A woman who openly admitted to disliking her extravagant $30,000 wedding decided to have a do-over five years later, this time on her own terms and at a fraction of the cost. Event designer Alexandrea Acevedo from Orlando shared with SWNS that she and her now-husband, Michael Acevedo, had a large wedding in September 2018 with 200 guests. However, instead of enjoying a perfect day, she felt overwhelmed and stressed. Looking back, the 27-year-old Alexandrea realized that she had focused more on fulfilling others’ expectations rather than planning a wedding that truly reflected her and Michael’s dream vision. Moreover, the wedding had been a costly affair, with expenses exceeding $30,000, which she now considers a waste of money that could have been used for a house deposit. She felt that weddings often prioritize pleasing guests rather than the couple themselves, which was the case for their first ceremony.
After five years, Alexandrea and Michael, now 33 and an operations manager, decided to renew their vows in September 2023 to create the wedding experience they truly desired. The couple, now parents to four children, opted for an intimate family ceremony at the Fred W. Symmes Chapel atop Stone Mountain in Cleveland, South Carolina. Their stress-free day was focused on their own happiness rather than external expectations. The event cost less than $1,000 and included a simple lunch and a hike to waterfalls.
This renewal marked a return to the couple’s original dream for their wedding day before external pressures influenced their decisions. Following their engagement in 2017, they had initially wanted to elope, but family objections led them to have a big wedding instead. Looking back, Alexandrea realizes she barely remembers the chaos of their first wedding day and regrets not prioritizing their own desires over others’ opinions.
Alexandrea hopes that other couples can learn from her experience and prioritize their own happiness in planning their weddings, emphasizing that the focus should be on the couple and not on pleasing others.
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