PhD Graduate Celebrates with £6k Solo Wedding Party 🎉

A doctor spent £6k throwing herself an extravagant party with 130 guests - to celebrate the end of her PhD. <br /><br />Aileen Delaney, 27, says her four-year doctorate degree was "very stressful" and her studies interrupted by the pandemic. <br /><br />She wanted to make sure she celebrated her achievement - which she says is just as significant a milestone as having a baby or getting married. <br /><br />Aileen decided to throw herself a huge party in January to celebrate completing her degree, and spent six months saving up £6k to splash out on it. <br /><br />The "grand" party - which was on the scale of a wedding - was thrown in a stately home, with 130 guests invited, a band named One for the Road, playing and a professional photographer. <br /><br />And Aileen believes women should be able to "celebrate all achievements in this way". <br /><br />Aileen, a public engagement officer, from Birmingham, West Midlands, said: "As a woman, I should get to celebrate more than just getting married or having a baby. <br /><br />“Sharing our achievements is so important. <br /><br />“And it is ridiculous - I had 130 people come to this party. <br /><br />“It was exactly what you’d do for a wedding.<br /><br />“But the best part is - even if I do get married - I’m always going to be a doctor, not a 'Mrs'." <br /><br />Aileen started her PhD in physics at the University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, in October 2019. <br /><br />Just six months in, her studies were interrupted by the pandemic and she was forced to work entirely from home. <br /><br />The degree course lasted four years in total and Aileen says she struggled at times. <br /><br />“I found it really hard,” she said. <br /><br />“I wrote my thesis alongside working full-time as a public engagement officer. <br /><br />“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced so much stress.”<br /><br />She wanted a celebration to mark the end of her studies but didn’t want a “standard night out.”<br /><br />Alongside a new, full-time job paying £2.1k-a-month and thesis-writing, Aileen started planning a party for mid-June. <br /><br />She added: “We don’t celebrate achievements enough.<br /><br />“Getting a job requires over 20 years of education - then you get a ‘well done’ and a dinner, maybe. <br /><br />“I wanted to make the most of it.”<br /><br />In January 2024, Aileen began looking for venues big enough to hold 130 of her friends and family members. <br /><br />She wanted to find a space with a good bar and plenty of beer on tap. <br /><br />In the end, she settled on paying £1900 to hire Highbury Hall in Birmingham from 4pm until 1am. <br /><br />She also forked out £750 on hiring a Irish-style covers band, and rented an £880 designer dress for £88 on ByRotation. <br /><br />“I didn’t really need that extra stress while writing my thesis,” Aileen said. <br /><br />“I essentially threw myself a solo wedding. <br /><br />“In the last month or so, I decided to hire a professional photographer.<br /><br />“I didn’t want to rely on sh**ty iPhone pictures on the big day.<br /><br />“I just wanted everything to be really bright and fun.” <br /><br />Aileen also handmade decorations for the venue - including disco balls. <br /><br />She added: “I decided to do a gift box of things people would really enjoy.