A wedding has gone viral after a couple managed to tie the knot on a $500 budget, with the bride’s dress coming in at under $50!
The couple from Los Angeles has faced backlash for some of their money-saving tips.
Read on for the full story!
Anyone who has ever tried to plan a wedding will know just how expensive things can get…
From the ceremony to the cake, there are so many expenses to think about.
It is reported that the average cost of a wedding these days comes in at $30,000.
However, after the pandemic, the way many people are approaching weddings is changing.
Couples have to consider everything from the guest list to what their guests will eat and drink on the big day.
And the financial impacts of every little decision can begin to add up quickly!
The Knot reports that by far the biggest expense for couples is the venue hire.
The average venue cost was over $10,000!
But even the smaller expenses can add up too…
For example, the average cost of a cake alone comes in at $500.
For some couples, the cost of all this means a big wedding isn’t attainable!
However, there are some ways around it…
There are some regular tips for saving money on your big day.
Popular ones include using websites over paper invites and grabbing the dress from a sample sale.
However, one couple from Los Angeles took their money saving to the next level!
And people have a lot to say about their tricks…
Kiara and Joel Brokenbrough managed to host their big day for just $500.
Kiara told Good Morning America: “Our goal was to just be as minimal as possible.
“And to spend the least amount of money as possible.”
They wanted a low-cost wedding that wouldn’t put them into debt.
One of the first ways the pair saved money was with Kiara’s choice of dress…
She said of her choice: “I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on a dress because I had the mindset I’m gonna wear this one time for a few hours”
In a viral TikTok video, the bride revealed she actually bought her dress from the fast fashion site, Shein!
The dress cost just $47!
In terms of the day itself, the pair were able to keep expenses low due to family help.
They were gifted decorative items such as runners and flowers.
Another thrifty idea they had was to use a location right off the freeway.
Although on one side there was a busy road, the other direction gave the pair a beautiful backdrop to get married in front of.
The pair also saved money by making guests pay for their own food and drinks at the reception.
What’s even more impressive is the fact that they planned it all in just 2 months!
“You have a wedding, with witnesses there to witness you, vowing to your spouse, vowing to God that you guys are going to stay together for life,” said the bride.
“And then you celebrate with food, drinks and dance. And that’s exactly what we did.”
“The people we have there, they understood the assignment, they understood the things that we were trying to do, and they really supported us,” Kiara said.
She stated having supportive friends and family as one of the most important things for pulling off such an affordable wedding day.
The pair’s clever money-saving tips certainly got the internet talking…
One person wrote: “The fact that their guests bought their own food and drinks says a lot about the bride and groom. I love the support from their family.”
Another summed up their thoughts neatly: “The wedding is for a day the marriage is a lifetime!”
However, not everyone was best pleased…
“Um, the dress is perfect, quite beautiful, and getting the free locale, no decorations, that’s all good,” one commenter said.
They continued: “But I’m not of the [opinion] where it’s ok for guests to have to buy their own food and drink, seriously that’s just not right.”
Regardless of what the internet thinks, the pair looked like they had a fabulous day!
You can see the viral video here.
What do you think of their thrifty wedding tactics?