A YOUNG woman has revealed that she always wanted to get married by the time she turned 30.
But things took a slightly expected turn for Kennedy, 18, when she met her man, Brian, 19, whilst they were teens.
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The couple quickly fell in love and decided to tie the knot when Kennedy was only 17 and Brian was 18.
Now, the couple, who are from the US and are known online as ‘The Byrds’ have opened up about their teen marriage, leaving many totally stunned.
And the youngsters have found themselves at the centre of a barrage of nasty abuse, as people questioned their decision to make their relationship official at such a young age.
Not only did viewers call their relationship a “single mum speed run” but others believed they would be “divorced by 20.”
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The young couple, who live by the North Carolina Coast, where the legal age for marriage is 18, are preparing to celebrate their one year wedding anniversary this month.
While Kennedy was under the legal age, in this part of the US, individuals aged 16 and 17 can marry with parental consent or a court order.
Specifically, minors aged 16 and 17 require written consent from a parent or guardian with legal custody, or a court order authorising the marriage.
In a short clip shared on social media, Kennedy posted a sweet video of her, just two years before she said ‘I Do.’
As she smiled on a boat, she wrote: “Me at 15 thinking I’d get married by 30…”
Moments later, Kennedy shared a video of her and Brian’s first dance, a super special moment from their big day.
Alongside this, the content creator penned: “Two years later.”
Clearly overjoyed, Kennedy, who recently graduated high school, described getting married as the “best decision ever.”
Social media users react
But whilst the loved-up couple are in a wedding bubble, the TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @brianandkennedy, has clearly left many gobsmacked, as it has quickly gone viral and racked up 9.8 million views.
Not only this, but the clip has also amassed 1.2 million likes, 2,920 comments and 19,000 shares.
Of course people said stuff but the adults in our lives knew us and knew who we were as a mature couple
The Byrds
Social media users were open-mouthed by Kennedy and Brain’s teen marriage and many described it as “sad” and “wild.”
One person said: “Child marriage in the 21st century is wild.”
Another added: “Married at 17 is that even legal?”
Average cost of a wedding in 2025
Recent research by Hodge reveals the dream of getting married can come with a hefty price tag, reaching more than £20,000.
- Food – £6,000
- Honeymoon – £4,329
- Wedding outfits – £3,500
- Entertainment – £2,000
- Engagement ring – £1,948
- Flowers – £1,110
- Wedding ring – £1,000
- Wedding transport – £700
Total = £20,587
A third commented: “That’s actually so sad.”
Meanwhile, someone else penned: “Why is everyone normalising getting married at an extremely young age where you can’t even drink, vote, or anything.”
Divorced by 20
TIkTok user
Not only this, but another stunned user snapped: “Single mum speed run.”
Whilst one person chimed in and gasped: “Divorced by 20.”
At the same time, one user questioned: “Were people supportive of you? I always see adults being so negative about young love.”
To this, the couple replied and confirmed: “Yes! Of course people said stuff but the adults in our lives knew us and knew who we were as a mature couple.”
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