In an entertaining twist on the conventional wedding registry, bride-to-be Taylor Brooks and her fiancé Kevin Canizales have become the focus of social media laughter ahead of their upcoming nuptials. The couple is set to marry on October 17 in Guadalajara, Mexico, but it was Canizales’ cheeky prank that has captured the attention of their friends and family, as well as many others online.
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Days before their destination wedding, Canizales, aged 30, decided to have some fun by updating their wedding website’s registry with a surprising link instead of a standard gift list. When Brooks, aged 26, checked the page, she was greeted with the message “Please Watch :)”, which naturally piqued her curiosity. Little did she know that clicking the link would lead her to a brief, six-second video featuring former President George W. Bush making a rather unusual request during a 2010 speech about relief efforts in Haiti.
In the video, Bush advised, “I know a lot of people want to send blankets or water. Just send your cash,” a message that elicited uncontrollable laughter from Brooks. “It was a complete surprise to me,” she expressed to PEOPLE. Initially taken aback, she quickly recognised the humour that her fiancé was aiming for, stating, “It was very on brand for him.”
Brooks shared that both she and Canizales had come to the mutual decision not to pursue a traditional wedding registry, as they felt they already possessed most of what they needed for their new life together. Wanting to retain a carefree spirit, Canizales seized the opportunity to inject a dose of humour by creating a scenario where guests were misled into expecting a typical gift list.
“He has a great sense of humour and loves surprising people,” Brooks remarked. She described the reactions of their guests as a mix of confusion and amusement. While a number of their friends clicked the link and were momentarily puzzled, they quickly found joy in the prank once they realised it was all in good fun.
The event took an unexpected turn when Brooks shared her reaction to the viral video on TikTok on February 22. Her post gained traction rapidly, amassing over 770,000 views and 125,000 likes. Viewers responded with delight, with one TikTok user noting, “He’s funny as hell for that,” while another added, “I see why you are marrying him. A sense of humour and he’s practical.”
Reflecting on the virality of her post, Brooks commented, “I definitely didn’t expect it to blow up the way it did. It’s been surreal and really fun to see that something so random and silly ended up making so many people laugh.” Although her post was captioned to suggest the registry had been altered, she maintained the humorous link but opted to password protect the website due to mixed reactions from commenters.
The couple wishes to uphold a non-traditional approach to their wedding plans. “A lot of our guests are travelling for our destination wedding, and that alone is a significant commitment,” Brooks explained. For them, the emphasis lies on creating memories and experiences rather than accumulating traditional gifts.
Brooks shared her philosophy that the wedding represents a singular moment in time where all their friends and family can gather together, reflecting, “One quote that resonates with me is that ‘You only have all your friends and family in one room twice in your life – once at your wedding and once at your funeral, and only one of those times are you actually there to experience it.'”
The couple’s ultimate aim for their wedding in Guadalajara is to forge lasting memories and enjoy the day surrounded by their loved ones. In just a few weeks, on Saturday, October 17, they will tie the knot, likely spurring even more light-hearted moments that reflect their charmingly quirky approach to love and life together.