“If I went to a wedding and saw myself on one of these, I’d take back my gift.”

Some brides toss bouquets to single friends. Jessica Branda handed them laminated photographs of one another as an alternative.

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The 27-year-old from Hackensack, New Jersey, tied the knot on June 30, 2025. Instead of establishing a “singles table,” she tried one thing she’d seen on TikTok. Branda (@jessicabrandaa) compiled headshots, first names, and initials of her unattached friends onto a shiny sheet labeled “Tonight’s Most Eligible.”

Beneath the title, she added the playful tagline, “Flirty, fabulous, and potentially your future plus-one.” At the underside, she made her intentions crystal clear, writing, “Yes, this is a matchmaking attempt. You’re welcome.”

She hoped the quirky transfer would spark conversations, break the ice, and possibly even result in a love story.

Backlash to the marriage “singles list” on TikTok was swift

Branda posted the friends’ reactions to the “singles sheet” on TikTok, anticipating a number of laughs. Instead, she received a flood of criticism. Some viewers referred to as it “humiliating” and “cringe.” One consumer claimed they’d have taken again their present if their face appeared on it. Another insisted the record would make them stroll out of the reception totally.

Nevertheless, others defended the bride’s creativity. A supporter urged critics to “have a little fun” and identified that nobody was pressured to take part. They even shared a private anecdote about kinfolk assembly at a marriage and having fun with a stable relationship afterward.

Despite the web outrage, Branda maintained in her interview with the Daily Mail that friends at her reception cherished the thought. She recalled individuals approaching her to say how hilarious it was, particularly since her husband’s grandparents appeared on the record.

@jessicabrandaa It was a success 🤣 extremely suggest including this to your reception and getting everybody’s reactions! #creatorsearchinsights #bride #weddingtrend #weddingday #weddingdiy ♬ This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) – Natalie Cole

The bride stands by her alternative

While she didn’t warn everybody prematurely, Branda did quietly affirm a number of single statuses. She wished the sheets to be a shock however not an uncomfortable one. In her view, realizing her associates’ personalities helped her predict a optimistic response.

“I know my friends and they’re not too sensitive so I knew no one would be upset,” she instructed the Daily Mail. She later checked in with the friends after the video went viral, and so they reassured her nobody was upset.

Branda admitted she was shocked by how critically TikTok commenters took the gimmick. She acknowledged that some individuals would possibly really feel insecure about being single, however she thought-about the sheets far much less awkward than assigning singles to the identical desk.

“I guess it’s embarrassing if you’re embarrassed about being single?” she stated. “Which I think people shouldn’t be but everyone’s entitled to their own opinion.”

Ultimately, her matchmaking experiment didn’t result in any newfound relationships. However, Branda had no regrets. She argued that the thought was innocent enjoyable and gave friends a simple technique to begin conversations.

@jessicabrandaa didn’t reply instantly to the Daily Dot’s request for remark by way of e mail.

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