Happily married couple Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa are finally enjoying their summer break, but before that, their statements made plenty of headlines as they came forward with some $179 twist advice for couples: skip the big wedding.
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos reveal why their $179 wedding convinced them to skip the big celebration
As People covered, before their summer break, the couple appeared on the Live with Kelly and Mark podcast, where they advised married couples to host a small wedding instead of a big one. The couple, who married on May 1, 1996, revealed that their wedding turned out to be much better than expected despite costing just $179.
Kelly Ripa said, “Our wedding was great. $179, including airfare, thank you!”
Pointing to today’s wedding trends, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos believe couples should embrace micro weddings instead of traditional weddings because they create less stress and offer a more budget-friendly option.
Ripa said, “Weddings are having a micro trend in 2026. Tiny. A quirky cake. No big ceremony. Candles over flowers. Cost effectiveness. This is the year of the cost-effective wedding. Ceremonies are out, parties are in.”
Explaining the micro wedding trend, Ripa said that people are saving money by having a small ceremony followed by a big party. Buffets have also made a comeback at weddings because they are more affordable and practical.
Brides are buying vintage or pre-owned wedding dresses, while couples are choosing a single beautiful ring instead of having separate engagement and wedding rings.
Mark Consuelos agreed with all of these points and said further, “It’s just… The money spent on these parties and flowers and rings and dresses, it just doesn’t make sense to me.”
“It never made sense to me, which is why we eloped. At the time, it didn’t make sense to either one of us. We’re like, ‘That’s ridiculous,” he added
For context, Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa have now been married for three decades and have three children. Michael, Lola, and Joaquin.
DO YOU THINK SMALL WEDDINGS MAKE MORE SENSE THAN BIG CELEBRATIONS?
