Iowa College Friends Plan 7 Weddings in One Year Without Losing Their Friendship

Seven former college roommates from Dordt University in Iowa turned what could have been a wedding planning nightmare into a celebration of friendship that has captivated millions online. The group of women, all engaged within the same season, proved that supporting each other beats competing with each other.

Braelynn Boer, 23, told PEOPLE that planning seven weddings simultaneously was genuinely fun. She emphasized that the group never compared themselves to one another, choosing instead to celebrate each bride's unique vision.

How did seven friends manage wedding planning without drama?

The answer was simple: they never viewed each other as competition. From color palettes to decorations, each bride's wedding reflected her own personality. The women leaned on each other throughout the process, with two friends, Sara Stoesz and Ella Wieringa, offering their professional photography and videography expertise whenever questions arose about timelines and logistics.

Wieringa described the experience as feeling like dominoes in the best way. Every engagement brought new excitement, and the group chat was always filled with proposal recaps and the recurring question: who's next?

What practical strategies kept seven weddings manageable?

The group credited one key decision for keeping things organized: each bride had a different maid of honor. This naturally spread out planning responsibilities and allowed everyone else to focus on celebrating rather than coordinating details.

Addilyn Leakey, 24, acknowledged the financial strain of attending every bridal shower, bachelorette party, and wedding. She said they joked about picking up extra shifts to afford the trips, but making sure every bride had her special moment was always worth it.

What made this Iowa friend group's story go viral?

The women's journey has drawn millions of views on TikTok, with viewers wondering how one friend group managed to celebrate so many brides without rivalry. Their story resonates because it offers a refreshing counterpoint to the stress and competition often associated with wedding planning.

One of their favorite memories came during their annual girls' trip to Arizona. They paused wedding festivities to celebrate Riley, the first bride, who was expecting her first child, while Leakey prepared to become the final bride. The friends created what they affectionately called a Baby-Bach day.

What is the real secret to their success?

Riley, 23, a marketing and project coordinator, said the secret wasn't a perfect planning strategy or color-coded spreadsheets. It was the friendship built years earlier at Dordt University. She noted that she had never been around a group of women who spoke so highly of their own husbands and of each other's relationships.

There wasn't drama or competition, just a whole lot of love, encouragement, and respect as each of our lives changed.

The group hopes their experience reminds other brides that friendships don't have to suffer during wedding planning. Their story stands as a testament to the values of loyalty, community, and mutual support that Iowa is known for.