Content creator Abbey Wellman’s divorce party video has set the internet ablaze with curiosity and speculation. In June, she posted a TikTok from her celebration at Mary Jo McGuire’s bar in Chicago, featuring a poster board listing the “10 worst things” her ex-husband allegedly did during their marriage. The video, which shows guests reacting with stunned expressions, has accumulated over 30 million views and nearly 45,000 comments from viewers desperate to know what was written on the mysterious list.
Watch on TikTok
The 60-second clip shows partygoers approaching the poster board one by one, their faces transforming from curiosity to shock as they read the contents. Hands clasp over mouths, eyes widen in disbelief, and one man’s face contorts into what appears to be a silent howl as he takes in what he’s reading. Even the bartender is captured with an expression of visible surprise. Yet the board itself remains unreadable to viewers watching the video online, blurred beyond legibility whenever it appears on camera.
Wellman explained the mystery in a follow-up video, stating she is “legally not allowed to post the board.” The explanation, rather than satisfying the internet’s appetite for details, only intensified the frenzy. Comments poured in with pleas and creative suggestions. Some viewers joked they would sign an NDA just to find out what the list says. Others offered to buy her drinks if she would share the secrets. One commenter suggested having a guest from the party post the details on Reddit with bullet points.
The creator said she drew inspiration for the event from the movie “10 Things I Hate About You.” According to Wellman, only a small group of her friends knew what was happening, and she wanted everyone to be on the same page now that her divorce was officially finalized. The moment, she said, felt “freeing.”
“I give a lot of credit to my friends for never asking what happened or what was going on during the divorce process,” she explained in the video. “But I didn’t want to run away from conversation anymore. It felt freeing to have everyone on the same page once my divorce was officially finalized.”
When asked about the viral response, Wellman expressed gratitude that her message 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,” she said.
The reactions captured in the video tell their own story even without knowing the specific accusations. One TikTok viewer commented on the powerful impact of the displayed reactions: “There’s something so validating about getting reactions like that, like, ‘yes, it really was that bad.'”
Wellman’s divorce party is part of a larger cultural shift toward celebrating the end of marriages. Divorce parties have become increasingly popular, particularly among women, as evidenced by skyrocketing search data. Pinterest has recorded over 39,000 recent searches for divorce party ideas, while Google searches for divorce party decorations have surged 60 percent in the past 90 days.
The trend spans various creative expressions. Some women have burned their marriage certificates at their celebrations, while others have created themed dress codes where guests dress as “past versions” of their ex-husbands. Others have hosted spa parties, wine nights, or glamorous dinners to mark the occasion.
Psychologists suggest the trend reflects something deeper than simple revenge or mocking marriage. Experts view these celebrations as a form of healing and empowerment, a way for women to reclaim their narratives and move confidently into new chapters of their lives. The parties, they argue, represent not a backward glance at pain but a forward look toward freedom and new beginnings.
Data shows the trend is overwhelmingly driven by women, particularly those between the ages of 25 and 34. Women account for the vast majority of searches related to divorce celebrations, with some estimates suggesting they represent 88 percent of divorce party-related Pinterest searches. While men occasionally host these events, such celebrations remain far less common among them.
Wellman’s viral moment has become emblematic of this cultural moment. What was meant to be a personal celebration with close friends has become a global phenomenon, with millions of people invested in uncovering the mystery of that infamous list. The unanswered question has only amplified the video’s reach, keeping it circulating across social media platforms and sparking endless speculation about what revelations could possibly have generated such dramatic reactions from the bar’s patrons that June evening in Chicago.