‘Stop telling brides what to do… it’s my day and I get what I want’

A newlywed couple has gone viral for their video of controversial rules for their "formal wedding day".

Emerson and John Schiavon wanted their wedding day to be absolutely perfect.

They had invitations for their 200 guests laser cut into glass and sent out with bottles of champagne, they hired a content creator and a team of photographers and they had a strict RSVP policy. Anyone RSVPing late was kicked off the guest list.

The American pair was so adamant their way was the best way, they started a TikTok account full of advice about how to make sure your big day is all about you.

In one video, Emerson said when it came to guests, she reserved the right to revoke invitations, kick people out, and ban single friends from bringing a plus one.

They even had security guards at the reception to make sure the rules were obeyed.

It’s a good thing too, because there were some rogue attendants.

“We had to kick two people out of our wedding… they were random crashers and we immediately had them taken away,” she said in a video called “Controversial things we did at our wedding”.

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Couple shares strict wedding rules

Emerson and John ran a tight ship.

They didn’t believe in big wedding parties, so they kept the bridal party small. “Having 30 people standing at the altar is an eyesore.”

And although Emerson allowed her bridesmaids to pick a comfortable style of bridesmaid dress in an agreed fabric, guests had a strict black tie dress code. “It sets the vibe of the event.”

If guests were late to the ceremony, they were barred from entering. “We asked them to wait until cocktail hour to come in,” she said.

At the reception, there were only two speeches. “Speeches can be annoying and way too long, and they can be boring for guests,” she explained.

When the dancing started, Emerson said there were no music requests allowed.

“A lot of DJs find it annoying and we did not want random songs played,” she said. “Everyone danced and enjoyed the music. Grown adults do not need to ask for songs to be played at a wedding. It’s a wedding, not a prom.”

Perhaps it’s not surprising that Emerson and John didn’t allow children or pets at the wedding.

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The couple didn't allow children or pets at the wedding. Photo: TikTok/emersonschiavone_

Couple slammed over wedding rules

“You seem fun,” one person commented on the video. 

“The way they keep saying ‘formal wedding’ makes them seem so entitled,” said another.

But many agreed with the pair.

“Trends we should leave behind in 2023: judging people because they did something in their own wedding that made them happy,” one person said.

Originally published as ‘Stop telling brides what to do… it’s my day and I get what I want’