These speedy sweeties are sticking wedding guests with some fine print.
Racing toward the altar with less than a month before their big day, two hot-rod honeys have devised a clever scheme for dodging the unexpected cost of a more than $200 speeding ticket — inviting loved ones to cover the fee by adding the pricey fine to their wedding registry.
And virtual votaries are hailing the couple for their “f – – king hysterical” hack.
“Wedding in 26 days, timing couldn’t be better,” bride-to-be Annabelle, from Austin, Texas, wrote sarcastically in the captions of a trending TikTok post featuring her and fiancé James’ $231 penalty.
“Feel free to support James in his down-bad era on The Knot at Annabelle and James’s Wedding Registry,” she added in the caption of the clip, which offered online audiences a glimpse at the request in the “cash fund” section of their digital gift wish list.
In the viral video, which has raked in over 367,300 views, Annabelle, a recent college grad, zoomed in on James typing “PLEASE HELP,” unabashedly begging for financial assistance from folks planning to attend their fast-approaching nuptials.
And despite the unconventionality of the couples’ call to action, social media supporters showered the lovebirds with praise for their slick trick to avoid paying out of pocket — some even offered to donate towards the damages.
“Now this is a wedding gift I can get behind,” applauded an impressed commenter.
“This is f – – king hysterical,” another laughed, “and his groomsmen should pitch in together as a group gift.”
“Lmfaooo [I’m going to] do this with my texting and driving ticket,” penned an inspired bride-to-be.
Like Annabelle and James, a number of money-conscious nearly-weds have recently reached digital superstardom for concocting creative ways to save ahead of taking the plunge.
In fact, since the pandemic, the economizing trend has gained steam among hitching couples worldwide due to the global inflation crisis — which sent the average cost of a wedding skyrocketing to around $29,000, per Zola.
At the top of 2023, a faction of budgeting brides and grooms in the US ditched the high-priced cost of traditional wedding vendors — such as expert florists and consummate cake bakers — for cut-rate deals at Costco, where flowers and treats are in affordable abundance.
And in September, British bride Charlotte Deering, 27, tied the knot to high school sweetheart Caine while wearing a $12 wedding gown she’d purchased at a local grocery store. The pennywise pair exchanged vows during a small ceremony that took place at the registry office, costing them just under $200.
“I love to be frugal and show people that you don’t need to spend thousands to have what you like,” said Deering, whose entire matrimonial fête came with a price tag of less than $2,500. “With a little extra work, it’ll come together without the huge price tag.”
