get caught doing drugs at a wedding? Venues may have different policies that can vary widely, ranging from a ‘telling off’ and being asked to leave, to having the police called and the wedding shut down. Then it comes to the law, penalties for drug possession will depend on the type of ‘class’ of drugs you’re taking. However, you can face a fine or prison sentence if you take drugs. The maximum penalty you can receive for possession of a class drug is up to 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. ‘You’re playing a risky game’ According to etiquette experts, if you’re thinking about taking drugs at a wedding, there’s one golden rule: if you’ve never done drugs with the bride and groom, it’s probably not a wise idea to start on their big day. In The Cut’s wedding etiquette guide, the publication advised that it was ‘maybe’ okay if ‘you’ve done drugs with the couple getting married, and you’ve got the side effects under control, and the wedding isn’t happening in a church or their conservative parents’ house.’ But ultimately, wedding planner Georgie doesn’t agree. ‘As a guest, I think it’s weird to have any discussion about drug taking with the bride and groom whatsoever. It’s best to leave the bride and groom out of it, as you’re implying that you need to be high to enjoy their wedding. ‘There were people who did drugs at my wedding and I wasn’t happy at all. As a bride, I find it offensive that you need to take drugs at my wedding to have a good time.’ Possession of drugs is illegal and you risk being arrested if the police are involved (Picture: Getty Images) However, if you’re a couple that want to involve drugs in your big day, Georgie warns it’s a ‘risky game’. ‘You will lose deposits at venues, you will have some suppliers who are not happy with it. ‘I’ve seen people do drugs at weddings before and I’ve had to tell them that if I see them do it again I’ll have to say something, because it’s illegal. ‘You need to consider which other guests would be there, especially children. And remember, there’s going to be hundreds of photos of you.’ Looking ahead, Georgie reckons there’ll be a trend for a different kind of drug among wedding parties. ‘I think it’ll be health drugs,’ she says. ‘I think people will have IV drips the morning of their weddings, rather than take party drugs. ‘Although ask me again the next time I’ve worked a London wedding, and I might have a different answer for you.’ Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.
