An influencer has revealed exactly how she spent $72k on a destination wedding day as an act of "financial transparency" and hit back at critics who say she'll divorce."

Grace Ryu, 25, and her husband, Joel, 27, tied the knot with a four-day celebration at Casale de Pasquinelli, in Lucca, Tuscany, in Italy.

The day featured group cooking classes, which cost $510, while the accommodation for all the family cost $4,700, the DJ cost $1.6k and the wedding cake cost $795.

And while she's a self-confessed "trust fund baby", the pair spent a year saving up so they could pay for the extravaganza themselves."

She posted a video online breaking down the costs - including a welcome dinner for $1,204, an open bar costing $1,300 and even the bow tie alone cost $262.35.

And while her comments were filled with well-wishers, thanking her for her honesty, she was also hit with comments saying she'd been "scammed" or that she would split up with her new husband."

Grace, a content creator, from Houston, Texas, defended the spend - and hit back at haters.

"Typically wedding finances are kept very private, but as someone with a platform, I think it's important to help with financial transparency," she said."

"Whether it's about my salary as an influencer, my different streams of income, or the costs that go into planning a destination wedding."

"Thankfully the majority of comments have been positive, so thank you to those who sent me kind comments and also shared your own experiences."

"As for the handful of people who have commented that Joel and I will divorce, or that our vendors scammed us, shame on you."

She said a wedding in Texas - without paying for guests and travel - can cost up to $60,000, adding further context to her spend for the day.

The most expensive part of the wedding was paying for the vendors, which cost $22k. This was spent on wedding planners, content creators, DJs, and photographers.

For the couple's wedding attire they spent a total of $5.8k which includes Grace's Gucci shoes costing $1.2k, Joel's tuxedo costing $487, a dinner dress costing $777 and a vintage dress costing $80.

Grace and her husband, a tech consultant, started dating in December 2019 after they met at a Christian college.

Five years later, in September 2024, the couple were officially married legally at a courthouse in Houston, Texas.

They then had their celebration at Casale de Pasquinelli, Lucca, Italy, in May 13, 2025.

"I organised the entire wedding and was on top of my schedule throughout," Grace said. "

"I was a little bit nervous about things like the weather because I really wanted to get married outside and eat outside. "

"It said there was a 60% chance of rain. Thunder and lightning were going on while I was getting my hair and makeup done."

"We took a risk and took things outside. There was light rain, and it cleared up, and it was the most perfect day."

They had 40 guests and wrote them each a handwritten love letters.

"The day was just perfect, and it was full of love," Grace said. "

They even invited and paid for their own pastor from back home in Houston to attend.

She said: "At the end of the day, we and all of our guests had the most magical time. And the celebration was nothing short of priceless."

They spent $16k on their accommodation including the venue which sleeps 32 and a nearby Airbnbs.

Vendors, including planners, photographers, videographers, content creators, a DJ, saxophonists and make up artists - and feeding them - cost $22k.

"The money spent on vendors was our most expensive category, but it was so worth it because all the logistics were handled, the essence of the occasion was captured, and memories were created," Grace said."

They spent $14k on food and drinks and she added: "I can not stress how much every penny was worth for every bite and drink. "

"We were scraping our plates clean because of how good it was."

The food bill included breakfast service every morning, cooking classes, a pizza party welcome dinner, aperitivos, and an open bar with lots of wine, the reception dinner and wedding cake.

$9k was spent on decorations, just over $1k on gifts, and all their outfits - including three dresses and a tux for Joel cost $5k.

They say travel, including flights and car rentals, costs $1k. The couple spent $900 on two flights from Houston to Florence.

She said it was "close to our budget" and they could have got it down to $50k if they didn't pay for guests. "

Costs:
Accommodation and wedding venue: $16.9k
10 Vendors: $22.9k
Food, drinks, cakes: $14.3k
Decorations: $9.3k
Guest Gifts: $1.8k
Wedding attire: $5.8k
Travel: $1.3k
Total: $72k