A California couple managed to have the wedding of their dreams on a shoestring budget of $500.
Kiara and Joel Brokenbrough’s big day had all the bells and whistles of a traditional ceremony — a tuxedo, a white dress, cake, flowers and dancing.
But it had none of the big price tags. For example, the average wedding dress costs about $1,600. Kiara spent $47 and ordered hers online.
“My whole thing was, ‘OK, how can I get what I want without breaking the bank?’ So I started to look at my resources,” Kiara told Inside Edition.
The wedding took place in a public park, so that was free. “I’m very creative, so I made the invitations,” Kiara said.
Her mother is a pastor, so she officiated at zero cost. The flowers were paid for by Kiara’s godmother.
The bride provided the music. “I created a playlist on iTunes and just let it play!,” she said.
The 40 guests at the rehearsal dinner paid for their meals.
The Brokenbroughs were committed to not starting their new lives in debt, they said.
“A wedding is beautiful and ours was beautiful but I also knew this was just a day,” Kiara said. “So I don’t want to mess up our long-term goals for this one little day. “