Bride praised for donning $47 wedding dress, pulling off $500 wedding ceremony that looks amazing

Weddings are expensive, and the cost can often set a couple back several years, draining them of their savings just when they are pledging to make a new start. One couple has stunned many by pulling off a wedding costing just under $500, a minuscule amount compared to the national average of $30,000 (according to the wedding planning website The Knot). Kiara and Joel Brokenbrough started out with a plan to keep costs down as much as possible and they succeeded. Kiara's wedding dress cost just $47 and she looked gorgeous in it. "Our goal was to just be as minimal as possible," said Kiara, reported Good Morning America. "And to spend the least amount of money as possible."

Kiara and Joel Brokenbrough were eager to start their life together but knew they didn't want to go into debt just to celebrate their wedding. Both identified areas where they could cut costs before looking to find ways to actualize their dream. Kiara started out by looking for a wedding dress that suited her but wasn't going to burn a hole in her pocket. She found a great-looking dress on digital fashion retailer Shein's website and it cost just $47. She knew she was only going to wear it once and didn't want to splurge. The couple shared a video on TikTok about the experience and it went viral immediately, garnering close to 1 million views.

"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," she said. Her loved ones helped in cutting wedding costs as many of them gifted items for the wedding, such as flowers and a runner. They also saved on location by choosing a free location near one of California's freeways. Guests paid for their own food and drinks at the reception, which also helped keep costs down. The couple went through all the traditional wedding formalities. "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 Kiara. "And then you celebrate with food, drinks, and dance. And that's exactly what we did."

Kiara thanked her loved ones for their support and said she wouldn't have been able to cut down costs without them. When asked what tips she had for others who wanted to follow in her footsteps to save money, she said the biggest thing they could do is find a place that is free and already looks pretty, which means you don't need any decorations. She also added that while couples can decide for themselves how they want to hold their wedding and where they want to save money, people must not forget the ultimate goal is always marriage and not the ceremony in itself. "The people we have there, they understood the assignment, they understood the things that we were trying to do, and they really supported us," said Kiara.

People lauded the couple for their brilliant wedding and for paving the way for so many others. "The wedding is just one day, people spending hundreds of thousands for what. Congrats madam, you looked beautiful. I wish you both happiness," wrote one person. "This is dope and genius I thought you needed a boat-load of money and I see now, you don't. I will keep this in mind for my vow renewal ❤️❤️ congrats," wrote another.

Kiara revealed how she managed to keep costs under $500 in her Vlog.