A couple turned their engagement party into a surprise wedding that cost less than $8,000, and the bride wore a $37 dress

Loren, a 33-year-old singer and TikToker with over 1.5 million followers, told Insider she had her first date with her now-husband Sean, a 30-year-old real estate developer, on July 25, 2019.

Loren said her cousin, John Mamone, had texted her saying she should go on a date with his neighbor, Sean. She was against it at first, but she had no plans and was sitting at home, so Loren decided to go.

It was the anniversary of her dad's death, and they both immediately connected as he had also lost his dad to cancer, she said.

"Now that we're married, we always say that we feel like maybe our angels set up the meeting and it was all meant to be," she told Insider.

10 days later, Sean asked her if he could take her on vacation, and in August 2019, they went to 30A in Florida, a highway route of white sand beaches. It was here that they fell in love, she said.

In December 2022, after three-and-a-half years of dating, Loren said her now-husband surprised her with a proposal "on a random Monday" at Marcel restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia, where they both live.

They only had a month to prepare for the wedding, as they said "I do" on January 28.

Loren's cousin who set them up offered to DJ at their wedding for free. After hearing that they weren't going to have a big wedding, he asked them if he could DJ at their engagement party instead, Loren told Insider. They agreed.

They set the date for the engagement party for January 28, 2023, as that was the only weekend they were free, she added.

They started texting their friends and family to see if they could make it, and the RSVPs began to roll in — 99% of the guests said yes, she said.

Loren said she looked at Sean and said: "We already have a DJ. We're already having a party that night, why don't we go ahead and elope at the courthouse, and then surprise everyone with an after-party reception?" Sean immediately replied: "Hell yes, let's do it."

Only their moms and siblings knew as they needed their help to plan the event, Loren told Insider.

As people were walking up to the venue, they saw a vintage Porsche that said "just married," Loren said.

When they walked through the door, there was a wedding cake and a sign that said: "Surprise! We eloped. Welcome to the after party."

"They saw me and Sean standing there in a tux and gown, and instantly put the two and two together, and ran up to us screaming or crying," she said.

They didn't have a specific budget but knew that they didn't want to have a big, expensive wedding as they both felt like the wedding industry was excessive, Loren said.

Loren said she has sung at hundreds of weddings, including those of celebrities and heiresses that likely cost millions. She said she became desensitized to it and thought no matter how much was spent on a party, it went by just as fast.

Loren and Sean knew they wanted to supply decent food and alcohol for their loved ones and have a good time. They planned to use the money they saved on other aspects of the day for a honeymoon or their first home, Loren said.

Traditional wedding dresses never appealed to her, Loren told Insider. She's not into lace or fluffy dresses and prefers form-fitting dresses that show off her figure.

She also doesn't value designer items. "They call me Miss Walmart Shopper," she said.

As Loren only had three weeks to prepare, she set about searching online for a dress, with her only criteria being that it had to have a really low back and be white.

She found a discounted white backless floor-length slip dress on Shein, and Sean wore a $120 tuxedo from Kohl's. The dress originally retailed for $51 but she bought it on sale for $37.37, according to a viral TikTok Loren shared on February 1 that has over 4.4 million views.

She tried it on and loved it, but wanted to make a few alterations. With her mom's help, they made the back lower and covered the bust as she felt it was too revealing, she told Insider.

She said she felt sexy in the dress and she loved how flattering and simple it was.

Her dress had a train on it, and because she wanted to dance at the reception, she changed mid-way through into a white satin minidress from Shein that was $20, which she said she bought at the same time as her main wedding dress.

She also bought her gloves from Shein for $3.71 and her veil from Amazon for $20, she said. The most expensive part of her outfit was her shoes, which were $70 from ASOS.

Loren said the venue, Two Birds Taphouse in Marietta, Georgia, included an open bar and appetizers for 90 people for four hours, according to a viral TikTok Loren shared on February 7 that has over 1.1 million views.

Their friend, Jack Manning, who's a professional photographer, gave them an "incredible deal" of $1,000 for five hours of photography, she added.

They wanted their wedding to look "old Hollywood," so they knew they wanted black-and-white candid photos with her mother-in-law's vintage Porsche, which they borrowed for free, Loren told Insider.

Her wedding cake was $500 from Publix, and her flowers were $300 from a local florist called Petal.ology. She did her own hair and makeup as she wanted to look like herself on her special day, she said.

They didn't spend the night before the wedding separated, and on the day they went to the gym together as there was no ceremony, Loren said.

Loren said she thinks a lot of weddings must be stressful and rushed, but they were able to take it slow and enjoy their day.

Sean got ready with his brother, and she got ready alone in their apartment, she told Insider.

They had their first look in Marietta Square, Atlanta, Georgia. They visit the square a lot because they live there, so it felt meaningful to be there, Loren said.

While he was waiting, Sean had his back to her. The photographer was waiting for her to arrive and as she walked up, Sean turned around and immediately broke down, Loren said.

When she saw him for the first time, she immediately thought about how gorgeous he looked. He regularly wears suits, but seeing him in a tux on their wedding day was different, she told Insider.

Loren wrote her vows in the form of a song, which she pictures being a life-long memento that their kids and grandkids will listen to one day, she told Insider.

She wrote the song, "Love on 30A," in an hour at the gym. "I was on the leg press machine, lifting weights, crying with my headphones in, writing the lyrics to the song," she said.

They had a group ceremony at the courthouse, where they said "I do" alongside other couples.

Afterward, they went to a private space and she said to him: "I have a surprise for you." Sean immediately broke down crying, according to a TikTok she shared on February 4 that has over 120,000 views. He held her hand and cried as he listened to the song.

They also danced to the song during their first dance, Loren said.

After saving money on the wedding, the pair are now planning on going to Italy for two weeks in April. They also hope to build a home and start a family by the end of the year.

Loren said her main piece of advice is that "you're just as married, no matter how much money you spend."

Secondly, she said she believes your wedding should be about you and not trying to please everyone around you.