How Gladys Surprised Simon With a Custom Video Game Wedding Invitation (And He Screamed in a Restaurant)
When Gladys came to us in late February 2026, she had one goal: blow Simon's mind with an original idea in preparation of their wedding. She wanted a fully playable custom video game wedding invitation. We created a storyline together so we could tell their love story in their actual wedding invite.
A week later, Simon opened it at a surprise dinner and literally screamed in the restaurant in joy. For someone who grew up on those kind of games (he was obsessed with the 1993 Aladdin video game), this was not only a dream come true but also a true mark of creativity and originality for all their entourage.
This is the story of the first game we ever delivered at Rings & Pixels — and why we think the future of wedding invitations isn't only made of paper or PDFs. You can be uniquely different.
Who Are Gladys and Simon?
Gladys and Simon are a young couple who met on Tinder in France in 2017, and their very first conversation wasn't words at all. It was literally GIFs. Just GIFs, back and forth, for days.
Two weeks later they met in person. They walked the city, talked non-stop, and stopped for pizza because Gladys was starving. At Simon's place they made a bet, and Gladys won. Her prize? Making Simon listen to KYO, a French pop group he couldn't stand. She started singing and dancing. That made him want to kiss her. They've been inseparable ever since.
They moved in together, got their own place, and eventually relocated to Barcelona in late 2019. Simon proposed in June 2023 at a little park in front of their apartment — the one they regularly go to, to watch dogs play and strangers dance to music on their speakers.
Their wedding is September 19, 2026, in Wissant, France. The exact anniversary of their first date.
Why a Video Game?
Gladys and Simon are gamers. Born in the late 80s means you've been exposed to various types of games and their evolutions. When she discovered Rhys and his concept, as an old school player and one who loves nostalgia, she knew a return to basics was the key to an original wedding invitation. She wanted their entire love story turned into a retro platformer that their guests could actually play. She reached out through our contact form and filled in every detail about their relationship to help us personalise the game and make it feel real.
What We Built
We used everything Gladys gave us.
The game takes players through the key chapters of their story: their first date in Lille, the move to Barcelona, the proposal at the park, and the journey to their wedding day. Every level is a real place. Every detail is theirs.
Custom pixel art sprites of Gladys and Simon, drawn from photos they provided. Hand-crafted environments based on real locations they've lived and loved in. SNES-era aesthetics with rain falling over Lille rooftops, a boulangerie on the corner, and pizza slices floating through the air — because that first-date pizza had to make it into the game.
An RSVP form is built right into the end of the game, so guests confirm their attendance the moment they finish playing. No separate wedding website needed.
The whole thing lives at its own URL and works on any device. No downloads, no app stores. Just tap the link and play.
The Reaction
We delivered the game on March 2, 2026. Gladys tested it immediately.
Her response?
"Everything is perfect!!! I'm excited every time I play it. Real dream come true."
She showed it to Simon over dinner on March 5. He literally screamed in the restaurant.
"He is ECSTATIC. A lot of his friends are gamers or developers so he's having a ball telling everyone his girl surprised him with this."
Before Simon even saw it, Gladys had already been sharing the game with her closest friends and collecting dozens of reactions in both English and French. Screenshots, voice notes, people losing their minds.
That's the difference between sending a card and sending an experience.
Why This Matters for the Wedding Industry
Here's what we've found by looking at what couples are actually searching for in 2026:
Every competitor sells templates. Paperless Post, Minted, Canva, Bliss & Bone, Riley & Grey — they all offer beautiful designs you can customise with fonts, colours, and photos. Some offer animation. Some offer RSVP tracking. But they are all variations of the same thing: a digital card.
Digital invitations are a confirmed trend. Even luxury couples are shifting away from physical invitations and investing in digital experiences. But nobody has taken "interactive" to its logical conclusion.
Rings & Pixels is the only service that turns your love story into a fully playable game. Not a template. Not a PDF. A bespoke, hand-crafted interactive wedding invitation that your guests will actually enjoy, share, and talk about.
When Gladys told her friends, they didn't politely acknowledge the invitation. They screamed. That's the difference.
What's Included in Every Game
Every game we build is custom. There are no templates.
- Your love story as gameplay — We turn your relationship milestones into playable levels with real locations and real moments.
- Custom pixel art sprites — Characters that look like you, drawn from photos you provide.
- Hand-crafted environments — Real places from your story, reimagined in SNES-era pixel art.
- Built-in RSVP — Guests confirm attendance at the end of the game. No separate forms needed.
- A unique URL — Every game gets its own link that you can share however you like.
- Works on any device — Phone, tablet, laptop, desktop. No downloads required.
Check out our packages and pricing to see what fits your story.
Ready to Start Your Quest?
Gladys wanted to surprise Simon with something he'd never forget. A week later, he was screaming in a restaurant.
If you want your guests to have that kind of reaction — to play through your love story instead of glancing at a card — we'd love to hear from you. Read more about what a pixel art wedding invitation is and how it works, or tell us how you met, the moments that matter, and the bits that make you laugh.
Gladys and Simon are getting married on September 19, 2026 in Wissant, France. Rings & Pixels built their custom wedding game in under a week.
Questions & Answers
Can I really surprise my partner with a video game wedding invitation?
Absolutely. Gladys kept the whole thing secret until she showed Simon at dinner. We work with one partner behind the scenes all the time — it's one of our favourite ways to deliver a game.
How long does it take to build a custom wedding game?
Gladys and Simon's game was delivered in under a week. Most projects take 1–2 weeks depending on the number of levels and complexity.
What information do you need from us to build the game?
We send you a short questionnaire about your relationship — how you met, key moments, inside jokes, the places that matter. Gladys filled hers in with incredible detail and that's what made the game so personal.
Do guests need to download anything to play?
No. The game runs in any browser on any device — phones, tablets, laptops. Just tap the link and play.
Can the game include our RSVP?
Yes — the Full Wedding Game and Bespoke Quest packages include a built-in RSVP system. Guests respond right inside the game after playing through your story.
How much does a custom video game wedding invitation cost?
Packages start from $499 for a Save The Date game and $999 for a full wedding game with RSVP. Bespoke projects with unlimited levels are priced on enquiry.