The Conversation (0)
Selena Gomez/Getty
Influencer weddings are big business - just look at the anticipation for the first look at Madeleine White's wedding dress (and it most definitely didn't let us down).
But now a bigger conversation is happening around the rise of weddings and engagements being monetised, and whether influencers are now under pressure to tie the knot in exchange for chunky brand deals.
Just months ago, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco got engaged during a Taco Bell picnic, which was rumoured to be sponsored by the fast food chain.
Likewise, it was rumoured that Kalani Hilliker's engagement ring was part of a partnership with a fine jewellery brand.
And they're not the only ones.
Gabriella DeMartino raised the point in a now-viral TikTok video, noting that she herself had been given offers to get engaged in exchange for money, so that brands had content to use of the moment.
She went on to share screenshots of proposals from unnamed brands, detailing elaborate proposal moments in New York's Times Square that would be filmed and edited in a certain way to fit their style.
A redacted version of the email proposal storyline reads: "On the girl's birthday (or the couple's relationship anniversary), the boy prepares a surprise [redacted].
"The girl puts it on happily, and they go (stroll around) to Times Square. The boy takes photos of her; as she poses, she turns around to the Times Square big screen, where a surprise confession video from the boy plays.
"In the video, he talks about their shared memories, thanks her for her love and companionship, then takes out a diamond ring and asks: 'Will you marry me?'
"At the same time, the boy in real life kneels on one knee, proposes, and the girl accepts."
The email concludes: "They embrace, kiss, and she puts on the ring."
@fancytiktokbygab what do you think? lol #fyp #fake #influencer #wedding
"I wanted to shed light on how fake the influencer space can be", she tells the camera.
"Some couples choose to have their rings sponsored by a brand, or a sponsored event-type wedding...like there are actually some people getting paid to get engaged."
She went on to note that many influencers are self-aware enough to know that their role as an internet personality isn't forever, and get so caught up in trying to make as much money as possible, that they enrol themselves in huge life decisions for the cheque.
"This little offer is very insightful to those of you who don't understand how staged influencers can be", she added.
However, commenters were quick to point out one thing: This whole marketing strategy actually started as an Emily in Paris storyline.
Fans of the Netflix show will remember in season 3, Emily (Lily Collins) gets involved in the planning of Gabriel's proposal to Camille, attempting to use the romantic moment as part of a marketing campaign she's working on.
Except, everything goes wrong when Camille gets in there first and proposes to him - which maybe should've been a lesson to the brands that have actually gone on to adopt the same strategy.
"Why are we living in an Emily in Paris episode", one person commented.
"What in the Emily in Paris is going on lol?", another added.
"I can't believe we get marketing advice from TV", someone else chimed in.
Can we trust anything we see online anymore?
Why not read...
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