Abbey Wellman, a newly liberated content creator, celebrated her freedom with a divorce party at a Chicago bar, where she displayed a board detailing the "10 worst things" her ex-husband did during their marriage.
The list left guests stunned, with many reacting with wide eyes and open mouths.
Wellman shared a video capturing their reactions on TikTok, and the clip has since gone massively viral, racking up more than 30 million views and 45,000 comments.
Highlights
- Abbey Wellman’s divorce party went viral after she revealed a board listing the “10 worst things” her ex-husband did during their marriage.
- The content creator said legal restrictions prevented her from sharing the list on social media.
- Experts explained why divorce parties have become more acceptable and whether they help with the healing process.
Netizens have begged Wellman to reveal the contents of the list, with one writing, "My FOMO is horrendous rn."
Abbey Wellman's candid list of her ex-husband's behavior left party guests stunned and the internet intrigued
The idea of creating the list came to Wellman after she spotted the 10 Things I Hate About You poster while searching for a theme for her divorce party.
Speaking to The New York Post on August 2, Wellman explained why she felt it was important to let her loved ones in on the details surrounding her split.
"Only a small group of my friends really knew what was going on, and I wanted everyone to be on the same page," she said. "I didn't want to run away from the conversation anymore."
As seen in the video posted in June, the details on the board left them shocked.
TikTok users were equally eager to uncover the contents of the list, but their attempts to screenshot the blurry board and digitally enhance it only resulted in fragmented and unclear sentences.
Their next resort? Asking Wellman directly.
"I wanna know what it says," one wrote.
"You're supposed to share," another whined.
A third, assuming Wellman would not entertain the requests, threatened to "call the bar and ask the bartender what it said."
Abbey Wellman explained that legal restrictions prevented her from sharing her story online
In a follow-up video posted on TikTok, Wellman said via an on-screen text overlay that she was "legally not allowed to post the board."
The explanation, however, did little to stop people from continuing to press her for details.
Another offered to "buy a drink" in exchange for the information.
A third urged guests who attended the party to "post a story on Reddit with bullet points."
When asked about the overwhelming response to the viral video, Wellman said she was pleased it resonated with so many people.
"No one talks about divorce in your 20s, and the video has obviously been relatable to a lot of people. I hope it lets other women like me feel they can celebrate the highs and lows of their life," she said.
Experts shed light on why divorce parties have become a growing trend
For a long time, divorce was treated as something to be endured behind closed doors, with the transition from married to single often coming with feelings of guilt and shame.
However, people no longer feel forced to choose between grief and relief.
"People are prioritizing mental health, and there's less of a stigma surrounding divorce, so it makes sense that divorce parties are becoming more acceptable and mainstream," Jaime Bronstein, a licensed relationship therapist, told Real Simple.
"I think society is finally getting to the point where it realizes the divorce rate isn't changing, so it's embracing it with less judgment than in the past," she added.
Social media has also normalized sharing the entire journey of divorce. That openness has created space for divorce parties, Bronstein said.
For family law attorney Hannah Hembree Bell, a healthy divorce party isn't about celebrating the end of a marriage. Instead, it's about acknowledging the beginning of a new chapter.
"I think we are finally giving people permission to acknowledge that two things can be true at the same time," she said.
The experts outlined the benefits of celebrating your split
"Support from loved ones is essential to help people heal as they go through a divorce and beyond," Bronstein said.
"When someone is going through a divorce, being surrounded by the people who care about them helps them feel less alone as they navigate something that can often feel incredibly lonely.”
Hembree Bell, for her part, said divorce often involves losing more than just a relationship.
It can also mean the loss of financial security, mutual friendships, traditions, and the future a couple once envisioned together.
For someone carrying all of those changes at once, a divorce party can create a moment to pause and say, "That chapter mattered. It hurt. And I'm still here."
"I've found that people heal faster when they stop feeling like they have to hide what they've been through," Hembree Bell said.
"Shame keeps people stuck. Being surrounded by people who remind you that your life isn't over can be incredibly powerful."
"Commenting so the algorithm leads me back if she posts the board," a netizen said
