A couple online found a new way to ensure attendance at their wedding.
A video posted by Julia Polley (@gigsup) on TikTok went viral for capturing the moment she and her then-fiancé revealed to their engagement party guests that they were actually their wedding guests: The couple had planned a surprise to get married then and there.
Polley, 29, spoke to Newsweek about what was behind the non-traditional decision and how it went over with guests. The video has received over 600,000 likes so far.
"We've...had a few people mention to us that if we're spending all this time and effort getting all of you guys together in such a beautiful restaurant, that we might as well just get the deed done tonight," Polley said in the video to her guests. "If you give me like 20 minutes to change my dress, we can probably make that work."
The pair got married in late April, Polley told Newsweek, after nearly a year of enjoying their engagement.
"We didn't really know what we wanted to do when we got engaged, but we knew that we didn't want it to be too traditional," she said. "We...had the idea and never really looked back."
The idea looked exactly like the execution. Polley said that she and her now-husband decided to throw an engagement party and ask their guests during the welcome speech if they'd "mind" being present for their wedding.
"It ended up being more special than we could've ever imagined. It was the best day ever," she said. "Seeing everyone's faces and reactions when we mentioned that we were going to get married in 20 minutes was the definition of priceless. Everyone was so excited and happy for us."
Ultimately, Polley said the two just wanted to have a big party with their closest friends and family, even if the surprise meant some couldn't attend, as people noted in the comments.
"This makes me sad," @liv_tris wrote. "What about the people who couldn't take off work for an 'engagement' party but would've been there for your wedding—now they missed it."
Polley said that she knew about the potential pitfalls of the decision when she made it.
"We knew that there were a couple things that we were just going to have to be OK with," she said. "This included the possibility that some people wouldn't be able to make it. Luckily, most of our friends and family were present for the big day, and those few who missed it wished that they were there, but overall, were just happy for us."
Other viewers in the comments endorsed the non-traditional wedding, saying it must have been a logistical relief for guests and a fun alternative to typical expectations.
"As a wedding professional, I approve of this style wedding," @shawnaminnie wrote. "Weddings should be fun and whimsical."
"The people cheer as they realize they don't have to spend $1,000 to do this again in 11 months," @rylee_greig wrote.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
