Kiara Brokenbrough (@kiarabrk) revealed her US$47 wedding dress on her Instagram page. — Picture via Instagram/kiarabrk
LOS ANGELES, April 22 — Experts consider that the average budget for buying a wedding dress now ranges from around EUR500 to EUR1,000 — or US$540 to US$1,080 (RM2,330 to RM4,660) — but one American woman has opted to spend just US$47 on her outfit for the big day. And it’s a decision that’s gone down a storm on social networks, where her dress — which hails from the ultra-fast-fashion giant Shein — has already scored more than a million views.
Los Angeles resident Kiara Brokenbrough has achieved some notoriety in the United States by spending just US$500 on her entire wedding ceremony. A story reported by the show Good Morning America, which focused mainly on the amount spent on the bride-to-be’s dress — namely US$47. It may sound surprising, but it’s entirely possible thanks to the Chinese retailer Shein, which now has everything you need to look great on your big day–from dress to veil and tiara. But, inevitably, it’s above all a question of cost savings rather than ecology.
The Californian couple went to great lengths to spend as little money as possible on celebrating their union. Gone were the pricey buffets, drinks and venues. Instead, they had an outdoor ceremony — on a free site — with a limited number of guests. The important thing was to get married in the best possible conditions, albeit with no fuss or frills. And it’s a mission they accomplished with flying colours, since the ceremony cost just US$500, including clothes.
The bride’s dress proved a particular hit on social networks, from Instagram to YouTube to TikTok, where her video has been seen more than 900,000 times. She shows off the model chosen on the Shein platform, a specialist in ultra-fast fashion known more for its low prices than for its environmental commitments. She can also be seen trying on dresses priced at more than US$1,500, “just for the experience.” The video not only brought admiration from users of the social network, but also inspired many of them to follow the example of the two newlyweds.
“My wedding dress was US$47!! I didn’t want to spend hella money on a dress I would wear one time for a few hours & that would get dirty (we had an outdoor ceremony) . Was it my dream dress? No ma’am, but no regrets on this dress decision at all,” explains Kiara Brokenbrough on her Instagram page. — ETX Studio