A Black newlywed couple, who spent just $500 on their wedding, went viral this week; and left the internet asking “how”? And many were shocked when they found out how much was spent on the wedding dress.
We all know how expensive weddings can be. According to Business Insider, the average cost of a wedding in 2021 was $22,500.
Venues alone average $10,000. And when you tag on the rings, photographers, videographers, food, and champaign, we can see why Kiara and Joel Brokenbrough opted to take an alternative route in tying the knot.
The couple’s first smart choice was opting to have their wedding outside on a hillside that overlooks the city.
Moreover, while the average wedding dress costs between $2000 and $4000, Kiara spent just $47 on hers.
“My wedding dress was just $47. I didn’t want to spend hella money on a dress I would wear one time for a few hours, and that would get dirty.”
Kiara found a perfect dress from the online retailer Shein and documented the entire shopping and gown fitting experience on social media. Nearly a million people have seen her TikTok fitting video. The couple also shared their entire wedding journey via YouTube.
“Our goal was to just be as minimal as possible,” she explains.
“A lot of people gifted us things. My God mom gifted us flowers. My sister gifted as a runner. My Godsister and my auntie gifted us with the cake,” she further explains. The couple’s wedding guests also contributed by paying for their own food and drinks.
Their guests clearly understood the assignment.
Kiara also explained how her family and friends pitched in to help them with their wedding so they wouldn’t go into their marriage with debt.
This beautiful Black newlywed couple proves how a classy ceremony can be pulled off without breaking the bank.