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Couple's stunning photos prove a courthouse wedding can be just as glamorous on a budget

"These are some of the best wedding photos I’ve seen."

Photo credit: Canva

Courthouse wedding photos are glamorous on a budget

Weddings are personal. While many weddings have a style or theme that is popular during whatever decade they tie the knot, most people add their own unique touches. For some a large wedding in a beautiful historic venue is the only thing that will feel like them, while others may go for something much smaller.

But it doesn't matter the size of the wedding, they can be bank breaking, even if things don't go over budget. According to Zola, a wedding planning website, the average wedding in 2024 cost $33,000. That's clearly not the most expensive wedding someone could have, but that price tag is outside of a lot of people's budgets. But large wedding parties and fancy venues aren't the only way to commemorate the big day.

One couple decided to skip the fanfare and go small–really small by skipping all the fanfare involved with a long guest list and heading to the courthouse. Their decision to buck the traditional wedding march and opt for a tuxedo and bridal gown in front of a judge likely saved them tens of thousands of dollars. It also ended with absolutely stunning wedding photos.

Happy I Love You GIF by LifetimeGiphy

Many courthouses are beautiful, some being there just as long as the town making the architecture a historical focal point. Bride Chelsey McAllister and her husband just proved that with a dress, suit and the right photographer, the day can be just as glamorous. A wedding photographer can run between $2,000-$3,000 according to The Knot, and if you're planning on courthouse nuptials this may just be the area to splurge.

In the video uploaded to Hock Pro Weddings videography page, you get to see a glimpse into how the couple got these amazing photos. You see the bride beaming running through the court building donned in a mermaid style white gown holding the hand of her husband who is wearing a tux. The photos that followed are pure magic. If a stranger saw these images hanging from a wall they would never guess there wasn't an extravagant wedding that made capturing these photos possible.

"There is something so beautifully nostalgic and romantic about the simplicity of a civil wedding. So many courthouses are archeologically beautiful to capture such perfect moments like this," one person writes.

"This man’s pictures are a canvas to many of our hearts… there is so much beauty in all your pictures," another commenter says.

Every single shot gives the feel of luxury and the couple didn't have to spend upwards of $30k to make the day perfect. In today's economy more couples are refocusing where they spend their money on their wedding. Some people choose to elope on an island, others go to the magistrate and spend their money on a reception, while some couples decide it's best to put a downpayment on a home instead of a wedding.

Season 1 Wedding GIF by NBCGiphy

"Beautiful. Better then my way overpriced wedding. Don’t get me wrong it was amazing but these photos are fire. Not sure I have anything as authentic and beautiful as any one of these," someone shares.

There's no wrong way to have the wedding of your dreams. That special day is supposed to be about you and your future spouse, so have a destination wedding in Paris or have your uncle marry you at a family barbecue. Whatever you decide, will be perfect for you because it's your day and this couple proves you don't have to have a million dollar wedding to have photos that look like you did.

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Love Stories

'Fat girl meets hot guy' love story has happy ending and plenty of haters

This one's for anyone who's ever been told "you'd be so beautiful if only you lost a little weight."

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Sierra Hufham was on vacation in the Dominican Republic when she got to chatting with a nice older couple by the pool. The three of them hit it off so well, Hufham — single at the time — decided to take a chance: "If you have any kids, I'm daughter-in-law material."

The couple introduced her to their son, Brandon, but there was a problem: “It was like, love at first sight. It was magical," she tells People. But..."I was shocked because he was this hot, ripped guy. And here I am, this big girl.”

The unspoken rules of our society dictate that a relationship like this could never work out, between a self-described fat girl and a fitness-obsessed dude with six pack abs. But a few years later, Sierra and Brandon got married and, despite the odds, they're happier than ever.

Sierra recently explained the ups and downs of her unique love story on TikTok, where it went viral.

Sierra shares her journey under the handle @the_fatgirldiaries. In her most popular clip, she bluntly asks and answers the question: "Can fat girls date hot guys?"

"The answer is 100% unequivocally Yes," she says. "Because I landed one."


Ariana Grande Singing GIF by The VoiceGiphy

"I don't want you to feel like if you are fat, that you are a fetish. Because you're just a person, you're a person just like a skinny girl. As a person you have personality, you have beauty, you have style, you have finesse just like a skinny girl does. So don't feel like anybody's out of your reach. Because they're not."

Sierra goes on to explain that she was told her whole life that she'd never be able to make an attractive man fall in love with her, and it took years and years of work to undo that programming and rebuild her confidence.

"[My own mother] used to say to me 'You know, you're so pretty but if you just lost 100 pounds, you'd be a knockout and then you could get a really good looking guy.' ... That ruined my self-esteem for a long time."

"But she was wrong 'cause I got literally like the hottest guy in the world and I'm 150 pounds heavier than him. And he loves me as I am and not as a fetish. You can land anybody you want to, weight is not the issue here. It's peoples mindsets and their hearts and that's what matters."

Watch the full video here:


@the_fatgirldiaries

Channeling my inner @Alicia Mccarvell for this one because her marriage inspires me daily and I feel such a similar way🫶🏼 My husband has loved me thin and he has loved me overweight. Because he fell in love with who I am as a person, my weight does not matter. My husband is into fitness and the personal training type world and it interests us both. Weight and food has always been my issue, but that doesn’t have anything to do with love, attraction, or our relationship. Yes, some of us have preferences and thats totally okay but in the end it should be all about the person’s heart and values, goals and dreams, humor and lifestyle, and thats what he fell in love with. I know that no matter my weight, this man supports and loves me and it is not a fetish of any kind. Its because we’ve invested and put effort into our relationship and built a beautiful life together. I couldnt be more thankful for this man and how he refuses to judge me. Yes, he wants me to be my healthiest, but that does not include a number on the scale. Ladies, you are all beautiful no matter your weight and you can land anybody you want to. The world is your oyster. Love goes beyond looks. Everything is about heart. Love you forever baby😘 #weightlossjourney #relatable #fat #fatgirl #plussize #biggirl #viralvideo #loseweight #diary #glp1 #glp1journey #tirzepetide #weightlosscommunity #glp1community #controversial #hubby


The video got over 800,000 views and counting, along with thousands of comments. The overwhelming majority showed Sierra really struck a cord with women everywhere.

Clearly Sierra isn't the only one who felt, or was repeatedly told growing up, that they'd never find love without losing weight.

"Literally the stuff my mom said to me wrecked me still 25 yrs later," one user wrote.

"My whole life has been 'You have such a pretty face, if you only lost X pounds...'" said another.

"This actually made me cry. I grew up in a household that said mean things like the things your mother said to u and it diminished my confidence. I’m working on my confidence. Thank you for this," another user added.

Comments just like this poured in over and over. Sierra's video was cathartic for so many women who had experienced the same struggles and were overjoyed to finally have some hope for their own happy ending.

@the_fatgirldiaries

Replying to @mvtroffa You all asked and I answered! Fat girls can get hot guys too! Dont count yourself out just because you are bigger! Your heart, personality and confidence are what is going to shine through. You deserve all the love in the world. #fatgirl #biggirl #relationshiptiktok #fyp #weightloss #fat #relatable #controversy #controversial #hubby #couplegoals

But Sierra says she gets plenty of haters, too, and lots of "rough" comments. But it doesn't stop her from continuing to spread her journey of acceptance, love, and positivity.

There's a ton of stigma around thinner men dating fatter women. Women like Sierra get told constantly that their "hotter" spouses can do better, will eventually cheat on them, or that they don't deserve the love that they've found. Fat women are expected to be grateful to get any attention at all and to accept poor treatment or even abuse in relationships.

Frustratingly, it doesn't really seem to go the other way. Larger men who date women who are thinner than them also receive scrutiny, but not nearly to the same level. In fact, they're more likely to get a high five for somehow pulling off such a coup!

Even some of those who aren't openly critical of Sierra's story remain skeptical. "Your husband is one in a million," a commenter wrote. "Most men don't like chubby. They don't look past the weight," said another. "Yeah they like use behind closed doors not in public," someone wrote.

Sierra, through her social media following, is out to prove those people wrong, and that weight is just a number. She believes confidence is the sexiest trait a person can have, and she's living proof that it just might be true.

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Family

Wife has the perfect response when husband introduces her to coworkers as 'The Housewife'

She began by laughing hysterically.

via Artur Voznenko/Unsplash

An anry wife shares her thoughts with her husband.

A husband invited some new coworkers over for dinner and instead of properly introducing his wife, he made a sexist joke that she felt was belittling. The wife, who goes by the name Sadie on Reddit, shared the story on the AITA forum to ask if she responded correctly.

Spoiler alert: Yes, she did. “My husband invited his new coworkers over for dinner. When they arrived, he introduced me by gesturing at me and saying, ‘This is Mrs. Smith (he didn't even say my name)...the housewife!'" Sadie revealed.

“I looked at him for a second, then I started laughing hysterically,” Sadie continued. “I then told said, ‘No, honey, I work full time, and YES I still act like a housewife when I'm home because you simply can't bother to help.’” After Sadie’s remark, the guests stared at the husband, who tried to laugh it off and then changed the subject by asking them if they wanted a drink.

The rest of the dinner was awkward, with the husband and wife exchanging angry glances. After the guests left, the husband blew up at Sadie, saying that she laughed like a “lunatic” and that she ruined “his image.”

“I told him he was wrong to lie about my status and deny my degree, to begin with,” Sadie continued. He said I could've talked to him about it privately later but not like this, and making his coworkers think he's useless.” Sadie asked the online forum if she was out of line, and they responded with a collective no.

People overwhelmingly supported the wife, raising an issue far beyond the fact that her husband was seriously inconsiderate. It’s a big red flag in a relationship when one spouse diminishes or belittles the other in public or private.

“Men who diminish their partners to look better at the office are gross. He only seemed to care about his embarrassment and not yours. I'd be mortified if my husband used a lie that robbed me of my success and accomplishments to prop himself up," Geranium27 wrote.

“It's a red flag for the relationship. He doesn't want a partner who is an equal. He wants a dependent woman who he can provide for completely so he can feel like a man," RedWanderingLizard added.

Some also noted that it was wrong of him to disparage homemakers.

"He diminished (being a housewife is not a ‘low’ role, but he meant it that way) you in public, you corrected him. In public. As he deserved,” LetThemEatHay wrote.

The viral post received over 24,000 comments, highlighting the idea that belittling your partner is a serious sign of a dysfunctional relationship that should not be ignored.

According to Psychology Today, backhanded compliments, digs and subtle put-downs are attempts by one partner to make the other feel small and themselves feel big. “Although cleverly disguised as a joke or a compliment, these comments may qualify as ‘toxic’ if they sting, cause confusion, and replay in a person’s mind for days, disrupting their peace,” Erin Leonard, Ph.D. writes.

Ultimately, commenters overwhelmingly agreed that Sadie was right not to let her husband's belittling compliment go unnoticed. By sharing it online, she opened up a meaningful discussion about appropriate humor in relationships. Studies show that it’s healthy for partners to joke around with one another, but when the comments are thinly veiled put-downs and backhanded compliments, it’s no laughing matter.


This article originally appeared last year.

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People are sharing the marriage advice that 'sounded absurd' but is actually really helpful

Here are 19 of the best responses.

via Pexels

Work at it every single day, folks.


The best advice isn’t always obvious, or else we would have thought of it ourselves. It often comes out of left field and can be counterintuitive at the time, but it eventually sinks in. When it comes to marriage, the best advice tends to be centered around keeping a focus on the long game.

One of the best pieces of marriage advice I ever received was, “Buy her a bottle of shampoo from time to time without her asking.” Now, that doesn’t mean to get shampoo specifically, but just pick up something here and there to show you care and are thinking about her.

Marriage, if done right, is forever, so that often means taking a loss in the short-term to enjoy the long-term benefits of a happy life with someone. This is great as a concept, but as a practice it can be pretty darn hard day in and day out. Hence why about 50% of American marriages end in divorce.

Reddit user thecountnotthesaint put out a call to the AskMen forum for some of the best marriage advice that “sounded absurd” but was actually helpful.

The question was inspired by some advice the Reddit user had received from their father, who claimed that a king-sized bed is the key to a happy marriage. "I'll be damned if that wasn't one of the best decisions we made aside from getting married and having kids," they wrote.

A lot of the advice was about being careful not to escalate small disagreements into larger arguments that could turn personal and ugly. A lot of people think that to have a successful marriage means being able to compromise and to let things go quickly.

Here are some of the best responses to the question, “What random marriage advice sounded absurd but was actually spot on helpful?”

1.

"Dad said 'Be kind even if you’re not feeling it. Maybe especially if you’re not feeling it.'” — semantician

2. 

"At my wedding, my wife's Grandmother offered so[me] funny, weird, solid advice. She said, 'If you get angry with each other, go to bed naked and see if you can resolve it before you go to sleep.' So far, so good. Anniversary on Monday!" — drizzyjdracco

3. 

"The advice I’ve given people is this: if you can go grocery shopping with your person and have the best time ever, you have yourself a keeper. It’s all about making the best of the mundane things, because after years of being together, life becomes predictable. You’ll need to keep the spice going, regardless of what you’re doing. Source: married 15 years." — LemonFizzy0000

4. 

"My grandfather told me 'Never go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink.' What I learned is that he would always help my grandma and that is when they did their most talking." — t480

5. 

"When our kid was about to be born, someone told me to change the first diaper. If you can handle the first one, the others will be easy.' So I did. I didn't know what I was doing, so I asked the nurse at the hospital to teach me, and I changed the first several few diapers while my wife recovered from a difficult labor. The advice was correct, no other diaper was as disgusting as the first one. It got very easy and I never minded doing it, and my wife was really really grateful. And I loved that I could take on some of the parenting chores, since there was so much that she was the only one... equipped to provide." — wordserious

6. 

"Focus on tackling the problem, not each other." — bobbobbobbobbob123

7. 


"Don’t have too high of expectations. My dad told us that, but we found most of our early fights were when one or the other had unspoken expectations of the other or marriage. It is positively life changing to be married, and an amazing experience, but still life goes on."— nopants_ranchdance

8. 

"Marry him for who he is. Not his potential." — There-is-No-beyond

9. 


"My stepmom just passed away, and dad said something that has profoundly changed my attitude: 'The little things that annoyed me are the things I now miss.' So, like, yea for some reason she squeezes a massive glob of toothpaste which mostly falls into the sink basin and she doesn't wash away the toothpaste spit. If/when she's gone, that little constant annoyance that reminds me she's there will be gone too. Don't nag on the little things, rather, embrace them. (still, let her know she has made progress on other things I've pointed out, as I try to adapt to her wishes)." — drewkungfu

10. 

"Say thank you for day to day things, even taking out the trash, sweeping the floor, or folding laundry. Audibly hearing thank you reinforces the feeling of being appreciated." — BVolatte

11. 

"Randomly give your partner a cold beverage on a hot day. It's the little things that show you care." — Purple12Inchruler

12. 


"You don't just marry her, you marry her whole damn family." — crazypersn

13. 

"One of my colonels told me: 'Just buy two damn pizzas, instead of arguing over the toppings.'"— MgoBlue702

14. 

"Be honest. Don't lie to your partner." — Mikeydeeluxe

15. 

"Don’t marry a woman whose dad calls her 'princess,' because she probably believes it. Much to his regret, my brother ignored this advice from our dad." — Toadie9622

16. 

"My fiance always says that 'just because' flowers are the best kind of flowers." — agaribay1010

17. 

"My Gramps who was married for over 50 yrs said: 'tell her you love her every single day.' Kind of obvious, but I definitely took it to heart." — sorellk

18. 

"Love isn’t about having 'nice feelings for each other.' It’s about acting for the betterment of someone else, even if you don’t feel like it. Emotions will change. Your willingness to treat your spouse a certain way doesn’t have to." — sirplaind

19. 


"Bill Maher said "The three most important words in a relationship aren't 'I love you', they're 'let it go.' Oddly, this has proven to be some of the best relationship advice I've ever heard." — KrssCom


This article originally appeared three years ago.

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