A Couple Demanded Almost $1,000 from Guests for Attending a Wedding (4 photos)

A US couple have explained why their wedding guests had to fork out the cash. Entrepreneurs Marley Jaxx, 34, and Steve J. Larsen, 37, offered guests $57 for a day pass or $997 for a VIP pass for two to attend the two-day event. The program included premium seating, a biohacking lecture over breakfast and a pre-wedding dinner.





They ended up selling about 100 regular tickets, while 30 guests opted for the VIP treatment. Entry was free for relatives.



Initially, the idea of charging guests seemed absurd to the lovers. But when they got engaged and began planning the celebration, they saw ads for various wedding services. For example, they were asking $650 for cutting the cake.

"$650 just to cut the cake. Not the cake itself," Jax told PEOPLE.

Followers told Marley about their "wild" wedding markups, and it inspired her to take further action.





The newlyweds covered the entire cost of the celebration, but they still had $132,550 left over, which went to charity in Kenya.

“The funds will be used to build classrooms in Kenya, support clean water projects, and provide essential resources to children who need them most,” explains Jax. “In July 2026, my team and I will travel to Kenya to implement the funded project.”



The woman knew that their idea of charging a fee would be frowned upon by many: “In our case, it’s not about profit. We celebrated with people who helped us do it debt-free and supported our good cause.”

The couple hopes that their idea will inspire others and change the way people think about weddings.

Jax concluded: “Weddings don’t have to be a source of debt or stress. They can be something completely different: generous, spiritual, and shared.”