An influencer has sparked conversation after humorously addressing her friends who decided to wear white at her engagement party.
Halley Kate McGookin, 25, recently got engaged to her boyfriend, Reed Williams, a financier based in New York City. Since the engagement in January, McGookin has been clear about her decision not to have a traditional wedding.
The couple, who have amassed millions of followers intrigued by their love story on social media, chose to host a modest gathering at their apartment in New York City. They shared touching moments from the event with their audience through photos.
One snapshot captured the couple in a warm embrace, smiling in front of a table adorned with a white tablecloth, floral arrangements, and candles.
McGookin also posted a charming, vintage-style video montage from the celebration, featuring moments like the couple playing pool and their guests enjoying the festivities.
In one memorable scene, McGookin is seen holding a pool cue while sharing a passionate kiss with Williams.
But the internet was quickly divided after McGookin shared a photo of her friends wearing white for the occasion.
‘Wearing white to my engagement party wow,’ she wrote on Instagram, posting a photo of her two friends in white, in a playful jab.
Halley Kate McGookin, 25, paired up with her NYC financier boyfriend, Reed Williams, they got engaged back in January
Two of McGookin’s guests showed up to her home engagement party wearing white, the bride-to-be took a snap and poked fun at them
In the snap, her pals posed together – one wearing a white button-down and the other in a low-cut white tank top.
While laid-back McGookin was seemingly unfazed by the fashion faux pas, many social media users were stunned that they wore white to her engagement party.
‘Why is she wearing white?’ one user asked.
‘Jeans and a white tank top at an engagement party, regardless of how ‘chill’ the no dress code dress code is, is wild,’ another slammed.
‘Is the white shirt girl your friend?’
‘Jail to the girl who wore a white top,’ another user said.
A TikTok from Danielle Pheloung captured the girls attending the party, showing them dancing and enjoying the celebration.
Still, some social media users criticized the guests’ outfits, even though McGookin had called the dress code ‘chill.’
She herself was seen in a white low-cut dress with a curly, bridal-style updo, and strappy white heels.
‘Getting fully glam and dressing up for your engagement party then having your friends wear tank tops and jeans to prove that you’re just chill and not having a wedding is….certainly an interesting choice,’ one user lashed.
McGookin is seen in a stunning white low-cut dress with a revealing leg slit, sporting a curly, bridal-style updo, and strappy white heels
‘It looks like they are all dressed for the mall… why is everyone in jeans,’ another wrote.
Meanwhile, some fans backed her engagement party vibe, gushing over her posts online.
‘Let this be your sign you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to celebrate this moment of your life,’ a TikTok fan wrote.
‘I love how you’re doing things for your engagement era and how it’s true to you,’ another said.
One user wrote: ‘Finally a genuine engagement party. You can feel the love through the screen.’
