Bride Returns From Honeymoon—Unprepared for What's Waiting in Her Mailbox

Newsweek

5 hours ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A new bride's wedding glow was dulled after she returned home to find a strongly worded three-page letter written by a family member.
Kristin Carroll from Oklahoma posted a short clip on TikTok (@kristin_carroll_) of her disgruntled reaction as she showed viewers each page.
Carroll told Newsweek that her wedding day was stunning. "We had a short ceremony, then moved straight to the reception space to greet our guests and have our first dance," the 23-year-old said. "There was an open bar with beer and wine that guests had access to as soon as they entered the reception space."
Kristin Carroll holds a letter in her left hand with an unamused expression.
Kristin Carroll holds a letter in her left hand with an unamused expression.
@kristin_carroll_
With 150 guests, the couple opted for a "photo dash," taking pictures with each table before sending them to the buffet.
"This was definitely one of my favorite parts because it gave us the opportunity to chat with everyone," she said.
According to wedding website The Knot, American weddings averaged $33,000 in 2024, with per guest costs around $284.
Catering remains the fourth most expensive part of the big day, according The Knot's 2025 Real Weddings Study, costing an average of $80 per head.
But while Carroll and her new husband danced the night away in their newly-wedded bubble, not every guest was as happy as they were.
Days later, Carroll found herself holding a handwritten letter from a relative, who had left the reception early and, according to Carroll, looked visibly angry throughout the event.
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Bride sends out wedding invites—gets handwritten reply she'll never forget
Bride sends out wedding invites—gets handwritten reply she'll never forget
"The letter didn't come as a shock," Carroll said. "She has been very opinionated through the planning process, complaining about my venue, which she drove out to see when she got the invitation; the weather prediction for the day of; my dress; and my music choices."
But the real reason behind the letter was the alcohol present at the wedding. Two days after, Carroll said that the family member had posted on Facebook, explaining that her pride had "diminished" for the newlywed due to her relationship with alcohol.
"I contacted her and told her if she had an issue with what I choose to do with my wedding day and my money; she needs to bring that to me rather than Facebook," Carroll said. "This was when she deleted her post and wrote the letter."
While the exact contents of the letter is unknown, Carroll summarized its message as a deeply personal indictment of alcohol, expressed in "great detail."
"My initial reaction was anger," Carroll said. "How could she be so entitled to think that any part of the day was about her? The more I thought about it, though, my anger turned to sadness."
While the comments have been turned off, Carroll's video has been viewed more than 927,000 times and received over 28,000 likes since being shared earlier this week.
Since receiving the letter, Carroll said she has gone "no contact" with the relative. "She told my dad she had no interest in speaking to me," she added. "My sister is getting married in August, though, so we're gearing up for another outburst."