Woman Known as 'The Serial Bride' Has Had 5 Disney Weddings — and Is Now Planning More (Exclusive)
Shellie and her husband, George, tied the knot at Disneyland in 2015
Shellie and her husband, George, tied the knot at Disneyland in 2015
Since then, the couple has planned multiple Disney-themed vow renewals to celebrate their love for each other
Shellie goes by "The Serial Bride" on Instagram, where she shares her wedding planning journey with followers
Some people celebrate their birthdays in grand ways, but Shellie, known on social media as "The Serial Bride," prefers to celebrate her love in spectacular fashion.
Shellie's passion for weddings, especially Disney weddings, began after she and her husband, George, tied the knot at Disneyland in 2015. The couple, who were high school sweethearts, had a special connection to the theme park, which they frequented while George attended college in Southern California.
Growing up, Shellie never dreamed of having a big wedding. "I was not the girl who fantasized about her wedding dress or flowers," she tells PEOPLE exclusively. However, after her wedding day flew by in the blink of an eye, everything changed.
"When it was all over, I was like, 'Whoa, that's it?' " she continues. "We didn't get to eat or dance. Time went by so fast, and we both wanted to relive the moment. So we did a 'redo' wedding in 2018. I thought that would be the end of it. But no, I got hooked. I realized this was so much fun."
Now, 10 years later, Shellie and George haven't stopped saying "I do." The couple has hosted four (soon to be five) Disney vow renewal celebrations, which they refer to as their additional weddings, with their most recent ceremony taking place this year on a Disney cruise.
"One of the coolest things about being 'The Serial Bride' is that I get to change it up every time," Shellie says. "It's never the same. We have different characters, different food, different venues, and different guests. It’s all about spicing things up and having fun with each new celebration."
For their original wedding, the couple held the reception at the Animation Building inside Disneyland's California Adventure Park. For the second celebration, they held a photo session in the park's Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, complete with characters from the movies and a lightsaber show. On another occasion, the couple celebrated at Disneyland with characters Carl Fredricksen and Dug from Up incorporated into the wedding.
For each event, Shellie buys a new dress, which she names. Her goal is to eventually own 26 dresses, one for each letter of the alphabet. To keep costs manageable, she purchases the dresses from sample sales. Her most recent, worn for the Disney cruise ceremony, cost $600. Another gown she previously wore, complete with a cape, was purchased from David's Bridal for $800 off the rack.
Related: Bride 'Upset' After She Plans Disney World Bachelorette Party, but None of Her 7 Bridesmaids Go
"We only have 10 guests; we've really carved these experiences down to something more intimate," she says. "We change our guest list all the time and celebrate with different people. Some of my friends have officiated, and I've had a different officiant for every renewal. All the people who come now are big Disney fans."
"We don't expect gifts or anything like that. This is our thing, and we just want them to show up," she continues. "Their presence, in and of itself, is a blessing, and we feel really blessed that they're able to come. So we pay for their food and other expenses. They are treated like normal [wedding] guests."
When planning another wedding, Shellie first decides on a theme, then maps out a budget using the Disney website, which offers various wedding packages. She never tells people where or when the next ceremony will be; instead, she prefers to keep her plans a secret.
When asked about how much she's spent on all the weddings combined, she's not able to give an exact figure. Instead, she describes the events as "priceless."
"I totally get it. People look at it and think, 'Oh my gosh, this girl is so stupid. How can she spend so much money?' " she says. "I'd rather invest in an experience that creates lasting memories in my heart and mind, rather than spending money on everyday items like Starbucks or manicures. I save all my pennies to create a core memory with the man I love. If some people don’t get it, that’s fine. It might be unusual, but it’s what makes me happy."
"And also, I can't tell you how many random strangers on the Internet say, 'I volunteer as tribute. Please invite me.' I wish I could invite them, but of course, I'm on a budget," she adds.
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When Shellie first decided to share her wedding journey online, she humorously chose the name "The Serial Bride," feeling that having three weddings qualified her for the title.
Plus, her favorite Disney attraction is the Haunted Mansion, which features an actual serial bride with five husbands she's seemingly murdered.
"I put a lot of thought into the name 'The Serial Bride,' " she says. "It’s a playful nod to my favorite attraction. I thought it was funny and fitting. While the Haunted Mansion bride is the original 'serial bride,' I’m just taking inspiration from her — minus the killing part. I’m married to the same man I’ve loved for two decades, and he’s the only one for me."
Since creating her Instagram page, Shellie has amassed more than 16,000 followers.
While Shellie and her husband are complete opposites — Shellie describes herself as extroverted while George is introverted — she explains that the two embrace each other's differences. George has become her biggest supporter and is always down for whatever wedding adventure she has in store next. Recently, she even created him his own Instagram page, @theserialgroom.
"I'm not wearing makeup every day. Maybe I'll have some mascara on, but I'm not fully glammed up," Shellie says. "I'm not a polished, put-together person, if that makes sense. I always idolize those who are. That's why I love being 'The Serial Bride.' Every time I have a new wedding, I get to be one of those beautiful, glamorous people I admire. I aspire to be them, but I don’t have the energy to maintain that level of beauty every day."
But while Shellie loves the title she's created for herself, she says there may be a time when she realizes this tradition isn't for her anymore.
"I am not afraid to say, 'Hey, we may only have five more weddings, and I didn't get to 26 wedding dresses,' " she says. "I look at it this way right now: I could see myself doing this forever, but if I can no longer do it financially or if it no longer brings me joy, I'll stop. But right now, it makes me very happy. So I'm going to continue and stay open to new ideas."
As for now, with the couple's 10th anniversary approaching next year, Shellie is focused on creating something extra special that she hasn't done before.
"All I'll say is that my next one might not be Disney," she hints.
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