Former brides are burning their wedding dresses during divorce parties, which are now the new trend in Ireland, according to an event planner.
Throwing paint pots on the dress, halving toasters and even splitting friends between ex-couples are now often the rites of passage to celebrate the end of a marriage.
Former Red Rock soap star and event planner Steven Mangan has been organising divorce parties for the last 10 years but says the end-of-marriage rituals have been really taking off in recent months.
“I suppose I have helped to plan about 60 parties in the last year, mostly on the east coast of Ireland,” he said.
“I have seen a bride burn their wedding dress on a barbecue, after getting guests to throw small pots of paint over it.
“I have seen a woman break up her toaster and kettle wedding gifts and then make mini sculptures out of the bits to give back to her guests as presents.
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“I even witnessed one lady who got out her wedding book and got her guests to scribble out their name and vow never to talk to those remaining on the book because they were obviously his friends.
“So effectively, she was even divorcing the friends.
“I organised a wedding and divorce party for one bride who has asked me to help with her second wedding in the coming months.”
Stephen, who hails from Malahide in Dublin, also sings in a Michael Buble tribute band and organises DJs and other events through his business ‘That’s Entertainment.ie’.
He says men are slow to celebrate the end of marriages.
“Lads seem to go for pints. I think I’ve had two male divorce parties and one party where both the former bride and groom celebrated together, but women really get into their divorce parties and a few with vengeance.
“But it really is becoming trendy now to have a divorce party.”
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