A woman has been criticised after a social media video of wedding rules including "no phones" and "no children" went viral recently, Plymouth Live reports. Kennedy Marks, from Plymouth, posted a video of the 13-point list on TikTok, with users describing her as a "control freak".
She insisted her video was intended to be seen by her close friends, but woke up the next morning to find numerous articles written about her and more than 3,000 new followers on her account. The three-minute clip of her demands has now received mixed comments.
Kennedy said: "Oh my gosh, it's been crazy, it's been crazy. I woke up the other day and I had six articles written about me and apparently I'd caused controversy with my wedding rules.
"I had about 300 followers on TikTok before the video and literally all of them were just my close friends. But, after the video, I woke up to 3,000 followers."
Kennedy says she has been planning her big day since the age of eight. Her wedding obsession hit new highs after her best friend began planning her wedding later this year.
"I've been obsessed with weddings since forever and then my best friend is getting married in October, so it's made my brides brain go crazy," said Kennedy. "Me and my boyfriend have been together two years and the minute I met him I said 'just to let you know I do want to get married'."
Despite that very intense introduction, Kennedy says she wants to travel with her boyfriend, Rhys, first before getting married. Although she admits she would love a ring – hint, hint Rhys.
Kennedy's 'controversial' list is as follows:
- No-one else wearing white
- No children (unless approved)
- Don't assume an invitation for a plus one
- No big announcements
- No-one to use the microphone unless pre-approved
- Don't stress me out, ask my mum
- No boring people
- If me or Rhys have never met you, you aren't coming
- No rudeness to staff or you're out
- No phones in the ceremony
- Anyone on the dancefloor on my first dance will be dragged off
- Guests wear whatever you're comfortable in
- Full use of my photographer after my photos
Kennedy says most of the reaction to her wedding rules has been positive, but says a few comments have started to become abusive after her video went viral. She said: "On my actual TikTok everyone was so lovely and supportive, but the minute it went viral I think the comments slowly got more negative.
"The no children rule really got people talking and a lot of people didn't listen to what I said – it was the children I'm really close to. Also the no white rule was another that people disagreed with – I thought everyone would agree with that one but apparently not."
Despite a few abusive comments, Kennedy says the worst remarks came from her rule for "no boring people". But Kennedy says that rule has been misunderstood and she says if she knew the video would have gone viral she would have worded it slightly different.
She said: "I didn't know it was going to go viral, I thought it would just be me and my friends who would see it. They would know that if someone was being annoying I'd tell them to 'bore off', so I would classify that as boring.
"I think other people may have missed my humour with that one." Kennedy's rule that prohibits any guest from popping the question on her day has also proved controversial – don't worry Kennedy, we are with you on that one.
"Everyone called me a control freak for banning engagements at my wedding – they said I'd be ruining the love between other people," she said. "I did say in the video I don't want to be paying for someone else's engagement party, I just don't agree with that."
Out of the 13 rules, Kennedy says she feels strongest about guests not wearing white and guests assuming they can bring a plus one. She said: "I've just never done it myself. My boyfriend has been invited to weddings and I've waited to hear if I'm invited – it's not assumed."
Although standing by her rules, she says she is much nicer than many people may think. She added: "I'm a nicer person than people think after watching a three minute video. I'm not as controlling as they think, I promise."
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