Couple sells $1K tickets to wedding — and hundreds of guests pay up
Ahead of saying 'I Do' on Aug. 1, the Idaho-based digital entrepreneurs sold $1,000 tickets to their $50,000 wedding-weekend extravaganza, making room for a whopping 270 guests — most of them strangers from the internet.
But turning their holy matrimony into a money-making display wasn't just about pocketing a tidy profit, the happy honeys insisted.
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6 Jaxx and Larsen raked in over $96,000 at their wedding and an additional $36,000 at their post-nuptials brunch, totaling around $132,000 in charitable funds.
Courtesy Don & Emily Mamone
Instead, it was an effort toward 'disrupting' the multi-billion-dollar wedding industry — and making the world a better place.
'We broke even and raised $132,000 for charity,' Jaxx, 34, told The Post — explaining that she'd first casually pitched the idea of selling tickets to her wedding as a joke to her 21,000 Instagram followers.
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Now, she's laughing all the way to the bank.
'Weddings are so expensive, and selling tickets to one is disruptive,' continued Jaxx, who, alongside her new hubby, donated the excess funds from their wedding to Village Impact, an organization dedicated to building schools in Africa.
'We wanted to [sell tickets] from a place of heart and purpose,' added the millennial, 'not scammy.'
6 The newlyweds tell The Post it was important that they recover their wedding costs and raise money for a worthy cause.
Courtesy Don & Emily Mamone
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While planning their unusual fête in their hometown of Boise, she and Larsen, 37, were sticker-shocked by the 'crazy' costs, such as a $650 'cake-cutting' fee, at local wedding venues.
So, rather than blowing the budget, the social media-savvy sweethearts invited their combined 192,000 Instagram and YouTube followers to pay for an in-person seat at their not-so-exclusive soirée.
Roughly 30 high-rollers purchased $997 'VIP' vouchers — which Jaxx and Larsen ultimately rounded up to $1,000 — for their marriage celebration marathon.
6 Jaxx and Larsen say they were shocked by how many strangers purchased tickets to their wedding and donated to Village Impact.
Courtesy Don & Emily Mamone
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Besides the usual rehearsal dinner, wedding and reception, the pretty penny permitted deep-pocketed participants to partake in a range of unusual offerings — from romance counseling sessions led by experts to a Saturday morning 'Biohacking Brunch.'
There, party-exhausted attendees enjoyed red-light therapy care, breath work tutorials and a $20,000 bio-charger energy rehabilitation.
'Our social media audiences actually came up with the $1,000 price point,' said Larsen with a laugh. 'We asked them what they'd expect to pay for [these special experiences] and they said, 'A grand!''
6 The Idaho sweeties were committed to offering their loved ones, as well as ticketed guests, memorable experiences and entertainment during their posh wedding weekend party.
Courtesy Don & Emily Mamone
The pair's family and friends were granted full, VIP-level access to their three-day fête.
More budget-minded fans from cyberspace were given the option of paying either $57 for admission to the Friday afternoon ceremony and reception, or $97 to attend both the Thursday night rehearsal dinner as well as the wedding.
Approximately 100 guests opted for those options.
6 Jaxx says baker Michelle Sohan offered to make the wedding cake after learning their ticketed wedding on social media.
Courtesy Don & Emily Mamone
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But not everyone saw the value in the duo's funky fundraiser.
Virtual vultures pecked mercilessly at Jaxx and Larsen for the uncommon move — accusing the twosome of making a 'mockery' of marriage, and labeling them 'nuts.'
However, charging a cover at the wedding chapel doors is trending as a unique way to save a few bucks on the big day, which can run lovebirds over $26,000.
Nova and Reemo Styles, of the Bronx, hawked tickets to their swank union at St. Patrick's Cathedral.
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6 Larsen and Jaxx are looking forward to traveling to Kenya and building classrooms with the more than $132,000 they raised at their wedding.
Courtesy Don & Emily Mamone
The New York newlyweds previously told The Post that charging $333 per person kept their costs low and bank accounts stacked high.
Meanwhile, Jaxx and Larsen said they were thrilled to have also recovered the expenses they laid out for their splashy to-do — topped off with live performances by dancing trombonist Jonathan Arons, music from Team Ragoza and DJ Dynamix, and sweets from Stella's Ice Cream, confectioner Michelle Sohan and Mama's Secrets cookies.
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But the darlings are even more excited for a July 2026 trip to Kenya, where they'll erect classrooms for kids in need — with the monies raised from their wedding.
'It costs $15,000 to build a classroom with Village Impact,' said Jaxx. 'We went with them to Africa two years ago and it was the most beautiful, life-changing experience.'
'As we shared that at our wedding reception, several people donated the full $15,000,' she said. 'I had people approach me saying, 'I have no idea who you are, but I'm at your wedding and it's awesome.''
'They came to the wedding as strangers, left as friends and now we're all going on this life-changing trip to Africa next year.'
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The helpful funds notwithstanding, Larsen says selling tickets to their special occasion also helped him and Jaxx weed out their true supporters from the phony clout-chasers on their guest list.
'When someone chooses to purchase a ticket to a wedding, they are saying 'Yes,' but it's not out of obligation,' he noted. 'Everyone who was there wanted to be there.'
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