I Spent 10 Months Planning My Wedding & I Was Devastated When No One Showed Up

@kalina_marie_23/TikTok

Wedding planning takes a lot of time, effort, and love. It can also be costly. When couples plan their weddings, they invite guests who are important to them and will share in their joy. Family and friends gather to celebrate the couple and wish them the happiest life together. Sometimes, things come up, and even though guests plan to attend, they can’t at the last minute. Even though it’s a disappointment, most couples understand. But it’s downright devastating when no one shows up to a wedding.

A bride named Kalina shared a heartbreaking video on her TikTok, @kalina_marie_23, of her and her husband, Shane, making their entrance into their wedding venue only to find it nearly empty. Kalina planned a grand entrance but instead had a gigantic disappointment.

The couple had been planning their celebration for a long time.

@kalina_marie_23 This is our entrance to our Masqurade ball. The Masqurade ball that I have talked EXCESSIVELY about for the last 10 months. The same ball that I not only digitally invited over 75 people to. But ALSO spent money to send 25 beautiful invitations out to. FIVE PEOPLE SHOWED UP!!!!!!! Like, are you kidding me!?!? As you see in the video, we enter the venue. And no one is there. The invite said 1pm. My mom messaged me at 1:15 that no one was there. My husband and I finally showed up at 2oclock, to 5 people. In a venue planned for 40. I dreamed that I would walk in to a bunch of people cheering us on. Hooting and hollering for us in celebration……but all you see is a woman trying to hold herself together because she had NO idea how to deal with her venue being almost completely empty. All the wasted food and drinks. All the empty tables and chairs. Every moment of my reception changed to adapt. Did we still make the most of it?? You bet your SWEET @$$ we did. But did this video just take all the good moments and shoot them out of the water for a second, F$&K yea it did 😔 It just makes me think, like, why? 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? I still have “friends” that haven’t even messaged me to congratulate me or tell me why they didn’t come. It truly makes me sick. I honestly can’t wrap my head around this yet. But all I know is, I have my man. My baby. And family that shows up when I need them. And for that, I will be thankful ❤️ #FAIL #fyp #whereisthelove ♬ original sound - Sara Lones

According to TikTok, Kalina and Shane got engaged in 2019, just before the pandemic shut the world down. The couple faced that difficult time with grace and finally decided to wed in 2024. Kalina and Shane planned a masquerade ball for several dozen guests. She posted a video of their entrance that quickly went viral.

“This is our entrance to our Masqurade ball. The Masqurade ball that I have talked EXCESSIVELY about for the last 10 months,” she explained in the clip. “The same ball that I not only digitally invited over 75 people to. But ALSO spent money to send 25 beautiful invitations out to.”

Unfortunately, most guests didn't come.

Kalina shared her frustration.

“FIVE PEOPLE SHOWED UP!!!!!!! Like, are you kidding me!?!? As you see in the video, we enter the venue. And no one is there,” she shared. “The invite said 1pm. My mom messaged me at 1:15 that no one was there. My husband and I finally showed up at 2oclock, to 5 people. In a venue planned for 40.”

Kalina explained that she wanted to walk down the aisle to people “hooting and hollering.” Instead, she had to try to keep her feelings of devastation hidden from those who did show up.

Kalina felt like her friends betrayed her.

@kalina_marie_23 Replying to @keep_aiming_forward ♬ Someone - Aaron Lewis

She didn’t understand what she and Shane did to deserve such a slap in the face. “Why couldn’t we matter enough for people to show up? I still have ‘friends’ that haven’t even messaged me to congratulate me or tell me why they didn’t come. It truly makes me sick. I honestly can’t wrap my head around this yet,” she wrote.

TikTokers supported the heartbroken bride.

This person made a beautiful point: “Mama told me something that stuck with me. ‘Id rather have 4 quarters than 100 pennies’ The VALUE of those 4 friends are way higher. Your quarters were all there. Congratulations beautiful couple!”

Someone agreed, writing, “Keep those 5 close to you, and the others just clea[r]ed the way for new amazing friends in your future.”

The lack of etiquette bothered many, such as this person who wrote, “I will never understand the disrespect of not showing up after confirming attendance. Events take a lot of time, effort, work, and money! But mainly thought and excitement to share. I’m so so sorry.”

Kalina didn't let it ruin her day.

@kalina_marie_23

If I could wear this dress every day, I would. I felt like such a princess. The dress is by designer Rebecca Ingram and it’s called Galina 🥰 I also added a glitter belt to give the dress a little more bling ✨ Backstory: we got engaged on Christmas Day 2019, right before the pandemic hit the world and shut everything down. And just like it has been for everyone else, the last four years have been a struggle. But this year we finally decided to tie the knot. Announcing our wedding date to everyone in January of this year. I have waited four years to wear this beautiful dress. Thank you guys for loving it so much 😭❤️😭

♬ original sound - SARAH MTIMET

Was she heartbroken? Yes. Did she still have the best day of her life? Also, yes. She shared other videos from the day showing her and her husband enjoying every minute.

“I have my man. My baby. And family that shows up when I need them. And for that, I will be thankful,” Kalina wrote on TikTok.