'My divorce photo shoot was celebrating the fact that I survived the marriage'

"I don't want to give my daughter this wedding dress… not after the way the marriage ended," Lauren triumphantly shares in the viral video.

An American divorcee set her wedding dress — and the internet — on fire during a controversial TikTok video that’s brought her plenty of heat.

Mum-of-two Lauren Brooke attracted 6 million viewers — and plenty of critics — to her March 26 video.

“I’ve been called a narcissist and attention-seeking, and people are saying I was the problem,” Brooke said. “The photo shoot wasn’t celebrating the divorce itself – it was celebrating the fact that I survived it.”

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Lauren has gone viral for burning her wedding dress in a divorce photo shoot. Source: TikTok

"I'm celebrating the fact I survived the marriage"

Brooke, 31, fell in love with her future husband when the two attended the same Baptist church growing up, the New York Post reports.

The young couple tied the knot in October 2012.

But the marriage deteriorated – in part because of the demands of her unnamed hubby’s job in the Army National Guard.

“It can be difficult to be a military wife … The pressures from his job put a strain on the marriage,” she lamented.

In North Carolina, a couple must be legally separated for a year and a day before they can get a divorce. After nine years of rocky matrimony, in September 2021, a fed-up Brooke filed separation papers, but still hoped to work things out.

The year was “an emotional rollercoaster” and ended with the divorce being finalised in January.

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Lauren's divorce was finalised in January 2023. Source: TikTok

"I don't want to give my daughter this wedding dress"

Brooke decided to turn over a new leaf – by burning up the remnants of her failed marriage — and even bringing her new beau along for the spectacle.

With her professional photographer mum behind the camera, Brooke lit her wedding dress on fire.

“What else was I going to do with my wedding dress? It couldn’t be returned and I wouldn’t want to give it to my daughter – not after the way it ended. So why not burn it?” Brooke explained.

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Wearing high heels, she also stomped on photos of her and her ex in happier times.

“It was great to see her laughing — the year had been extremely difficult with so many emotions trying to navigate a new normal,” her mum Felicia said.

Things really got hot once Brooke uploaded the pictures to TikTok.

“This screams red flag,” one person slammed.

“Someone is being bitter,” another blasted.

Brooke said she received messages from people calling her fat — “which is hilarious because I’m a size 2.”

“A lot of people think I wanted revenge, and I was like, ‘If I wanted revenge, there’s a million other ways I could have done that.’”

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Lauren is in another relationship but isn't planning on walking down the aisle again. Source: TikTok

Lauren is ready to find love again - but not a wedding ring

Brooke and her current boyfriend, Jonathan, met when they both swiped right on Tinder in February.

“She’s a wonderful, amazing woman and I want to be there to support her however I can,” he said.

But Brooke isn’t rushing back to the altar any time soon.

“I honestly don’t know that I’ll ever get married again,” Brooke said. “I’m just at a place where I’m happy, I’m content and I’m no longer sad or heartbroken. I’m focusing on me, my kids and my current relationship.”

This article was published by The New York Post and has been republished here with permission.

Originally published as 'My divorce photo shoot was celebrating the fact that I survived the marriage'