Learn from this couple’s innovative idea on how to save money on a wedding reception!
Daniel Jean, a 39-year-old New York resident, had a private church wedding ceremony with 38-year-old Esmy Valdez on Thursday, June 27.
After the wedding, Jean was unable to afford a lavish wedding reception, so he came up with an unusual alternative.
He told the New York Post, “We didn’t have the money to do the dream reception that I’d always envisioned. I decided to surprise [my wife] by having a dope reception on the L train.”
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To save money while still having their ideal celebration, the couple hosted the event on the L Train subway, which was attended by 20 friends and many strangers on their daily ride.
The average cost of holding a wedding reception in NYC can easily cost $63,000 or more, which is 80 percent more than the previous year, according to a report shared by the wedding planning website, The Knot, in May 2024.
A video of the event was shared on TikTok that garnered over 1.2 million views.
In the video, the train car can be seen well decorated with fake sunflower vines and leaves on the handrails. A long table also was set up in the middle with a four-layered cake, champagne bottle, and pie.
To make the event enjoyable, Jean roped in his friends to manage the setup and overall production. He invited his friend and comedian Jodell “Joe the Show” Lewis to emcee the event and keep the party going.
He ordered the food from Brooklyn-based Chef O, who runs O’s Grill Spot. While the cake, music, and drinks were from DJ Whoo Kid, as per the Post.
The bride, on the other hand, was incredibly happy with the arrangement and thought she’d married the right man.
The couple dressed in wedding finery, a light pink suit for Jean and Valdez in a white dress with a veil, looked ecstatic as they enjoyed the moment.
She gave a beautiful message when she said men don’t have to have expensive things to wow the woman of their dreams.
Her feelings for Jean became stronger after their reception, and she believes it was all about love.
They danced away to glory with strangers and their guests cheering for the couple, clicking pictures, and recording the event on their phones.
Jean added that these days, mainly negative and violent stories of people getting robbed or pushed on the subways come out, and their wedding reception story will be a welcome change.
However, he believes the NYC subway is the only place in the world where one can have a wedding on a train, with strangers participating and cheering for you.
