For some, their wedding is pictured in a lavish hall or a decorative garden, with all of their friends and family surrounding the beautiful couple.
But this couple have taken an alternative approach to cementing their commitment to each other.
For followers of US beauty and lifestyle creator and model Shay Sullivan, the romance between her and her partner, Casey Johnson, has been a staple of their feeds.
Having been together for years, their dynamic is famously adored by fans, with Johnson widely known for being utterly obsessed with Sullivan.
They have been dubbed by thousands as “couple goals.”
When they announced their destination wedding in the rolling hills of Sovicille, Italy, fans expected nothing less than a picture-perfect, romantic dream, as what their relationship has appeared to be online.
The Italian ceremony was everything they envisioned: a lavish, sun-drenched affair surrounded by ancient stone walls, flowing wine, and stunning fashion.
Sullivan looked breathtaking, channeling a vintage, 90s-supermodel-meets-Italian-romance aesthetic that left the internet swooning over her dress, makeup and hair.
But it wasn’t the Italian villa that set TikTok on fire.
It was what happened before they ever boarded the plane.
The vows in the kitchen
Before the grand celebration in Europe, the couple needed to take care of the legalities.
Because organizing international marriage paperwork can be a bureaucratic nightmare, many couples choose to get legally wed in the country they live in, which for them is the US, before their symbolic ceremony abroad.
Sullivan and Johnson chose to do it in the most intimate, low-key way possible: right in their own kitchen.
Standing in the heart of their home, dressed down and completely relaxed, they signed their papers and exchanged simple, private vows.
It was raw, intimate, and deeply personal, a stark contrast to the massive influencer wedding that was about to follow.
To the couple, it was a beautiful, practical moment of transition.
The backlash of the ceremony
When Sullivan shared the video of their casual kitchen nuptials, the comment section quickly divided.
To a vocal corner of TikTok, it was a major controversy, with many fans being disappointed with the supposed wedding she was having.
“That’s all?” one sad follower asked on TikTok.
“You guys are practicing, right?” followed by another user.
“What the hell is this?” a third chimed in.
“Please tell me y’all will have an actual wedding,” echoed a fourth.
Despite shocked followers, many also praised the intimate ceremony, calling it so “special.”
“This is actually the most special thing ever. Legally getting married in your home together,” one fan claimed.
“This is so intimate and sweet,” someone else praised.
“This is so adorable and honestly perfect,” a third noted.
Influencer’s response
Sullivan didn’t let the criticism slide.
She quickly hopped back on TikTok to address the backlash head-on with a candid response video.
Gently but firmly, she dismantled the idea that a piece of paper determines the emotional weight of a wedding.
She explained that their kitchen wedding was the logistic step required to make their lives legal, but their Italian ceremony was the true celebration of their love, witnessed by the people they cherish most.
“You think I would be hyping this wedding up for months … just to get married in my kitchen with no makeup on and my sweatpants,” she stated to her TikTok followers.
“I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with that.
“I will cherish that forever; it was me, Casey, and the officiant, and it was beautiful.”
Ultimately, the controversy highlighted a shifting tide in modern romance.
While the internet debated the timelines, the influencer couple proved that you don’t have to choose between a quiet, intimate commitment and a grand, lavish celebration.
You can absolutely have both.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
