New York Couple Saves Money by Holding Wedding Reception on the Subway: 'Incredibly Fun and Memorable'

One New York couple proved that you don’t need to spend big to have the wedding reception of your dreams. 

Daniel Jean, 39, wed Esmy Valdez, 38, in a private church ceremony in New York City on Thursday, June 27. Jean then got a little creative with their celebration to stay within budget, the New York Post reported.

“We didn't have the money to do the dream reception that I'd always envisioned,” Jean told the Post, citing the high costs of a wedding reception, which can cost a couple an average of $12,800 in the U.S., according to a February report by The Knot.

So, he came up with a new plan. “I decided to surprise [my wife] by having a dope reception on the L train,” he said. The L train is a subway line that travels throughout Brooklyn and into Manhattan.

He told the Post that he and Valdez kicked off the celebration in one of the L train cars on Tuesday, July 2 alongside 20 friends and many strangers making their commutes.

A TikTok video taken of the event, which received over 1.2 million views, showed the full scope of the party.

In the video, you can see a long table set up in the middle of the train car with a four-layered cake, a pie and champagne on top. Music blasted through the speakers as both celebrants, who were dressed in more elaborate clothing, and strangers danced along. The train car also appeared to have been decorated with fake leaves and sunflower vines adorning the handrails.

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Jean also tapped friend and comedian Jodell “Joe the Show” Lewis to emcee and keep the energy going for the party. He told the Post that it was a group effort putting the reception together as another friend helped “manage the setup” and a wedding planner coordinated the “overall production.”

“We had food catered by Chef O of O’s Grill Spot [in Brooklyn], we had a cake, drinks and music from DJ Whoo Kid,” he told the outlet.

“It was an incredibly fun and memorable party for around $3,000 that would have cost $30,000 at a reception hall,” Lewis said.

The newlyweds appeared to have a blast, as photos shared with the Post showed them — Jean in a light pink suit and Valdez in a white dress with veil — dancing along in the train car to the music with big smiles on their faces as people cheered them on.

It was a memory that Valdez said she will remember forever and one that made her love her husband even more.

“When I walked onto the train and saw everything, I thought, ‘Wow, I picked the right guy,’ " she told the outlet.

“People in this city think it’s important for men to have expensive things in order to wow the woman of their dreams,” she added. “Our reception was all about love.”