For Kalina Marie, a bride from Oregon, her long-anticipated wedding day turned into an unexpected heartbreak. As she and her groom, Shane, walked into the beautifully decorated reception hall, they saw only a handful of friends and family members, while rows of empty seats and quiet corners left the space feeling vacant and forlorn. Marie captured the moment on video, later sharing it with followers on social media.
In the video, the couple, visibly disappointed, is seen entering hand-in-hand as their son accompanies them down the aisle to Miley Cyrus’ “When I Look at You.” Instead of the joyous crowd they’d imagined, only a few guests stood by to cheer them on.
75 were invited, Only 5 showed up
According to Marie, the masquerade-themed wedding had been carefully planned for months. She’d extended digital invitations to 75 guests and mailed an additional 25 formal invitations. Yet, despite her meticulous planning, only five people made it to the ceremony.
“The Masquerade ball that I have talked excessively about for the last 10 months,” she wrote in a social media post. “The same ball that I not only digitally invited over 75 people to but also spent money to send 25 beautiful invitations out to… only FIVE PEOPLE SHOWED UP!!!!”
The couple, who had been together for nine years, announced their wedding date in January and eagerly anticipated the event. They had planned a 1 p.m. start time, but by 2 p.m., only five guests were present.
Disappointment and questions follow
Though disheartened, Marie and Shane tried to make the best of the day. They shared a dance, with the small gathering joining in to help salvage the moment. “It just makes me think, like, why?” Marie wondered aloud. “What did we do? Am I that bad of a person? What did my husband ever do to deserve any of this? Why couldn’t we matter enough for people to show up?”
Aftermath: Moving through grief and embarrassment
Days after the wedding, Marie updated her followers, admitting that she and Shane were “a little embarrassed and still moving through the stages of grief” over the day’s turnout, as well as “still dealing with anger” over the empty seats that marked their special day. Despite the disappointment, Marie’s video has since resonated with many online, drawing support and sympathy from those who saw her story.