Bride Kalina Marie shared her “heartbreaking experience” on TikTok, revealing that she walked down the aisle only to find her “wedding reception completely empty.”
“I dreamed of walking into a crowd cheering us on, celebrating,” she expressed in her post, which featured a video.
“But instead, you see a woman trying to hold it together, struggling with an almost empty venue,” she added, describing her emotions.
Marie had invited 75 guests to her masquerade-themed celebration with digital invitations. But when she, her husband, and their son entered the venue, they found it silent and nearly vacant.
In a TikTok post, Kalina Marie captured the moment of their entrance, writing, “POV: You planned a beautiful entrance, only to open the doors to an empty venue.” The video captured their disappointment.
As the couple entered, two people opened the doors, a single guest in a red T-shirt sat on a folding chair, another took photos, and a third worked on a laptop, leaving the rest of the beautifully decorated venue empty.
“This was our entrance to our masquerade ball,” Kalina narrated, her voice reflecting the disappointment.
Hoping guests would arrive late, they delayed their entrance. Although the invitations listed a 1 p.m. start time, her mother informed her at 1:15 that no one had arrived.
After waiting, the couple entered at 2 p.m., only to find five guests present. The venue was set up for 40 people, adding to the contrast between their hopes and reality.
Despite feeling “sick” over the turnout, Marie expressed gratitude for those who did come.
“I have my husband, my child, and the family that shows up when I need them. And for that, I’m thankful,” she wrote.
Her followers encouraged her to plan a redo, promising they’d be there. A week later, Marie shared that she hadn’t received many explanations for her guests’ absence, leaving her with lingering questions.
