What happens when your "happily ever after" isn't all it's cracked up to be? These true accounts of weddings gone wrong make love even scarier than it already is.
1. Oh, Sisters!
It feels as though my sister's wedding album is more about her sister-in-law than her. She's at the center of nearly every crucial event—from getting ready to speeches, cake cutting, and the bouquet toss.
Even in the marriage vows, you'll find her right there, grinning at the camera or hanging out with her latest boyfriend. But that isn't even the most baffling part.
Here's the kicker: my sister didn't want her as a bridesmaid. It was kind of a reciprocal obligation because the sister-in-law had asked her when she was "engaged" to her eventual ex-boyfriend.
2. Suffering For The Big Day
When I was really young, my mom took me and my sisters to a wedding. It was the wedding of her old college friend. The groom was from either the Greek or Eastern Orthodox faith, and in an interesting turn of events, the bride converted to the same faith during the mass preceding the wedding.
The bride was wearing a traditional headdress that was impressive but very heavy. Combined with her polyester wedding gown and corset, it must've been tough for her. I remember the church being uncomfortably warm. And to add to the surreal nature of it all, the entire ceremony was held in a language we didn't understand.
During the wedding, the bride and groom had to jog around the altar several times. You could see there was potential for mishap, and sure enough, in the middle of lap two, the bride passed out. While the priest continued speaking as if nothing had happened, the groom and bridesmaids supported the unconscious bride.
Then came the time for the bride and groom to exchange their vows. They gave the bride a light slap to revive her and she managed to mumble something incoherent. Her father told the priest she agreed to the wedding. Just like that, they were married.
Soon after, the bride was taken outside by her parents, where an ambulance had been called. Her mother half removed the bride from her hefty gown and forcefully took off her headdress, unfortunately taking a chunk of her hair with it. Talk about an unforgettable wedding!
3. Family Matters
In high school, a friend of mine got pregnant soon after graduation and felt compelled to marry her boyfriend. Their parents, both staunchly religious, were outraged about them sleeping together before marriage. Each side believed that the other's child was the instigator.
The groom's parents perceived the bride as undisciplined, whereas her parents saw the groom as manipulative. Cultural differences soon came into play, with the groom's white family throwing most of the insults at the Hispanic bride's family.
The groom's father made an offensive remark about the wedding reception's menu, hinting at a traditional Hispanic dish, which nearly led to the bride's grandmother bodily removing him from the venue.
On the wedding day, tension remained high. The bride's brothers seemed on high alert while the groom's family kept whispering doubts about the baby's paternity right up until the ceremony.
Following a brief ceremony, everyone moved to the reception center in an apartment complex's recreational room. The couple tried to enjoy, but there wasn't any music or dancing due to their religious beliefs, and the food was more along the lines of snacks.
The atmosphere was one of grumpy family members guzzling down red punch and exchanging sour looks.
Things took a turn for the worse when the groom's much older sister, known for her baking skills, delivered the wedding cake. The bride was excited until she saw not a homemade creation but three store-bought coconut cakes that were clearly past their prime. Shockingly, they were small enough to serve only six people each, leaving the 70 guests short of cake.
The ultimate insult was the flavor—coconut, to which the bride was allergic. It was evident that the groom's sister had purposefully picked the worst cakes available for the occasion, without offering any explanation for her actions.
The distraught bride couldn't stop crying for days, and the groom seemed ready to disown his own family. Despite the disastrous wedding that happened thirty years ago, the couple, according to my internet research, is still together and have had more children.
4. In Sickness And In Chaos
One of my buddies recently tied the knot, opting for an intimate ceremony followed by a big, open-air reception out in a sprawling Vermont hayfield. They sent out a ton of invitations, leading to a crowd of over 300 guests. From morning till late afternoon, the party was quite the spectacle.
The attendees represented four distinct groups: a somewhat tipsy immediate family, the bride's sister's college crew, who were women's studies enthusiasts and Model UN team members; the groom's pals, a mix of farmers and animal breeders; and the bride's friends, including myself.
As you'd expect, clashes of perspective occurred between the folks from back home and the college crowd. But we were in the middle of nowhere, so a few raised voices and ideological debates were par for the course. Some even egged it on with comments like, "He just called you a feminazi! You gonna let him get away with that?"
Things escalated when what should've been a harmless argument ended with a girl being struck by a hot coal shovel. As you can imagine, all chaos broke loose.
The resulting frenzy led to numerous 911 calls, visits from police officers from three different jurisdictions and a few ambulance rides too. We were told to disperse. The challenge, however, was that we were all a bit muddled and argumentative. After a couple more hiccups, we managed to get some folks to hit the hay and sent a questionable lot on their way.
As for the shovel incident, the guy had no clue it was the coal shovel; he had just wanted to playful dust the girl. He apologized profusely, revealing that he's a vet, and patched her up within an hour.
But, the thing is, you can’t backtrack on 15 nearly simultaneous emergency calls. Both of them, a bit too inebriated to get behind the wheel, spent the night. Come morning, we discovered them cozied up in the same sleeping bag.
5. Nice On The Outside, Ugly On The Inside
My cousin tied the knot in the crisp October air of the northern U.S. The chilly outdoor ceremony had us all shivering, struggling to keep warm in our formal wear. The bridesmaids were forbidden to wear jackets while the groomsmen were clad in vests and dress shirts. It was cold, to say the least.
The wedding planners, having organized the event during the balmy summer months, had printed the programs on fans which were all but useless against the biting cold. With no microphones provided, the wind swallowed the vows, making it impossible for people to hear the ceremony.
But that's okay. True to her style, the bride had meticulously assembled a dazzling reception with artistic centerpieces, homemade gifts, and appetizing food.
However, there was an elephant in the room. Over the last few months, the bride had transformed into a textbook "bridezilla," causing tension among the guests. A couple of weeks before the big day, she had even unceremoniously uninvited and then reinvited her own family members several times.
Then came the dance floor revenge. A mere 15 minutes into the festivities, practically every blood relative of the bride took off. My spouse and I found ourselves amongst a handful of folks brave enough to keep spinning on the dance floor. The DJ eventually requested our song choices, pleading with us to keep the party going.
As time ticked by, the crowd dwindled from 200 guests down to a mere 30. My cousin, not known for his dance moves, left his bride essentially dancing by herself. Exasperation finally got the better of her, and with a dramatic swipe at her throat, she signaled the DJ to halt. The reception ground to an abrupt stop.
Eight of us remained, all from the groom's side. Despite attending less organized weddings before, this was by far the worst experience. The discomfort was in stark contrast to the beautifully arranged aesthetics. Everything was set for a memorable celebration, but the cold reality was quite the opposite.
6. Does Anyone Have A Plan Here?
I attended the wedding of an old high school acquaintance. We were never really close and lost touch, so receiving the wedding invitation totally caught me off guard. I still can't explain what made me go.
The ceremony was in a church, and it seemed like the number of guests present was a lot less than anticipated. The priest had a hard time remembering the bride’s name, making a recurring mistake of mispronouncing it during the occasion. He also humorously suggested that the groom would be better off joining the clergy instead of marrying.
The reception was held in the church’s basement where the seating arrangement was pre-decided, in typical wedding fashion. However, in no more than ten minutes, the rest of the attendees from my table shifted to another table meant to accommodate absent guests.
My date and I spent close to two hours alone waiting for the wedding party to arrive at the reception. The DJ seemed somewhat confused during the entrance announcement and hurried it along.
Interestingly, the bride and groom, albeit quietly, had an argument near our table regarding the sequence of the mother/son and father/daughter dances. They finally settled down for the mother/son dance, which began abruptly without any prior warning. Moreover, it happened behind the tables, making it almost imperceptible until it was nearly over.
Just before dinner was served, two out of the three bridesmaids walked out. Seeing this, the bride was on the verge of tears. So, when the dinner buffet was opened, we quietly slipped out and decided to dine elsewhere. It was, sadly, four hours I would rather forget.
7. Bad Vibes Only
This didn't exactly spoil the wedding itself, but it sure did throw a wrench in the planning and the vibe leading up to it. I invited my brother to be my best man. Now, both of us are Catholic while my girlfriend is Episcopal.
He agreed initially. But after a few months, he switched gears. He said he couldn't stand as my best man or even attend the wedding. He reasoned that his priest found it inappropriate for him to participate as I wasn't asking for a special permission and the wedding was scheduled in an Episcopal church.
Alright, that's disappointing, I thought, but if that's his belief, we'll manage it. So, I asked my best friend to step in as my best man instead. All seemed fine, until, out of the blue, my brother started lobbying against me. A few months prior to the wedding, he called up our entire family, telling them it would defy their religious customs if they attended my wedding. He warned how God and society would never accept my future children and anybody who associated with us.
Seriously? I learned about all this drama through my cousins and friends and was floored. Thankfully, I have some understanding family members who ended up coming anyway. On the wedding day, the elephant in the room was "What's up with your brother?" Despite this, we had a great time filled with drinks and music performed by a live band.
And here's the ironic bit: My mom's Catholic, and my dad's Episcopal. Neither of them divorced nor unhappy, just your typical suburban family.
8. Supremely Bad Timing
Two years ago, I attended a wedding where the bride and the groom's best friends had been chosen to be the best man and maid of honor. They were also a married couple. Unfortunately, three weeks before the wedding, their marriage imploded due to infidelity on his part, and they were in the midst of an acerbic divorce process by the wedding day.
The wedding, which was supposed to be the spotlight of the bride and groom, ironically, was dominated by this disgruntled couple who haplessly tried to put on a brave face. Then, the plot further thickened—the best man arrived at the reception, his new girlfriend in tow—cue awkward moments! The anticipation of what could possibly unravel next was palpable amongst all the guests.
9. Bride Cosplay
It didn't wreck my big day, but there was a bit of a sticky situation for a bit.
In short, my high school sweetheart mistakenly called his wife by my name in a romantic moment. His folks spilled the beans to my parents, explaining why I was left off the guest list for their holiday bash that year when I was home from college.
Given how that looked like a scene straight out of a reality TV drama, I opted to steer clear. But then, to my surprise, he waltzes into my wedding reception, and his wife comes decked out in white lace in another state. She sported what could only be likened to a bridal hairdo.
She stormed over to the head table and declared she had to meet me. She planted herself there, wouldn’t budge, and seemed spoiling for a fight. I got some chairs and asked for two plates of food to be brought over.
Then I warmly asked her name and praised her outfit and hair. I half expected her to throw a chair at me. But she cooled down, took a seat, tucked into the food, and chilled out significantly.
My wedding coordinator swung by a few times to check on me. Except for a latecomer thinking we'd had a joint wedding, the rest of the reception went smoothly. The unexpected guests had a friendly chat with us. Before leaving, the wife complimented me, calling me a wonderful person.
It was pretty unusual, to say the least, but the last thing I wanted was a brawl on my big day. I firmly chose not to get involved in that, and gladly it worked out well in my favor.
10. Stay Away From The Little Girl
It wasn't my wedding; rather it was the second wedding of my boyfriend's aunt. The bride's daughter, Beth, who happens to be my boyfriend's cousin, had a bit too much to drink and wrongfully accused a 12-year-old girl of flirting with her boyfriend, who wasn't even present.
Throughout the entire ceremony, Beth kept glaring at the innocent young girl and even rolled her eyes during the wedding vows. At the reception, things escalated when Beth confronted the young girl in the restroom.
Beth, clearly slurring her words, was yelling, threatening to assault the child, leaving her terrified and crying, not understanding what she’d done to deserve this.
Finally, Beth’s mom stepped in and asked her to leave which only angered Beth even more, mainly because no one was taking her side. I don't know about your view on this, but personally, it's difficult to have sympathy for a woman who’s relentlessly harassing a scared 120-pound child.
The whole incident cast a shadow on the otherwise joyful reception, and only about 30 guests remained after the unnerving confrontation.
Wedding and lifestyle, Shutterstock
11. Oops!
Once upon a time, I unintentionally messed up a wedding—but I promise I was innocent. You see, I was a casual acquaintance of the groom and owned an F150. Naturally, as is the case with truck owners, I was asked to transport some furniture to the reception venue.
Sure, I agreed. I was informed that upon arrival, a few men and women would assist me with unloading and setting it all up. All good. One lady, particularly striking, caught my attention. We exchanged some light-hearted banter, which she seemed to return. She suggested a jaunt along the nearby river—the reception venue was right on its banks. Of course, I agreed!
As we journeyed and conversed, the temperature seemed to rise. We found ourselves sharing a romantic moment by the riverside before heading back to the venue, where I asked if she'd like to go for a drive. The venue was situated in rural Indiana—so, in no time, we found ourselves parked by a quiet country road, cozying up in the back of my truck atop a blanket.
The late evening aura made it a very private affair until we spotted an approaching car. Hoping they'd continue on, we kept still; however, the car halted, and out stepped the playful lady from earlier, launching a tirade at us. Imagine my surprise when I realized she was the bride-to-be!
As a result, the wedding was called off. My friend, furious at first, landed a punch on me. However, after learning I had been as clueless as him about her identity, he apologized. Needless to say, the entire ordeal was the talk of the town for quite some time.
12. Nickle And Diming
My cousin's wedding was a disaster. Both she and her new husband live about three hours away from their respective families, so everyone had quite a journey to get there. Once the guests arrived at the reception, there was a surprise—there was no full meal planned,only appetizers.
And by appetizers, I mean cold meatballs, chilled mozzarella sticks and a couple of turkeys for approximately 120 people. That was insufficient, so quite a few of the guests ended up leaving for around an hour to find somewhere to eat. To add to that, the cash bar prices were sky-high—just think, $6 for a Miller Lite.
Later on, they actually began to charge $50 if anyone wanted to dance with the newlyweds. The saddest part? I noticed several guests withdrawing money from the cash envelope they had planned to gift to the couple.
13. Kathy Would Like To Be Excluded From This Narrative
After waiting for the bride for two hours, she didn't show up. Instead, she called the groom to say she'd had a second thought. The groom was distraught and began shedding tears.
His mother sternly exclaimed, "Quit your weeping! I warned you about marrying Kathy, but you disregarded it because you reckoned she was overweight, didn't you? You had to pursue a model who couldn't even perform simple tasks with her manicured nails, let alone prepare your meals. Why on earth would Jessica pick you? You're not materially successful nor physically attractive. Kathy wouldn't have left you at the altar, especially judging by the fact that she's not that attractive either. You've got what you deserved."
The groom couldn't help but keep sobbing, leaving the attendees wide-eyed in surprise. The wildest part of it all—Kathy was present at the scene. She was just as timid as the rest of the audience, hesitating to confront the mother. Despite everything, she gave him a comforting hug after the incident.
christinarosepix, Shutterstock
14. Everything That Can Go Wrong Will Go Wrong
Many years back, my uncle's wedding was such a disaster that it had a bizarre charm to it.
Even though all the guests had arrived punctually for the ceremony, the bride and groom were nowhere to be seen an hour later. Present among the attendees was my cousin, a good-looking sportsman who, sadly, was hobbling on crutches due to a recent injury.
The bridesmaids, who were sisters of the bride and quite tipsy, began flirting shamelessly with my cousin. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't outrun them because of his crutches. Eventually, my uncle made his entrance. His car had malfunctioned and he'd been forced to hitch a ride in his resplendent white tuxedo to his own wedding.
Ultimately, the bride turned up—even later than her husband-to-be. She'd managed to break her heel at the crucial moment and had to return home to mend it with glue. When she was finally set to leave the second time, she halted to freshen up her hairstyle, only to mistakenly douse it in Lysol, forcing her to wash and redo her hair and makeup from scratch.
Finally, when both the bride and groom were present, they realised that they had forgotten to bring the music. Everyone proceeded to walk down the aisle in pin-drop silence, with the tipsy bridesmaids in the lead and fewer guests than expected.
The wedding day ultimately proved to be a smoother ride than the short-lived marriage.
15. Going Wild
I'm not certain she actually spoiled the event, but it's quite a humorous tale. At my wedding, my best man was my dearest friend. His now ex-wife, who was always quite the spectacle when inebriated, pledged she would remain sober throughout the wedding and following celebrations.
Yet, midway through our reception, there she was, dancing quite closely with my portly 50-year-old uncle, with a little too much enthusiasm. It appears she had hidden a flask somewhere.
Not stopping at that, she then tried to flirt obviously with any guy within her reach. My friend, understanding the situation, escorted his wife away from the event.
While driving home, however, she grew furious, leapt from the moving car and disappeared down the road. As a marathon runner herself, my friend lost sight of her when he tried to turn the car around.
Without missing a beat, she headed to a local bar where she joined some colleagues. Drinking more and a subsequent disagreement with another acquaintance at the bar ended with her attempting to incite a fight.
Not content, she and her colleagues got in their car and pursued the other woman to her home. Here, she tried to forcibly enter the home, but rather than capitulating, the woman met her at the door and physically confronted her.
It was her colleagues who eventually had to rush her to the hospital, where my friend received a phone call to come and retrieve his wife.
Monkey Business Images, Shutterstock
16. The Sister-In-Law Show
Twelve years ago, my husband and I tied the knot, but let's just say the ceremony was a bit dramatic, particularly thanks to my husband's sister.
We were living in Oregon at the time, whereas all my relatives were in Georgia. Given my large family couldn't afford to travel, we decided to hold the wedding in Georgia as my husband's family was smaller.
The mayhem began when we started organising our special day. My sister-in-law suggested we follow her example by having a quiet Christmas wedding, giving more opinions than we asked for.
The scene switches to Christmas morning, nine months before our big day. My husband requested his dad to be his best man, an emotional moment that had his mom tearing up. Sadly, the peace was short-lived. His sister confronted him later, questioning why her husband wasn't the best man. Needless to say, an argument erupted within the family.
Fast forward to the wedding day itself. Preparations were underway at a seaside rental house. However, my sister-in-law seemed to have a knack for irritating my husband, adding to his stress.
Before the ceremony, we planned for group photos at a park. I was to travel with a friend and my husband would follow us. Unfortunately, we got lost and resolved to head straight to the venue.
My husband and his sister ended up squabbling in front of our guests, with her instigating and him accusing her about my absence at the park. When I finally reached the venue, I found my husband exasperated, asking what all the fuss was about.
In an attempt to diffuse things, my sister stepped in, only to be insulted by my sister-in-law. Even our minister threatened to leave due to the chaos.
Once the ceremony was over, my sister-in-law seemed to sport a grimace in every picture. She even had the audacity to tell me how her day was ruined at my reception and swore she'd never talk to her brother again.
The drama didn't stop there either.
Two days later, while packing to leave the beach house, my sister-in-law complained about having a tough week. She mentioned a stranger sleeping on the couch, who was actually my childhood friend, and criticized the children (my nieces and nephew) who were only being kids.
Despite the chaos, my husband occasionally talks about renewing our vows. Though we're happily married now, I'm not jumping at the idea of a vow renewal, considering our history.
17. Chill, Mom
Recently, on my wedding day, an unexpected incident occurred that continues to upset me. My soon-to-be-husband received a photo from his mom showing her new haircut—just like mine, shoulder-length with blonde streaks through the brown.
Of all times to change up your look—on my wedding day! I was furious. But I swallowed my anger; I decided to let it slide and get on with the event.
The pivotal moment finally arrived. As I walked up the aisle towards my future, we found ourselves beside a riverbank. That's when his mom decided to move past me toward the priest, instead of staying by the other parents.
Next thing I knew, she screamed, tripped, and grabbed a hold of my hair, which led to both of us crashing to the ground, just inches from the water's edge. My shiny moment was completely hijacked by this debacle. She rose, giggled, and walked off, leaving me on the ground trying to hold back tears.
Honestly, the rest of the ceremony is a blur. I was seething. We've cut ties since then—I have no intention of ever speaking to her again. My husband supports this decision. Even now, when I recall my wedding day, I get emotional.
Her reckless action marred the day significantly. And before anyone suggests it was merely an accident—after reviewing our wedding footage, it was clear that she purposely stepped back and fell, even with her husband and the priest supporting her arms.
18. A Whole Lot Of Nothing
My brother-in-law's wedding was a frustrating pretense. Our whole family had to travel three hours to ensure they could attend the wedding in the bride's hometown—a decision made to accommodate her entire family.
Strangely, upon arriving, we found the bride and the Maid of Honor were preparing the meal for the reception. Turns out, the bride's mom had, at the last moment, opted out of this duty.
Now the ceremony gets underway, and we notice a glaring problem—not a single member of the bride's family is present. The subsequent reception lacked essential ingredients–drinks, music—and was instead filled by an unexpected 20-30 minute belly dance show, performed by one of her friends.
In attendance were about thirty guests, yet, to our surprise, we found that my boyfriend and I were the only ones who had brought any sort of gift. A lonely gift table stood empty, devoid of all envelopes and presents. The bride's mom slipped away early, citing a thrift store's imminent closing hour as the reason.
When everything was said and done, most guests were long gone, leaving my boyfriend and me to assist the newlyweds in tidying up the reception venue. The most shocking fact awaited us later. Turns out, the wedding was only symbolic, with no legal bond being formed. Why? The bride wanted to remain lawfully wedded to her former husband for some monetary advantages.
This entire event, it seems, was a farce staged to convince her family that she had finally teamed up with a decent man.
19. What Happens At The Bachelor Party Should Stay There
As a server, weddings have given me a front row seat to many interesting and sometimes wild situations. One incident that stands out involves a best man giving a speech. He ventured into storytelling mode, detailing every happenstance of the bachelor party. Among the guests was the bride's family, visiting from an unspecified African country.
The guests donned their traditional attire and due to restrictions based on religious beliefs—as far as I grasped—we were only serving beverages to certain tables. As the best man gave a hilariously inappropriate account of the groom mounting a stage in a seedy venue, performing antics with a banana and a bikini, the embarrassed bride buried her face in her hands.
A golden rule everyone should follow when giving speeches at a wedding: steer clear of recounting any bachelor party escapades.
20. Getting Cold Feet
I recall going to a wedding once of a pair who disagreed with Vatican 2. That is to say, they weren't on board with having the ceremony in the local language, so it was entirely in Latin, and it ended up dragging for nearly three hours. Wasn't particularly thrilled with that—but wait, there's more.
First off, this shindig happened during the cold season, and the church didn't even have a functioning heater. So, you can imagine all the attendees shivering. Secondly, after the whole shebang, the bride dramatically opted for an annulment.
She's had a string of almost-husbands before, but the marriage plans always seemed to collapse before reaching the altar. This was the first time she actually followed through.
We suspect she had a chickening-out moment before the marriage could be consummated. She had this belief against consummation before marriage, yet she wasn't prepared when it came time to execute after she had taken the plunge.
To her credit, she finally settled down and even recently accomplished the dream of building a house together with her current spouse. However, after the whole hullabaloo about the previous wedding, most of her close family decided to sit out the next one.
21. Can We Say “Cheese” Now?
So here's the deal—our wedding photographer was no random guest, she was supposed to be a pro. I expected much from her, given that my family knows her and she does run her own photo company.
I've got to call it as it is: she fell short of expectations. But before the wedding, she seemed cool. She threw around some creative ideas during rehearsal and even gave us a sweet deal.
I was so excited to surprise my wife when I roped her into a secret plan. You see, my wife thought I merely collected her engagement ring after a professional clean-up—but in reality, I had it safely stashed for weeks, joined with a new wedding band. My intention? To get her real-time reaction on camera when she saw the new ring.
The plan was for our photographer to discretely capture this moment from behind the officiant. But where was she during THE moment? Hanging out at the back of the hall. Fortunately, a quick-thinking family friend nailed the shot, so I let it slide.
But then, more hiccups. During post-ceremony shots, instead of maintaining control of the crowd and ensuring focus on her lens, she was content to let guests take their own shots. Unprofessional, right?
Don't even get me started on the candid shots. You know, those unposed, natural snapshots of people enjoying themselves? We only got about 50 of them. What was she doing? Chatting it up with my family member.
And to top it all off, she packed up her precious camera for the rest of the event. I saw red, although I managed to keep my calm for my wife's sake.
So, the result? A mix of underwhelming photos from a supposed professional and impressively good shots from friends' smartphones and my sister's Canon DSLR. Thankfully, we weren't the ones fronting her payment—otherwise, I'd have lost my cool.
22. I Was Gonna Throw That!
Right after my wedding ceremony wrapped up, my wedding planner unexpectedly whisked my bouquet away from me. Swiftly, it was put into a vase and set on a table. Unaware, one of our guests mistakenly thought it was a decoration and took it home! I only discovered what happened to my bouquet when I couldn't find it at the end of the evening.
23. Back Off Woman!
My wife and I attended her close co-worker's wedding. It was all rosy: the ceremony was sweet and the reception was cozy. I entered as my wife's plus one, hence I was solo.
Evidently, the bride to-be was extremely anxious before the wedding. Her bridesmaid's influential advice was to take a few shots before the ceremony to steady her nerves. It did the trick nicely and she was able to breeze through the ceremony.
However, they had given her a bottle of high proof liquor and somewhat carelessly permitted her to drink a little bit too much just before the ceremony.
By the reception time, the bride had become messy, almost spoiling the entire vibe.
She across the room appeared somewhat tipsy, laughing overly and acting somewhat unsteady. Just, as my wife and I were chatting with some other co-workers, the bride made her appearance.
She felt it was the right time to express how amazing she thought I was, and how great a partner I was to my wife. And, she thought the best way to express this was with a hearty hug.
Already being a little too revealing, her strapless dress slipped even more when she embraced me before I even had a chance to stand up.
Caught by surprise, I was pulled straight into her bosom.
Various thoughts hit my mind like, "This is bound to create an awkward moment", "How should I handle this situation?", and "This hug is turning quite uncomfortable, and it's stretching longer than expected.”
After struggling for a bit, I was able to pull myself free. Then she does this cheeky little shuffle and re-adjusts her dress before leaning on me to apologize in a way that was far from appropriate, with everyone at the table observing our every move.
Her newly-wed husband then pulls her away from me, giving me an understanding glance, and they leave to sort her out.
Silence filled the table. My wife, stunned, couldn't even get mad. Finally, her boss broke the silence: “So, that just happened. Can we all agree not to ever mention this to her?”
Everyone agreed unanimously.
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24. Relatives Are Trouble
When my uncle tied the knot over a quarter of a century ago, he initially wanted three of his eight brothers and sisters to play key roles in his wedding. But just four hours shy of the event, he discovered that his soon-to-be brother-in-law, who was supposed to read a passage, fell ill and couldn't make it.
So, he turned to the first person he saw, which was one of his sisters, and requested her to deliver the reading. This led to four out of his eight siblings playing significant roles in the ceremony.
The three siblings not involved in the wedding still managed to have a ball at the reception and wished our uncle and his bride all the happiness in the world. However, Aunt Mary, a stickler for etiquette who could probably recite every line of Emily Post, confronted Uncle publicly during the reception, questioning why she wasn't chosen for the reading.
Fast forward to two months ago, my Uncle's daughter, Melissa, was set to exchange vows. Melissa had reservations about inviting Aunt Mary due to an old grudge she's been holding against Melissa's parents and Melissa herself. But she decided to invite her anyhow—and it ended up being the worst idea ever.
When Aunt Mary received the invite, she called me to vent. Oddly enough, out of 18 nieces and nephews, I'm the only one she seems to bond with. Maybe it's because we're the only naturally blonde ones in the family—a weird association considering I'm not particularly fond of her.
She fumed at me about receiving the invite late, which wasn't true. Melissa mailed all the invitations six weeks ahead—right on cue as Emily Post recommends—so I managed to calm her down about that, without revealing the save the dates.
Furthermore, Aunt Mary insisted that she wouldn't make it to the wedding unless I agreed to accompany her, citing financial limitations and claiming she's too old to drive solo, despite her solid six-figure income. I had to politely decline her demand as I couldn't make it work.
She vented furthermore about her sister, Ellen, whom she felt was privy to the wedding news way before she was. She couldn't grasp why Melissa would share the news with Ellen first. Well, maybe because Ellen and Melissa share a special bond—a fact that Aunt Mary might have noticed had she cared about anyone else in the family over the last 22 years or so.
Luckily, Aunt Mary didn't make it to the wedding. But she didn't RSVP until the day of the wedding, leaving Melissa's mom on edge, worried that Aunt Mary might make a last-minute appearance and throw a wrench in her daughter's big day.
25. A Nervous Groom Is The Worst
Here's a tale of a bridegroom who sabotaged his own wedding.
My partner's cousin was tying the knot. He and his bride-to-be are lovely people, they just tend to associate with some pretty rowdy friends. These friends knocked back a bit too much and, at the reception, they persistently pushed the groom to join in on their heavy drinking, constantly supplying him with pure Hennessy.
Jump to the end of the event, when the DJ was calling the groom to the cake table for the all-important cake-cutting ceremony. Despite repeated calls from the DJ, there's no sign of the groom. I turned my head and could see him sitting, back turned, totally oblivious to his name being announced.
As it turned out, the groom wasn't responding because he was completely hammered—he couldn't even stand up. A couple of his groomsmen ended up hauling him to the cake table and barely managed to get him to slice the cake—they effectively staged a cake cutting just for the sake of the wedding photographer.
The night took a turn for the worse when the groom vomited on his bride, leading to him being carried—still in his chair—to the washroom for a clean-up.
From there, he was taken directly to the car.
26. Good Enough
My cousin decided to tie the knot in a quaint little Eastern Kentucky town. The closest hotels were a good one-hour drive away. The nuptials took place on a scorching day in late June, outside, under the relentless sun. His bride took it upon herself to handle the flowers and decorations. Essentially, this involved some sorry-looking plants, wilting under the harsh sun, still in their plastic pots with hooks. These were randomly set up along the aisle.
Temperatures soared above 90 degrees, and the ceremony kicked-off forty-five minutes late. While the guests sweltered under the sun, ruining our good clothes with sweat, they did offer some bottled water as respite. But there was a catch—no ice.
The water bottles, glaringly warm, were stored in big 20-gallon, bright orange buckets with rope handles, stationed on either side of the aisle. Also, they forgot something crucial – insect treatment for the field. In consequence, mosquitoes and chiggers were in plenty.
The reception followed in the local middle school cafeteria, a stone's throw away. Strangely enough, they recycled the prom decorations for their own reception. Because in this town, it seems, the high school prom is held at the middle school cafeteria.
The place had the stale smell of old mac and cheese. The spread was slices of bologna and ham served on wonder bread with an array of condiments. The wedding cake was a pick from Wal-Mart's bakery. I should mention, they weren't short on cash. They had a sizeable budget, but apparently, they thought everything was just dandy.
27. The Gift That Keeps On Taking
While I was undergoing language training in California, my then-partner and I were friends with this sweet couple who were about to tie the knot. They were warm-hearted, kind, and generous, albeit a bit scatter-brained despite their academic smarts.
The couple was interracial, with the bride being Caucasian and the groom being biracial with a Black father and a white mother. The bride's family—hailing from the South—did not accept this union, refusing to financially support the wedding or present the couple with a gift.
Their wedding took place in their familiar small church, followed by an atypical reception in the car park, catered from the back of a truck. At first glance, it could've been mistaken for a charming country-style wedding, but reality begged to differ.
The gathering had a meager guest list of about 15, including both families. My partner and I were the only ones bearing a gift—a comprehensive bathroom set wrapped in an oversized basket, standing noticeably alone without any other gifts.
The reception had a bare minimum setup, with no seating arrangement or music. The attendees stood scattered around the car park, nibbling on BBQ from a local joint, while trying to navigate the palpable tension between the families.
Even in the midst of all this discomfort, the couple seemed genuinely ecstatic about their wedding. The last update I had about them was that he was continuing his military service, they had expanded their family by two children, and appeared to be living happily.
28. Mail Order Mess
The wedding of my father to his second wife was an experience, to say the least. She was essentially a "mail-order" bride from Ukraine, whose main goals were a green card and a US education. As soon as she achieved these, their relationship spiraled downwards rapidly. Following their divorce, she walked away with half his wealth and their home.
The whole situation was clearly a façade, and pretty much everyone was aware from the start. The cloud of worry hung heavy over the wedding, making it hard for guests to truly celebrate their union. Witnessing the groom's friends and family trying to persuade him not to proceed with the marriage made the atmosphere even more awkward.
29. Nobody Does It Like The Mormons
I attended a Mormon wedding and found the entire experience quite unique. The minister unrolled an incredibly lengthy scroll, alleging that it traced his lineage all the way back to Adam. Next, he spontaneously selected a young man from the crowd to commence the ceremony with a prayer.
Caught off guard, the young man could only respond with, "wait, me?" The entire situation was quite unexpected and out-of-the-ordinary.
Oleksandr Yakoniuk, Shutterstock
30. Never Tell Snoop To Turn It Down
When my mom married my stepdad, I was barely over five, yet I can't help but vividly recall that day's incidents.
My twin brother and I were in the middle of escorting our mom up the aisle when a thunderous knocking echoed from outside the church doors.
Everyone temporarily halted, unsure of how to react, so we decided to keep moving and act as if we didn't hear it. The loud knocking paused for a few moments but resumed just as the bride and groom were about the pronounce their vows.
Before my stepdad could utter his vow, the knocking sound returned, this time resonating across the entire church.
Irritated, my uncle dashed to the back doors, thrusting them open just as the knocking was becoming so unbearable that everyone had to shield their ears. Once he opened the door, the source of the noise was revealed to all of us.
It ended up being just Snoop Dogg perfecting his music, oblivious to the fact that he was interrupting a touching wedding. He politely apologized to the attendees and pledged to move his music-making to a more suitable, and ideally more soundproof, area.
31. Grumps
My granddad really disappointed me at my wedding reception. Just half an hour into it, he decided he'd had enough and wanted to leave. To speed things up, he went and sat in the car, thinking my granny would follow. But she didn't give in. She lingered at the party for three more hours!
My granny is normally more submissive, but that day was special. Not only was I the eldest grandkid, but I was also the first to tie the knot. She refused to let him spoil her joy and mine! My granny is one of the people I love the most in the world, so I'd rather focus on her newfound resilience than my granddad's inconsiderate behavior that day.
32. Whose First Dance Is This?
Around a few years ago, I found myself at a wedding that was quite a disaster. The bride was a coworker of mine, although we weren't really close, so I was taken aback when I received an invitation to the entire event.
The ceremony took place in a church. The bride's father and her two sisters, reminiscent of the wicked step-sisters from Cinderella, were notably upset. However, despite the off-putting mood, the service went as planned and everybody moved on to the reception venue.
Now, this reception was held at a service station right next to a bustling motorway. At the venue, chats with our table companions made it clear that most attendees weren't that close to the bride or the groom. For instance, one guest had only met the duo on a vacation three years back. That's when we made a stark realization—this wasn't a grand wedding.
There were about 4 or 5 tables with 8 to 10 guests each. I felt perplexed by the absence of close friends or relatives considering that the bride and the groom were quite amiable, although a tad peculiar. Things started to spiral downwards as soon as the wedding party made their entry, minus the bride's father.
As it turned out, he had abruptly left. The grandfather of the bride took the initiative to share this shocking news via a speech. Even though his apology for his son's actions and his well-wishes for the couple were touching, he kept circling back to the father's strong dislike for the groom. The anguishing atmosphere made us all feel like we were stuck right in the middle of an intense family feud.
From here on, things got even more cringe-worthy for my wife and me. The bride was apprehensive about her first dance. Initially, she had planned to dance with her sisters but they chose to side with their father and left. Left without her sisters, she requested my wife and me to step in to help. We reluctantly agreed. What ensued couldn't have been more embarrassing.
We had to step onto the dance floor just as the evening guests were trickling in. Our awkward attempt at dancing only led people to assume that we were trying to steal the spotlight. My wife and I spent the entirety of the song mortified by the catastrophe that was unfolding. The bride's grandmother even booed us.
After the dance, we made a swift exit while acknowledging the fact that no other wedding could ever top this one in terms of the bizarre turn of events and personal discomfort.
33. Slim Pickings
Once, I went to a wedding in Atlanta in the peak of summer. The venue didn't have air conditioning and there weren't enough seats, so we had no choice but to stand during the old-fashioned ceremony where wives were expected to serve and obey their husbands.
Following the ceremony, we moved on to the reception. They didn't serve any drinks and the food was served buffet-style with servers dishing it out. When I got in line with my dinner plate, I found myself at a meatball station with two different kinds to choose from.
The servers would let you pick a type and then ask if you wanted one or two. Just to be clear, these were tiny cocktail meatballs, not the big ones.
The next stop was the vegetable station where I could choose between one or two asparagus spears. There weren't any forms of entertainment, not even dancing. People just ate their pair of meatballs and left. It was a tough experience.
Kubatina Katerina, Shutterstock
34. Poor Lil Sebastian
So, my brother's wedding... it was a bit of a flop. It was a pretty tiny, super religious ceremony and the reception site, believe it or not, was a whole hour's drive away! Right from the beginning, it seemed their reception plan was likely to fail.
The reception was planned in an "open house" style. They estimated about 300 people would show up when asked for crowd size.
That sounds just about okay, right? No. The reception was actually at our parent's backyard—a backyard that cannot accommodate parking for 300 people. To make it even more "interesting", they decided to dish out just appetizers since it was an open-house style, and here’s the kicker—it was a dry wedding.
My other brothers and I decided to sneak in flasks and in no time, they were clearly tipsy—lightweight alert! And the decorating? Well, they must’ve found a monstrous tulle-spewing creature because that was the shabby last-minute look the backyard had gotten.
They never bothered to tidy up the backyard landscape leading up to the wedding, just left it unkempt which fell onto the rest of us to magically manage.
Mom was having a panic parade—all her church pals were coming! The reception was set for early afternoon, a time when our backyard is typically fried under the sun's gaze. And the seating? Metal chairs under a flaming sun. You can imagine sitting on those! As a result, everyone was bundled together in whatever shred of shade they could find before slowly scattering as it spread.
Now for the cherry on top—a lonely, unexplained mini horse was there too, chewing hay. They were possibly the only ones who took pictures with it, leaving guests wondering about its presence.
What a spectacle, don't you think?
35. Angry Brides
I attended a Korean church wedding. Having been to Korean weddings before, I knew that many guests would swing by to drop off their monetary gifts then head straight to the buffet—participating in the actual formal ceremony is not typically expected or mandatory.
However, what really caught me off guard this time was the level of distraction during the actual ceremony. Despite being in the church, nobody seemed to pay any attention. Everyone was engrossed in their iPads or smartphones.
I saw quite a few guests fully immersed in a game of Angry Birds, and some were even audacious enough to have full-blown phone chats mid-ceremony.
It was truly astonishing. And we're not talking about rowdy kids, these were mature adults! What's puzzling me, is why would they even step inside the church if their plan was to text and play mobile games?
36. When It Works, It Works
Two buddies tied the knot without much forethought. They'd planned a charming park-based wedding in Ohio, but Mother Nature had other plans—she delivered buckets of rain instead of sunshine. Skilled in improvisation, they relocated to the father of the bride's tax firm, just a 10 minute trek from the park. A guide was stationed there to lead guests to the new venue.
When we got there, tension filled the air. The bride and her father were locked in a disagreement; he'd been hardly supportive from the start, but this seemed to be the tipping point. In a hushed exchange just shy of being private, we figured out that my dad would be the one giving her away.
The wedding march started not from a band, but a cassette tape. A dramatic twist followed when the bride, who happens to be a legally blind albino, misplaced her bouquet.
Witnessing her search for it is something I won't soon forget. A consolation came when a guest offered her flowers, but they were the kind you'd typically lay on a gravesite, picked up from Walmart.
With the bouquet debacle resolved, we hit reset. The tape, proving to be another issue, unexpectedly jammed during her walk up the makeshift aisle. A swift save was made with a random classical CD we found in a desk. Despite the hiccups, she gracefully made her way up the aisle.
The groom suffered another hiccup—the wedding bands were mixed up. You can imagine the scene when her ring got stuck halfway on his plump finger, causing a bit of swelling, and adding to the drama.
Post-ceremony, we regrouped in the tax office lounge for cake from Kroger—the only food present. My dad, offended by the thought of a reception sans food, sent my cousin with $40 for some KFC, adding another twist to the day.
My cousin got turned around, so we ended up waiting for an hour in the semi-dark for our meal, chatting away with family. It was an odd scene, sure. But 14 years later, these two lovebirds are still as mushy about each other as they were back then. Who needs a lavish wedding, anyway?
37. Sorry I’m Late
As the groom, I must confess I messed up a little... I was tardy.
I had a handful of tasks to complete in the morning before I could even begin to get dressed. My main responsibilities involved setting up the venue at the castle.
Next was liaising with the florist and assisting with the arrangements, as well as picking up other boutonnieres before heading home for my own grooming session. But, things went awry when the florist failed to make an appearance.
My bride had been the one to organize the floral arrangements and no way was I going to call her to add to her stress. She had offhandedly mentioned once that her brother maintains contact with the same florist. After procuring the number from him, I was assured by the florist that she was en route to the castle.
Once the florist situation was under control, I made my way back home to prepare for the ceremony. But, as my friends and I loaded into the limousine, I absentmindedly turned my phone off. That's when some folks started wondering about my whereabouts and attempted to reach me.
Eventually, when I was incommunicado for long, someone notified my bride about the situation. I finally arrived at the location, signaled the officiant to inform my wife, and everything fell into place. Whew, that was a close one.
38. Au-Naturel Bridesmaid
One of the bridesmaids was having a chat with an older party-goer. He was comfortably seated, while she was leaning over to converse with him. Out of the blue, another attendee snuck up behind her, grabbed the zipper on her outfit, and gave it a pull.
The poor bridesmaid found her dress falling completely to the ground in an instant. Just an interesting tidbit on the side: this playful prankster was an out-of-towner who brought a date along. Interestingly enough, her ex-husband was also at the wedding and local. The two ended up rekindling their spark in her hotel room, leaving her date to fend for himself.
The rest of the wedding proceeded smoothly and everyone had a lovely time...
39. Dangerous Duo: The Cousin And The Imam
So, we found ourselves in quite a pickle at my cousin's wedding. The Imam, who was running the show, was late, which had a knock-on effect on everything that followed the ceremony. We ended up having to rush through the reception games to make sure we had enough time for dinner.
In Muslim weddings, the process is a little different. Instead of swapping vows, the couple says "yes" verbally and signs the marriage certificate. But with the Imam hurrying off to his next appointment, he totally forgot to get the bride's signature on the important documents.
This resulted in two visits to the marriage bureau to fix things. They had to carry their birth certificates, other necessary paperwork, and a witness. And why did they need to go twice?
Well, my cousin forgot his supporting documents the first time around and also overlooked the need to bring a witness with them. Quite the adventure, right?
40. A Big Imbalance
When I was four, my mom tied the knot with a gentleman from England, and we moved from Canada to live with him. As per immigration rules, they had to get hitched within six months to keep her marriage visa valid or else, face deportation. This was a set-up for disaster.
Because of a constraints on time and finances—her family couldn't afford to fly over for the wedding—they kept the event simple and low-key. Without a wedding dress, mom wore a white suit from her high school graduation.
Given that I was the only family she had there, it was decided that I would escort her down the aisle. Her husband's friend took on the role of maid of honor. The ceremony took place in an unattractive church. When the doors swung open, mom was taken aback to see a packed side of the groom's family contrasted by only two people on her side.
My memories from that day include holding her hand as we walked down the aisle, an overwhelming sense of fear and loneliness creeping in. Despite the circumstances, they exchanged their vows. Afterwards, instead of a traditional reception, her husband made a shocking move—he hastily left us at the church to catch a rugby game with his friends, claiming it was too important to miss.
So, we made the journey home on foot, under the drizzling rain. Unfortunately, their marriage did not stand the test of time.
41. Copycats Don’t Prosper
Sarah, a family friend, recently got married. She admired my cousin's wedding so much that she planned her own around the same venues, caterer, and DJ. However, Sarah's wedding didn't quite go as seamlessly.
Her maid of honor was her sister, Lindsey, a notorious attention-seeker. It seemed Lindsey was rather miffed that the spotlight wasn't on her. During the ceremony Lindsey made quite the scene over her toe being accidentally stepped on by Sarah. After vying unsuccessfully for attention, Lindsey stood and instructed everyone to carry on.
But just as we thought we were back on track, eyes started to wander towards one of the groomsmen. He was looking unsteady and then suddenly fainted, narrowly missing a hard fall on the floor. We gave him water and sat him down, fortunately, he pulled himself together in time for the vows.
After the ceremony, things kept going south. The scheduled limo arrived half an hour late, and to top it all, its air conditioning was faulty. In the hot July weather, this was far from ideal, and Sarah's makeup melted, leaving her hair all messed up.
To make matters worse, the caterers failed to show up for the cocktail hour; they said they had got lost and couldn't locate the big hotel or its banquet hall. The evening only worsened when the DJ was hit by technical glitches, restricting the music to CD-only.
If that wasn't enough, the chicken dish gave people food poisoning. Then, Sarah got doused in red wine, staining her beautiful dress, and to wrap things up, the wedding cake collapsed before it was even cut.
There was one light at the end of the tunnel though—Sarah and her husband enjoyed a flawless two-week honeymoon in Bora Bora. After the wedding chaos, nothing more went wrong. The wedding itself felt like it was pulled straight from a comedy film—it was simply unreal.
42. To Have And To Hold Off
I once went to a wedding of a female colleague. Both she and her husband-to-be were quite young, only teenagers, but shared a deep faith. Her father escorted her down the aisle, setting the stage for what seemed to be a classic ceremony. But that's not what happened.
Reaching the end of the aisle, her father began to lecture the groom, telling him that he was now accountable for his daughter's spiritual life. He talked about being her spiritual guide all these years, and now he was handing over the role to the groom. The tone of his speech was intimidating, not that of, "Take care of my daughter or harm will come your way", but a more spiritual intimidation: "If my daughter veers off her Christian path, I'll be coming for you, pal".
The groom ended up in tears during this talk, creating a rather uneasy atmosphere for all who attended. We all had to witness the father intimidating the groom, insinuating his daughter couldn't take charge of her own spiritual life, and leading to the groom spending the rest of his wedding day wiping away tears and trying to compose himself.
43. Bouquet Feud With The Babysitter
So, I'm the bridesmaid at my bestie's wedding. The groom is an older lad from the same hometown as me and the bride, so we never crossed paths in school.
Unexpectedly, it turned out one of the groom's close friends was this neighbor kid who did terrible things to me and my sister for several years.
I heard that this friend wasn't too happy about not being chosen as a groomsman. Apparently, he was undergoing, or had just completed a divorce caused by his infidelity, involving his wife and the mother of his two kids.
Then, shocking news hits that he's not only dating younger women in their early 20s, while we're all cruising in our 30s, but he's also seeing his kids' babysitter.
Suddenly, this young woman starts appearing at our social events, spreading word that he's soon to marry her and they're planning for kids. Everyone, except for these two, is crystal clear that she's in a vastly different stage of life than us.
Circling back to the wedding: The MC invites all the single women to compete for the bouquet toss. I begrudgingly leave my martini and cheesecake alone to join the dance floor, all while gyrating to Beyonce's 'Single Ladies'.
When my friend throws the bouquet, she aims it towards me and her sister, as a fun little hint for our significant others.
I see the flower bouquet swirling towards me. It lands on the ground and as I go to claim it, I find this younger woman, the friend's date, also latching onto the bouquet. Everyone's looking at us in disbelief and whispering, “Why doesn't she let go?”
I'm equally baffled because she clung onto the bouquet after I picked it up. Seriously, lady, that's not how it works!
The awkward standoff finally ends when she snatches the flowers from me, nearly smacking my face, and proclaims, “I caught the bouquet!”
Then the expression on her date's face drops. She returns to him, loudly declaring they'll be the next to wed, and asking if he likes the venue. His buddies snicker as she excitedly insists that they're "So committed!"
44. The Bride Next Door
We once conducted an event in a place that had two big ballrooms. In our party, we offered an open bar, while the other wedding only had a cash bar. Our bartender started to catch onto the guests from the other wedding as they snuck in to snag free drinks from ours.
His suspicions arose primarily from their lack of tipping, whereas our crowd had been. Our groomsmen were actively handling the situation.
To our surprise, the bride, fully dressed in her bridal gown and long train, boldly walked up to our bar to claim a drink. Of course, she was swiftly denied by the bartender. That's when we uncovered the truth. Our event manager then checked with the bartender and the groomsmen, who confirmed their suspicions and tried to estimate the number of drinks they'd taken—it was a significant amount.
Subtly but surely, they had been secretly siphoning our supplies all evening. But as the night grew darker, more guests from the smaller wedding of approximately 30-35 guests began tiptoeing in one by one. Against the backdrop of our 150 guests, it wasn't hard for them to blend in easily. Remember, these were the days before COVID-19.
I spotted the bride getting lectured by the manager on the additional charges and I just burst into a chuckle. I didn't intend to, but after a few drinks, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for this penny pincher, who couldn't even get someone to fetch her drinks at her own wedding.
She wasn't aware that we were operating on a fixed price per guest for unlimited food and drinks. Consequently, she had to deal with a hefty bill of about $500 later. Her party ended earlier, but I don't think the alcohol situation was the reason. Not to mention, their ballroom was nowhere near ours, so they'd had to go out of their way to sneak in. Talk about bizarre!
45. Ring Ring!
This all unfolds during a civil wedding ceremony at the town hall, officiated by the mayor himself. He's reading out parts of the marriage law, as is custom. If you've ever been to a wedding like this, you know the big question for the bride and groom is just moments away.
Then, out of nowhere, comes the sound of a loud and pretty irritating ringtone. Glances and giggles spread among the guests until we realize—it's the groom's dad's phone!
He's right up front, almost within touching distance of the bride and groom, impossible to miss. So, he picks up the call, speaking so loudly that everyone can hear him say: "Hey, hello. What's up? Nah, it’s a bad time, but go on." Then he literally just stands up and leaves the room!
Fortunately, the mayor was cool about it. He cracked a few jokes and stalled the ceremony until the dad returned. Then, without skipping a beat, he moved onto asking the important question to the bride and groom.
The bride, an old friend of my wife, confided in us several times about her future in-laws being a real hassle. She secretly couldn't stand them, but always did her best to keep things friendly and civil.
46. Not The Right One For Me
When I was 15, I attended my 26-year-old cousin's wedding, since we're part of an Indian family. His fiancée, who is also Indian, had too much to drink at the reception and ended up kissing the best man in a closet. To add to the shock, someone opened the closet door and practically everyone caught sight of them coming out.
The entire situation was extremely awkward. In the end, my cousin decided to annul the marriage.
47. A Blood Bath
So, here's something from my past. It involves my ex-wife's uncle, a man in his 50s, getting hitched to his bride who was only in her 20s. This bride, as young as his daughter from the first marriage, was carrying their child at the time of their wedding. A cloud of barely concealed anger could be felt hovering over the wedding venue.
The uncomfortable dynamics escalated at the wedding reception. When it was time to eat, the people at the head table surprisingly ended up devouring the entire buffet. This left nothing for the rest of the guests, who were left in the awkward situation of having to order takeaway from a local restaurant.
When everyone was dancing, a debacle erupted. An accidental footstep led to a dispute. When one family refused to say sorry to the other, the scene quickly escalated. It felt like a battle sequence straight out of Game of Thrones, all while the song "Karma Chameleon" fittingly played in the backdrop.
As the squabble got bloody, the alarm bells rang and the DJ had to stop the music midway. To everyone's shock, they were all evicted from the community center and it was just a little past 5 pm. The surprising sight of still more guests arriving left everyone bewildered. Meanwhile, the poor fellow who was dispatched to get the fish and chips arrived to a nearly deserted parking lot. Nevertheless, for me, this was the most unforgettable wedding.
48. Raw Emotions
My cousin's wedding was a total whirlwind. The scene was set at a stunning hotel on a mountain's peak. The ceremony was held outdoors, an absolutely stunning setting, although it was an incredibly windy day. Consequently, we couldn't make out any of the ceremony's words.
Women were constantly battling with their billowing dresses and hair, while the men found their ties acting as unexpected face-slappers. Soon after, it was reception time. When our meals arrived at the tables, I nearly shouted in surprise. We'd been given half-cooked chicken.
When we requested replacements, we found out there were none left, since the kitchen had wrapped up after preparing the main courses. My husband and I, having traveled out-of-state and shared a ride with another cousin, were ravenous, so she tossed us her car keys and directed us to a nearby Subway sandwich shop. We discreetly left, not wanting to upset the bride with the food mishap.
Just as we were polishing off our sandwiches, a call from my non-bride cousin commanded us to return quickly, as she had to leave immediately. As we arrive back at the hotel, this same cousin is now having a loud disagreement with another relative.
It was intense—it got to a point where an uncle decided to get in my cousin's grill. My mother ended up stepping in to defuse the situation, and my cousin departed.
Five minutes later, the police came on the scene due to a report of the argument. The groom storms out, has a few choice words for everyone, and sends the officers away. Miraculously, we managed to keep all this commotion a secret from the bride, preserving her ignorance of the craziness unfolding at her own wedding.
49. Turn Up The Music
My wedding was a cozy affair, with around 30-40 guests attending in a somewhat compact space. I'm not sure who decided to set up the speakers facing the dining area, which was later to be used as our dance floor.
As we moved about socializing with our guests, the persons in charge of the sound system continued to crank up the volume. This forced me to practically yell to converse with anyone. I would ask for the volume to be lowered, which it was, only for my mother-in-law to secretly turn it back up, finding humor in my frustration.
During a get-together a week or two later, she noted how softly I speak. Not suppressing my irritation this time, I curtly replied, "Now imagine attempting a conversation with me while someone inconsiderately keeps increasing the music volume."
50. It Was My Brother Who Made Such Comments, Not Me
I was at the wedding of a close friend—someone I've known since childhood. We became friends through my half-brother, who was my best buddy growing up.
When my friend was proposing to the love of his life, my half-brother suddenly turned into an evangelical Christian. This change led to our spontaneous fallout because I'm gay and he started saying hurtful things about homosexuality.
Despite the downfall of our relationship, our common friend invited us both to his wedding, making my half-brother his best man and myself, one of his groomsmen.
On the wedding day, I walked into the venue excited to reconnect with old friends serving as groomsmen just like me. As we caught up, they each queried me for not making it to the bachelor party in Vegas, organized about a couple weeks ago. It turns out, my half-brother, as the best man, was responsible for the invites, and conveniently left me out.
From the perspective of the others, I failed to commit to an invitation that supposedly came my way. I clarified the situation to the groom so he didn’t misconstrue my absence as a sign of indifference towards him, and reassured him that I would have attended had I been in the know.
For the sake of the joyous day and the couple's happiness, I didn’t dwell on the situation. After the wedding day came to a close, I thanked everyone for their part. My half-brother approached with an apology, but I wasn't ready to accept it. It's been about five years since, and we haven't spoken since.
However, the groom and the other groomsmen remain part of my life and we make it a point to hang out regularly. Thankfully, my half-brother doesn’t join us for any of these gatherings.
51. Why?
My sister.
All day, she tried to convince my soon-to-be-husband not to marry me. She assured him that no one would blame him, that I wasn't marriage material, or wasn't up to par.
She then began disassembling my reception tables hours before it was time, tricking guests into thinking they should head out. I missed out on tasting my own wedding cake that night because it was cleared from my table while I had my first dance. By 8:30 pm, most of the attendees had already left.
September marked the fifth wedding anniversary for my husband and me.
52. Cher Gets Married
The wedding took place outdoors in Central California during the sweltering summer, with the temperature soaring above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The music wasn't to my taste and there wasn't an open bar. The bride's sister, who was also the maid of honor, took the stage to deliver a speech—that was a roll-your-eyes moment...
Her speech was quite lengthy and lacked substance, and she spouted it off in her characteristic "valley girl" accent. Every sentence she spoke had a distinct rise at the end, often dragging out the last word significantly.
It sounded something like, "I can't believe you found such an amazing guuuyyyyyy. I'm truly happy for youuuuuu. What a wonderful dayyyyyyyy. Yada yada yada yadaaaa”.
53. God Help This Wedding
My cousin decided on a booze-free wedding due to the strong anti-alcohol views of her church friends. Just to give you some context, my family savors a good drink—we've been crafting our own moonshine for ages. Following the meal, her church buddies made a swift exit, leaving only us, the drinking enthusiasts.
The novice DJ, sourced from her church, blasted music which was far from enjoyable. My family stuck around for a short time post his performance but soon bid farewell, leaving the reception deserted by 9 pm.
The individuals from her church, who were paid to help tidy up, exited promptly after the meal. So, when it was my turn to leave, the only ones left to clean up were my cousin and her new husband. Feeling guilty, I stayed back to lend a hand, despite the fact that her wedding was honestly a disaster. I'd rate it a less than impressive 0/10.
54. A Beached Wedding
My cousin planned a beach wedding in Queensland for November, but she didn't consider what she'd do if it rained. In typical fashion, the heavens opened up. That didn't stop the ceremony, which went ahead as planned, right on the beach. The reception then moved to the upstairs hall of the local football club, which happened to be a more budget-friendly option.
However, it wasn't all smooth sailing. The club's drink prices were quite high, even for bottled water. The food situation was also less than ideal, with an insufficient supply at the buffet bar to cater for all the guests. There was a surprise element—a gender reveal cake, because she was expecting her second child. But lo and behold, the pink cake was misleading because she later gave birth to a boy. Seating was another issue, with only about 12 chairs available for an event hosting around 50 people.
So we improvised and used spare gym equipment as makeshift seating. To add to it all, almost half of the guests had to endure at least an hour-long flight to attend the wedding.
55. This Is Not The Place For A Political Propaganda
This year, I attended a wedding where the groom's sister was one of the bridesmaids, and her hubby took on the role of a groomsman. They made quite the entrance at the reception, donning "Trump 2024" attire, which certainly stood out. Her husband strutted in, wearing homemade shorts and a button-down shirt, all done up in bold red, white, and blue colors.
Additionally, the groomsman carried a small "Trump 2024" banner. It's worth noting that this fashion statement was quite unexpected since the bride and groom had both expressed their disapproval of Trump.
56. Protecting Groom’s Feelings
At my wedding, one of the groomsmen decided to cut in for a dance. As we swayed, he gave me this unexpected advice—to never break my husband's heart.
His words felt more like a cautionary warning rather than a light-hearted joke. Fast forward to now, my husband and I recently celebrated a decade of marital bliss, and we're more in love than ever.
57. Cake Fingers
Oops, it looks like I was the naughty guest once. I think I was about four when my aunt tied the knot. I was a little kid back then, lacking self-discipline completely, and as soon as I heard that I was supposed to stay clear of the cake, I took off...
Straight for the cake. I pushed my tiny finger as deep as possible into that unfortunate cake. I always feel mortified whenever this story is retold.
Nigmatulina Aleksandra, Shutterstock
58. Nobody Is On Their Best Behavior
This young best man, somewhere in his 20s, was caught kissing the officiating Justice of the Peace. Unbelievably, the lady was probably in her late 50s or 60s. Now, that was uncomfortable enough, but the drama unfolded when the justice's husband walked into the reception area and was understandably fuming.
He started flinging shoes around and chased the best man out of the venue. The marriage only survived for a year or so... maybe the whole incident was an ill-fated sign!
59. Don’t Save The Date
Two of my buddies tied the knot unexpectedly on a Wednesday. It seems they picked this odd day because it was the anniversary of the bride's parents. That wasn't really convenient for the guests, though, as most had to go to work the following morning. The ambiance was a bit disrupted when one of the groomsmen kept receiving text alerts during the ceremony—he'd forgotten to mute his phone. And those were not the only peculiarities.
Despite it being a wedding, there was no liquor served and no professional DJ in sight. The groom thought it fit to just pop on some tunes from his iPod. I recall hearing "Gangnam Style" and something referred to as “The Wedding Wobble”. He seemed stumped on what else to play, though it eventually ceased to matter as by 8 pm, everyone but myself, my date, and the newlyweds had already left.
But there were more surprises in store. After the day’s events, we realized that the couple didn't have a place to spend their first night as husband and wife. Their home was a cramped apartment shared with several roommates they were not on good terms with. To add to the mess, their power had been disconnected for several days.
I witnessed the bride desperately tearing into gifted envelopes, hoping to gather enough cash for a hotel room. It was practically heart-wrenching when she almost cried upon finding only Target gift cards within. In the end, I stepped in and covered the cost of their hotel room at the same place my date and I were staying.
I can't remember them showing any gratitude. Sadly, their marriage didn’t even withstand the passage of a year.
Monkey Business Images, Shutterstock
60. Couldn’t Keep It Together For One Day
I attended a wedding of a family friend where we found the groom and the maid of honor together in the parking lot during the party. And surprise, surprise—the wedding didn't stand the test of time.
61. Shading The Big Day
I've attended some outdoor summer weddings in Queensland, Australia. Just so you're aware, the heat and humidity during this season can be unbearable. Strangely, these weddings often lack seating and seem to drag on endlessly.
It's really uncomfortable sweating for hours, dressed to the nines, with your feet cramping in uncomfortable heels. Honestly, folks, please shorten the ceremony or provide shade and seats.
62. Second Time Is Not The Charm
My friend married straight out of high school, driven by the belief that sleeping with more than two people was a relationship curse. She ended up marrying her second boyfriend, who quickly revealed his off-putting nature.
It reached an early peak when he lashed out at her over the phone the night before their reception, all about her forgetting to get his wedding day socks. That left him needing to get them himself the next morning.
Along with another bridesmaid, I spent that night comforting her. Her parents also advised her, right up until we stepped out of the house, that she could still back out. On the way to the venue, her dad spontaneously recollected an old classmate who had died in a house we passed by, sharing this on the way to her wedding!
Talk about timing. She had envisioned an outdoor ceremony but with the falling rain and only a rusty, corrugated iron roof for cover, it wasn't ideal. People huddled under it, unable to hear the service, and ended up chattering through the whole event.
The final blow came during the first dance. Her new husband interrupted it with the song "AO Technology," and started fervently dancing. His wife stood there, utterly horrified.
63. Please Stop The Music
Talk about a wild ride with my DJ, who happened to be the most impolite guest at my wedding! Just a few days before the big event, his rambling and confusing conversation was a challenge to keep up with.
He even had the audacity to ask if I had slimmed down to fit into my wedding dress! By this time, it was just too late to hire another DJ. So, my partner and I decided that we definitely wouldn't be giving this guy a tip.
This was absolutely the right choice because, during the wedding, he stubbornly refused to play certain songs that he deemed inappropriate for the occasion. He even shouted at me for being okay with playing a song like WAP. Then he attempted to jumble up the bridal party's order, which led to my husband raising his voice at him to correct it. Describing him as a disaster would unquestionably be downplaying the situation.
64. Stop Creeping Me Out
A few years before my wedding, an overly-attached guy had a bit of an infatuation with me. When he found out about my impending marriage, he was crushed. He even went as far as to tell me he "won't attend the wedding." That worked out fine since he wasn't on the guest list, but I was close with his family, so they were.
At the wedding, I was met with an unexpected surprise—there he was, taking a seat in the second row right behind my parents. He stuck out like a sore thumb, snapping pictures constantly with his iPad during the entire ceremony. So, there he is—his face and his raised iPad—in every photo, as my dad and I, followed by the bridal party, make our way down the aisle.
65. No Children Allowed
Here's a funny story for you.
Our wedding reception was a strictly adult affair. Now, there's this "close buddy" of my husband, who we hadn't caught up with in a while. Not only did he forget to RSVP, but he also decided to bring along a rather unwelcome surprise on our big day—his entire brood of four kids.
Their kiddos were a complete handful, weaving in and out of the tables and playing tag amid our guests. Their youngest was particularly noisy—he howled throughout my grandpa's heartfelt dinner blessing. They didn't even have the decency to take him out of the hall to keep the noise down during grandpa's speech.
Seeing my grandpa is a rare treat for me since he lives across the country and he's not in the best health. Every second with him is precious. That's why his blessing was such a big deal for me.
And then, just as dinner was served, their family chaos stormed through our buffet. They loaded up multiple take-away plates, gave a quick, casual hug to my husband, complimented my dress, and then poof... they were gone. No gift, no sorry for ruining grandpa's speech, no catching up with his "old buddy". They just stirred up havoc, grabbed a free meal, and left.
There's a photo from our wedding where I'm bowed in prayer during grandpa's speech, but I'm glaring at them. The expression on my face is probably the most angry look I've ever given anyone. I was beyond mad. But at least they seemed to take the hint and made an exit.
This said "friend" hasn't tried to reconnect with my husband either before or since the wedding—a true example of a terrible friend in my book.
66. Keep It Classy
Let me summarize this briefly. The groomsmen were wearing camo vests. The ceremony was put on hold for the bride to have her smoke break. Many of the attendees graced the occasion in casual attire like jeans or pajamas. In addition, they provided a self-service station for ham and cheese sandwiches.
Moreover, the venue was a rather rustic "golf club," which almost became a scene of a physical altercation between a young Black groomsman and some elderly white club members.
67. Crossing That Ex Off The List
My husband and I attended his ex-wife's most recent wedding due to their children's wishes. It wasn't her first rodeo—the kids, all grown up now, had seen her down the aisle in a few different white gowns. She wore a floor-length Cinderella wedding dress and everyone else was suited up in tuxedos. This was quite the spectacle for someone who had relied on disability, welfare, and child support.
The groom's sister recognized the church—she'd seen the bride get married here before. On her walk through the lobby, just before the ceremony began, she jokingly asked, "Are we here that often?" I couldn't help but burst into laughter. The photographer seemed irritated about something, and somehow, we ended up in numerous wedding photos. Imagine the surprise of seeing your ex-husband in your wedding album!
Before we left, we confirmed that she had changed her surname and that the kids were content. The newlyweds, I believe, ended up tidying the rented party hall themselves as his side of the family wasn't too keen on pitching in. As we headed home, we felt thankful for choosing a simple courthouse ceremony for ourselves.
68. If You Like Pina Coladas…
I found myself working a catering job at a wedding because I was strapped for cash. It was a typical wedding till dinner time, everything was breezy...then we introduced the pina coladas. That's when the chaos started. Guests couldn't get enough of the tropical cocktail, draining bottle after bottle.
The caterer I was collaborating with seemed to have an infinite stock. The crowd grew boisterous, and while I was serving even more drinks from a massive tray, an rambunctious kid, probably around eleven or twelve, bumped a chair into my knee. The jolt knocked me down, spilling fifteen glasses of pina colada that I had to clean up, carefully avoiding pieces of broken glass.
Later that night, I spotted that same kid guzzling down Pina Coladas. I stepped outside for a breather during a calm spell with some of my fellow staff, only to witness a wedding guest purge a torrent of pina colada on the sidewalk before stumbling back into the party.
69. Have Some Patience
I believe I was the most impolite person at a wedding once. Instead of a traditional cake, the couple decided to go for a sundae bar. Unaware of this, I happily made myself a sundae before the newlyweds could even do their symbolic first scoop.
To my embarrassment, everyone at the wedding witnessed my blunder. I felt like such a fool. Thankfully, the bride and groom were remarkably understanding, but I still felt awful, and couldn't stop saying sorry.
70. NFL Madness
At our wedding reception, respective speeches were given by our parents, the maid of honor, and the best man from the DJ's station. During these moments, I noticed a man in his 50s who was seated right next to the DJ booth. He was wearing oversized headphones and seemed absorbed by whatever was on his mobile screen.
Initially, I thought he might have sensory issues and I felt a sense of respect for him, for being there despite that. But later, I discovered that he was simply watching an NFL match, without even trying to hide it.
There were times when he broke into celebration in response to the progress of the game. This drew quite the blushful reaction from his whole table. I found out later that his wife still shies away from contact with him till now, still ashamed of his conduct.
Bogdan Sonjachnyj, Shutterstock
71. Hangry
Today is the day of my wedding. I'm chatting with my elder brother, both of us are hungry as can be. We're in the early phases of taking photos, even prior to the ceremony. "I missed breakfast today," I admit. "Seriously? I might go grab something to eat," he responds and swiftly dashes off.
He leaves even before I can utter another word, but we're just beginning the photo shoot. Imagine this 45-year-old man vanishing for an hour while we frantically try to pose for whatever photos we can manage without him. Then he reappears, nonchalantly munching on a tempting, garlicky chicken kabob on saffron rice that he got from a local Greek food cart.
He brings nothing back for me, or for his expecting wife, or even his five kids. He continues to savour his food, tagging along as we continue to take pictures, not once offering me a bite. But given how possessive he is about his food, I didn't even bother to ask.
While it was far from being a disaster, it sure was an incredibly self-centered move!
LightField Studios, Shutterstock
72. I Turned Red Just By Reading This
My buddy's parents-in-law were not fans of her, and they didn't give their blessing when she decided to marry their son. Everyone knows that red is the traditional color for a wedding dress, and my friend chose to follow this custom.
The fact she was planning to wear red was no secret—her in-laws were aware of this. When the highly-anticipated wedding day finally arrived, my friend was reduced to a flood of tears—the reason being that every single one of her over 150 in-laws, the entire crowd, turned up in red.
All the ladies sported red outfits, while all the gentlemen donned red shirts. They disliked her so intensely that they wanted to send a clear message of their disapproval. I felt awful for her. It's like if at a wedding in Canada, where the bride traditionally wears white, every woman showed up in a white dress.
73. Playing The Waiting Game
My husband's younger brother had a wedding at a Mormon temple. We couldn't attend the ceremony as only him and another brother are still practicing Mormons, leaving us waiting outside.
It was April in Salt Lake City; not freezing, yet not entirely warm either, with the wind adding to the chill. We were supposed to meet them outside the temple for pictures at 1:30. We arrived a tad late at 1:45, only to realize they hadn't come out until well after 2:30.
Whilst waiting, we seemed to attract disapproving looks from other wedding parties. As we were about to retreat to our car, a phone call told us they were soon to emerge. However, we got a taste of offended sentiments from his mother, who thought we should have waited inside with the youngsters not old enough to enter the temple.
Next, we were on the receiving end of guilt-trips about the 'blessings' we were missing. After enduring another 45 minutes of photos near the temple and on its steps, we all set off to the bride's family church in Pleasant View for the reception, roundabout a 45-minute journey.
However, due to the delayed schedule, we found ourselves caught up in the rush hour. Additionally, with a major traffic accident on the highway, it took some of us about 90 minutes via backroads to reach, and others nearly 3 hours.
Consequently, the time allotted for family photos before the reception became redundant. To add to the traditional Mormon wedding inconveniences: lack of alcohol, masses of children underfoot, and a reception venue made up of a carpeted basketball court, there were thrice as many guests as expected.
The entire reception was spent in the greeting line, even taking breaks for occasional family photos as late arrivals trickled in. Once they had greeted everyone, it was almost 10:00 pm.
The cake cutting, first dance, and father-daughter dance were rushed into the last 15 minutes since people were keen to return home. I can't recall any bouquet or garter toss amidst all the leaving guests.
In summary, it was one of the longest and the most dreadful weddings I've ever attended. On a brighter note, it was a lesson learned the hard way—to never again wait outside someone's wedding, especially not outside a temple.
74. How The Danish Do It
I had a pretty fun time at this wedding—but in large part that could be attributed to the drinks I kept indulging in. My friend from college, Lauren, fell for a man she met in Denmark, just a year after we graduated. They started dating, although long distance, and tied the knot about a year and a half later.
Most guests traveled from other states or even other countries, the primary one being Denmark. But that's where the hiccups began. It hadn’t crossed Lauren's mind to organize transportation or even directions to the venue, which was a state park half an hour's drive from the hotel where we were all staying and where the reception was set to take place.
Let me stress this: 80% of the guests had flown from different corners of the nation and beyond for this special day. Discovering this left me a bit awestruck, especially when she borrowed my phone to use Google Maps to help the groom's granddad reach the location.
Thankfully, I got a ride with another college friend who had driven up. The venue was picturesque, next to a beautiful waterfall, but uncomfortably hot and swarming with mosquitos. Adding to the chaos, the aged speaker being used for amplification failed, leading the bride up the aisle in unexpected silence. The situation seemed to worsen by the minute.
With the ceremony over, we joined the reception—but there wasn't much food to speak of, just some light nibbles and a chocolate fountain. An evening reception following an afternoon ceremony needed more than this—a small buffet at the least.
Despite the cramped dance floor, we were distracted by another hiccup—the MC, the groom's uncle, introduced foreign language videos from absent family members after each song, pacing the night awkwardly.
Eventually, I ended up delivering an impromptu monologue, quoting some Jimmy Eat World lyrics, possibly because of the drinks. I also met a host of vibrant individuals, including a group of rugby players. At the end of the night, I found myself waking up in my dress with a half-eaten slice of pizza by my side. Good times!
75. Resting Groom Face
A couple of years back, my pal got hitched. While the wedding ceremony unfolded smoothly, there was something peculiar about his demeanour. Oddly enough, he didn't flash so much as a single smile... AT ALL.
Considering weddings are meant to be the happiest day of one's life, his grumpiness was quite striking. His peculiar expression was even more noticeable when his bride shared an array of wedding pictures on her Facebook profile, a few days later.
You see, it isn't rocket science to spot the one person in a photograph who isn't smiling – especially when there are 10-20 people wearing their brightest grins. And sadly, in this instance, it was consistently the groom. Every picture sported his identical, gloomy expression.
Depiction Images, Shutterstock
76. The Silence Before The Storm
At a friend's wedding, my wife and I found ourselves at a table with some couples and a stranger that nobody really knew. Despite our best efforts to engage him, he largely kept to himself throughout the night.
He'd had quite a bit to drink, but seemed okay until it was time to hit the dance floor. He decided to stay seated. After about 15 to 20 minutes of dancing, we noticed he was slumped over the table. We'd figured he was just asleep, but when we went to check, we were shocked—we found he had thrown up all over himself and beneath the table.
This unexpected incident left the venue staff angry and the newlyweds utterly embarrassed. It was pretty mortifying for all of us, and I'm not sure if they are still friends with this guy.
77. Mother Nature’s Bitter Surprise
I tied the knot this past June, and we opted for an outdoor setting. Of course, it poured rain the entire day, which we actually didn't mind. What did cross the line, though, was the moment the tornado alarms began to blare just as I initiated my walk down the aisle.
The experience was traumatic, sending everyone scrambling to their vehicles for refuge. With tears streaming down my face, I found myself trapped in my parents' car between my maid of honor and my husband. My fairly insensitive aunt then proceeded to thrust her head through the driver's side window, announcing I had no right to be upset as a snowstorm on her wedding day caused nasty delays and ruined everything.
In hindsight, I suppose I can see her reasoning, but perhaps her timing could have been a tad better.
Eddie J. Rodriquez, Shutterstock
78. One Thing After The Other
My wedding was an absolute circus—and not in a good way. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting much, especially considering the fact that it was a COVID wedding.
Let's start with my mother-in-law, she was on hand to help me get ready. That turned into a three-hour sob fest about how her self-initiated divorce has made a mess of her life. She was so distraught, she forgot to remind my husband to keep out of sight, so he saw me in the car on the way to the venue.
Before the ceremony, they tucked me away in my husband's childhood bedroom. Alone, with not even my mom for company, I spent two hours in there. I wound up calling my best friend in California and shed a few tears.
Let's jump to the wedding. The mother-in-law cooked up the idea of baking us a cake. I said sure, just something simple. There I am, walking down the aisle, when a Marvel-themed cake catches my eye. I mean, it was a cute nod to my Marvel centerpieces, but topped with pop figures and in red and green? It was so off-the-wall it was laughable – a minor complaint, but it made it into the story nonetheless.
Fast forward to my husband's best mate, who rocked up in basketball gear. His brand-new girlfriend decided a denim ensemble was appropriate wedding attire. I suppose it's a step up from the low-cut dresses she's sported at more recent weddings.
One of his friends even chose our wedding to announce her pregnancy.
To top it off, the caterers forgot all appetizers.
The cherry on this disaster cake was a sudden lightning storm complete with a downpour – we wrapped up by 8:30 pm, thanks to that divine intervention.
Boryana Manzurova , Shutterstock
79. Jealous Of The Sick Father
This wasn't my wedding—it was my sister's. A short time before her destination wedding, our father fell seriously ill and couldn't travel. He and my sister weren't exactly tight-knit with our uncle, but she decided to ask him to take over the toast and the prestigious task of walking her down the aisle.
This uncle agreed to write the toast together with our sick father, but ultimately he just whipped up his own speech for the rehearsal dinner.
There were no big hitches during the ceremony itself. But post-ceremony, our uncle seized the opportunity to step into every familial picture that normally would have included our dad. At the reception, he discovered he wasn't seated at the honored Table 1. He chewed out the wedding planner to the point she was physically shaking when she came to relay it to my sister.
Apparently, there was an undercurrent of resentment over his seating arrangements from past weddings of distant family members. In addition, my sister had arrange a day-after photo session. We had kept our lips sealed about it—still, he managed to worm out the information.
Thankfully, he had enough restraint not to join in uninvited. However, he parked himself by the entrance to the photo shoot location and watched the entire process with a sour expression, forever present in our line of sight every time we exited the area.
80. Too Fast, Too Furious
Last September, my older half-sibling tied the knot. She has a younger sister who was quite envious because her elder sister was getting hitched before her. The younger sibling had planned her wedding for the following October but decided out of resentment to schedule it a week after my half-sister's ceremony.
Eventually, my sister felt compelled to remove her from the bridal party because she persistently grumbled about loathing the dresses, refusing to wear the shoes, among other complaints. Then, the time came for the younger sister's hurriedly-planned wedding—and quite frankly, it was a mess.
The invitations appeared to be dollar store buys, and instead of asking for gifts, we were invited to bring our food, drinks, and even our seats as they planned to host the reception in their backyard. Her wedding dress was one she had donned at someone else's nuptials two years ago.
Most of the decorations also seemed to be inexpensive purchases from the dollar store. Her friend baked the cake, but the icing was sliding off its sides. We didn't even stick around for the reception. In my opinion, it felt like karma. She brought it upon herself, and on a brighter note, her parents got to save some cash. Oh, did I tell you the whole ordeal was Superman-themed?
YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV, Shutterstock
81. After These Messages, We’ll Be Right Back
Let's rewind to January 2012. In the middle of a sweltering southern hemisphere summer, a couple had managed to book a church for their Saturday afternoon wedding. The groom was pretty miffed because his preferred soccer team had a match that same day... this forms the crux of the conflict, but allow me to fill in the rest of the details.
On our way to the church, we tuned into the ongoing soccer match on the radio—it's a significant event since it involves one of the two top national teams. Despite the unusual circumstances, we all found humor in it. As we arrived at the church, the match was at half-time, providing us just enough time to enter the church where the groom stood awaiting his bride's majestic aisle walk.
This church was equipped with some ancient speakers that the bishop typically used to address the congregation. As soon as the bride set foot in the room, they queued the wedding music on these speakers, but instead of nuptial tunes, we started getting some serious interference from... Yes, you guessed it, the soccer match! It was comedic gold to hear the commentator's voice and the ads, especially those commercials—so absurd!
I recall being in fits of laughter. The bride was visibly seething, while the rest of us struggled to repress our laughter.
82. Seeing Double
My cousin's wedding didn't go so well. She and her beau were together for six years before deciding to tie the knot. They patiently waited till they were 28 and had their jobs and education sorted out, keen on getting everything perfect.
With a solid YEAR of planning, she had all her wedding dreams set to become a reality. But then, it all came crashing down. Her younger brother unexpectedly became a dad-to-be, and as per our family customs, he had to marry the girl. So, shockingly, a month before my cousin's planned-to-perfection wedding, her folks gave her brother her identical wedding.
Exact church, same banquet hall, identical EVERYTHING. The parents splurged on a fancy wedding for their 19-year-old son whose relationship was all of 2 months old when their daughter was set to get married the following month!
To add insult to injury, her wedding a month later didn't have the live band enjoyed by her brother. Instead, it featured a DJ whose performance was less than stellar. He played CDs, incredibly enough, and during the bride and groom's first dance, the music hiccuped for an uncomfortable 15 seconds.
My cousin was, no doubt, devastated. She bawled in the restroom for a long half-hour, leaving her guests milling around, not knowing how to handle the situation.
83. Too Religious For Their Own Good
This is a story about an acquaintance of mine who was eager to marry her fiance, a theological student. They were young and in a hurry to exchange their vows. When the day came for them to tie the knot, a heavy snowstorm struck and inevitably delayed their big day. Looking at it now, they should've seen this as an omen calling for them to reconsider.
Instead, they postponed the wedding just until the next day. Unfortunately, with such short notice, very few people were able to make it. The ceremony was extremely religious, which at first felt fine. Then it took an unexpected turn. During the vows, the groom made a bold statement. He said, “My dear bride, I wish I could claim that I love you more than anything else, but that wouldn't be the truth. I love God more than you, and that's the proper way to be.”
Things didn't stop there—they went further with a peculiar foot-washing ceremony. The whole event emphasized that this was virtually his final act of service to her. After their marriage, apparently, she was to be his "submissive." I hope I'm not coming off as put-off by religion, but as someone raised in profound Southern Baptist traditions, the entire spectacle felt uncomfortable.
Surprisingly, this God-devoted individual didn't find work in the clergy after finishing his studies. Instead, he ended up in a retail job where he met the woman with whom he would cheat on and eventually abandon my friend for.
84. This Just Got Awkward
Our bride was a familiar face in the small town we all hail from. She ambitiously invited 300 guests to a church that only seated 200, which almost led to the Fire Marshall closing down the event. Even our old high school English teacher made the guest list.
The bridesmaids were interestingly decked out in dresses marked by white zebra stripes, every alternate stripe reflecting a vibrant color similar to those iconic blue cups from the 90s. Brace yourself, it gets even worse.
For the reception, they used long tables since the venue didn't have enough round ones, which hindered mingling by cramping up the space. On top of that, the DJ seemed tone-deaf to the atmosphere, spinning tunes that weren't quite suitable for the gathering.
As if to add more excitement, the groom and his entourage performed a dance that culminated in them stripping down to their underwear, causing quite a stir among the bride and the largely Southern Baptist attendees.
Shutterstock , Wedding and lifestyle
85. An Unexpected Turn Of Events
The bride sent out "save the date" cards for a wedding planned for spring 2014, however, the ceremony date was set for summer 2015. They deliberately delayed their wedding, due to their speedy romance-to-engagement timeline, to avoid assumptions that the bride was pregnant.
Unexpectedly, the bride did fall pregnant and in December, they sent out invitations for a speedy wedding in early January. They didn't discuss their new plans, they simply sent the invites.
On the wedding day, the setting was a windy, chilly field on the bride's family farm in the middle of a Midwestern January. The groom and groomsmen made a grand entrance on four-wheelers, right before someone informed the groom about the bride's tardiness.
We had no clue how late the bride and her bridesmaids would be. We ended up waiting two hours in the freezing cold field since the barn, where the reception was to be held, was off-limits. When the bride finally arrived, she acted as though nothing was amiss and the wedding proceeded.
The reception was in an old barn, partially open to the elements and the only source of warmth were a few space heaters. Everyone was taking turns huddling around them to keep warm. During the reception, we learned that the groom’s mom had joked about the bride always being late, so she kept everyone waiting on purpose as a joke or rather, retaliation. Besides being cold, the reception was fairly typical.
The most memorable part of the evening was the bride and her sister, a bridesmaid, having a heated argument over who had the right to warm up in front of the space heater for some pictures—ironically, the bride was in a layered, warm dress and her sister, a thin satin one. The space heater ended up burning through half the layers of the bride’s dress in the debacle.
A week following their first anniversary, they announced their impending divorce.
Hrecheniuk Oleksii, Shutterstock
86. What Happens At A Bachelor Party Stays There, Right?
My female cousin's second wedding comes to mind. Rewind to the time around 1999, when the groom had his bachelor party the evening before the big day. His best man drank excessively, stubbornly refusing to surrender his car keys. He ended up being pursued by law enforcement and astonishingly launched his car off the top of a steep hill, crashing straight into an electricity pole. The outcome was shockingly tragic—he died on the spot.
Despite the catastrophe, my cousin decided to proceed with the wedding. It's hard to fault her though, but the aftermath was a wedding video featuring the groom sobbing uncontrollably throughout the entire ceremony.
87. Better Have Been An Important Call
In the midst of the church service, just as the couple was about to express their vows, a man's phone disturbed the silence. He picked up the call and began speaking loudly right amongst the attendees.
The preacher paused the service and politely asked the man to turn his phone off or step outside to chat. The man reacted by raising his voice, causing a commotion—and was ushered out by the staff.
Even though I didn't witness it myself, I later learned that the bride had been moved to tears, and this episode pretty much soured the ceremony for her. Given the startled expressions I saw on the crowd's faces, I get why this might have been the case.
Ignatios Kourouvasilis, Pexels
88. Not A Precious Moment
I didn't attend the wedding ceremony, but I did make it to the after-party. Interestingly, it was all themed after 'Precious Moments', and, surprise surprise, no alcohol! However, there was a catch—the guests only discovered this after they arrived, as the newlyweds omitted this detail.
The reception felt unpolished and seriously dull. Apart from around four older individuals and a few children, the dance floor remained vacant. With guests arriving late, the 'Precious Moments' ice sculpture was already in a sad state of half-melted glory. Without a doubt, the event was a flop.
I genuinely feel sorry for the couple, as it's likely their big day is now synonymous with 'the most tedious event ever' for their guests. Indeed, no wonder everyone made an early exit.
TranStudios Photography & Video, Pexels
89. The Past Comes Back To Haunt Him
A good buddy of mine recently tied the knot. Now, he had a previous run-in with the law, a fact his bride-to-be knew and overlooked. It was just us two from the groom's party who were aware of this history. The bride's brother, not exactly a fan of my buddy, decided to dig into his past few weeks before their vows.
Upon stumbling on the blemish on my pal's record, the brother announced this discovery to his side of the family. The bride didn't want to cause any upset among the older folks on the groom's side and so requested her kin to zip it.
Unfortunately, the joy and laughter you'd typically associate with weddings were missing at this one. The animosity from the bride's side was hard to ignore. Unlike most weddings, nobody wore a smile, had a kind word to say, or swayed to a beat. They merely went along with the formalities, doing as little as possible.
A few perceptive folks on the groom's side noticed the wedding seemed off-kilter without knowing why. Thankfully, the groom's mom remained oblivious to the whole fiasco and powered through the event with her usual warmth.
Soon after, the bride had enough of her meddling, opinionated family and decided to cut all ties with them – a decision that's lasted for eight years and counting.
90. Somebody Wants The Spotlight
Instead of toasting at the rehearsal dinner, my mother-in-law surprised everyone by announcing her own wedding scheduled for the upcoming Wednesday. The next day, she showed up in her short, winter-white bridal suit.
The setting? A humble Methodist church in the heartland of the South. My husband's childhood best friend arrived with his girlfriend, both in a haze from a dubious mixture of illicit substances, prescription meds, and likely some things I'd rather not know.
At the buffet table, my husband’s mom couldn't resist the groom's cake, and she ended up devouring more than half of it. I’ve heard rumors that it was potentially the most extraordinary chocolate cake ever baked, but unfortunately we didn't get a single taste of it.
Bogdan Sonjachnyj, Shutterstock
91. Masterplan By The In-Laws
Before our wedding, my father-in-law, who was also the best man, held onto my ring. He stepped out for a smoke and while there, he was toying with the ring and unfortunately, lost it in the grass—and it was nighttime! Without telling me, the wedding had to be postponed as everyone began a flashlight-aided search for the ring.
Having no luck finding the ring, my mother-in-law kindly lent her diamond-studded anniversary band to my husband. So, when the ring exchange moment arrived, it was quite a thrill for me to see a much fancier ring than what we'd originally chosen!
For a while, I assumed it was all part of a surprise for me, until my mother-in-law clarified post-ceremony that I couldn't hold onto the ring. Just a bit later, someone miraculously found my own ring in the yard!
However, there was a low point too when at the reception, my father-in-law ended up throwing up on my gown.
92. Bummer
During my friend's wedding, the bride's mom gave a ten-minute speech that consisted mainly of a rundown of all the terrible events from that year. She talked about family tragedies, alarming medical diagnoses, and damage to property caused by natural disasters, and so on.
Occasionally, she would interject with "It's good we had this wedding to look forward to!" then would dive right back into the list of calamities. But it didn't stop there—she took it up a notch. At one point, she sneakily suggested that her son could have found a better partner, lumping their relationship in with the rest of the disasters she was detailing. Honestly, how insensitive can one person be?
To this day, my friends haven't shared the portion of the wedding video that captured the speeches. The video was shot from the head table, and the bride's hushed comments are clearly audible: "Oh my God. I'm going to sort her out. Right now. She needs to be put in her place." Her newlywed husband was quick to respond, reasoning, "You can't do it now, dear, there are too many people present to witness it."
Bogdan Sonjachnyj, Shutterstock
93. Don’t Want To Miss My Shows
Once, the aunt of an old boyfriend tied the knot right in her living room. It was their third time walking down the aisle, both for her and her betrothed. The dress code was casually relaxed—everyone was wearing jeans and T-shirts.
The entire event was an express affair, wrapping up in about 3 minutes. Can you believe it? The TV was running continuously throughout the ceremony.
94. Runaway Bride
My aunt's wedding was happening, and all was going smoothly until the "I do" moment. When it was her turn to say these two words, she shouted "I can't do this!" and dashed away. Sounds awful, doesn't it? But it got even worse.
Her fiancé, shocked, spun around and screamed, "What about our baby?!" That's how we discovered my aunt was expecting.
95. A Bad Omen
Just last week, I was at a wedding where the bride unexpectedly confessed during her vows that she didn't see the marriage lasting. She admitted they argue a lot but still wanted to give marriage a shot.
Further down the line, during their first dance, something pretty dramatic happened—fireworks were set off, but sadly, the firework holder got knocked over and it ended up setting the carpet on fire.
96. The Hospital Is The New Wedding Venue
I managed to spoil a wedding. After a few drinks, I wasn't completely knocked out, but definitely hazy enough to make unwise choices. I remember heading for the restroom—suddenly, I opened my eyes, startled. I was at a hospital. Surprisingly, it was the groom who discovered me and ended up dressing my wounds, staining his suit with blood in the process.
From what I can gather, I must have decided to rest or sit on the sink for no discernable reason, resulting in its collapse. Likely, I banged my head against the wall or mirror, knocking myself unconscious. You could say I certainly had a dramatic exit.
97. We’re Heading Out Darling
My closest friend, who was also my sole bridesmaid, decided to introduce her latest boyfriend at the wedding. The evening reception had just started and the crowd was yet to thin out when my bridesmaid walked up to me, letting me know, "Ah, my boyfriend wants to depart now."
The reason behind it? "Well, he's ready to... you know!" That's the moment I let my inner bridezilla out, telling him, "The bridesmaid's role is to be by my side during my wedding, not on a date with you. Feel free to leave, but she's staying. And just for the record, if anyone is having a romantic night tonight—it's me!"
Viacheslav Boiko, Shutterstock
98. Beware Of The Cousins
They didn't exactly ruin the wedding, but they did mess up a few photos. My aunt and her family are rather infamous for their behavior at gatherings. They always arrive, eat everything, stash a couple of bottles, and then vanish. Her son, as nice as he is, sadly faces some serious issues and finds it hard to stay composed.
Then there's her daughter—she changes boyfriends as frequently as her clothes. She often breezes into family events, piles up her plate, avoids conversation, and then promptly exits. And if there's a chance, she'll gladly clear out our free vending machine in our basement, styled like a man cave.
So, during my wife's and my wedding planning, we decided to leave the troubled cousin off the guest list, seeing as he was in rehab at the time. Similarly, we decided not to extend a plus one to the other cousin, considering our capacity limitations and her history of bringing questionable partners.
And guess who decided to gatecrash the reception? We had arranged for an open bar, and without surprise, the cousin from rehab immediately got hammered. We instantly sensed trouble brewing. He started photo-bombing incessantly and became quite the disturbance. My dad, who isn't even related to him, nearly had to show him the door before other relatives managed to escort him out.
German Campagnolo, Shutterstock
99. Going Out With A Bang
My dad was the best man at a wedding once. This wedding was a sight to behold, with the last unmarried daughter in a family tying the knot. The bride's father was a picture of happiness, brimming with joy. And then, disaster struck. The bride's father suffered a heart attack just as the reception started.
Meanwhile, my mom—a nurse practitioner and also the maid of honor—rushed him to the hospital, performing CPR along the way. Despite the crisis, the bride's mom took my dad and groom aside, insisting that the wedding festivities should go on, and the day should remain joyful.
Sadly, the father of the bride passed away in the hospital. Yes, there might be more terrible ways to pass, but it was still a hard pill to swallow. As a result, my dad decided to ditch his prepared best-man speech, thinking that it wouldn't be appropriate anymore.
100. That’s So Extra
This wedding genuinely didn't have a single table or chair. I'm not exaggerating—there was literally nowhere to sit. They even set up an open bar but didn't provide chairs. Guests had to keep their beverages on the ground and juggle their plates to eat. It was quite the spectacle.
Initially, we all thought something disastrous must've occurred for the furniture not to show up. However, we soon discovered the maddening reality. When I had a chat with the bride later and questioned about the bizarre situation, she nonchalantly answered, "Well, we would have had to shell out more for arranging that”.
101. It Was His Way Or The Highway
My ex-husband was dominating and controlling throughout our wedding preparations. For example, he didn't let me have any say in the choice of music. His unyielding approach made me feel insignificant, and I found myself continuously giving in to his inflexible wedding ideas. His frustration showed when things weren't executed to his specifications, so much so that he couldn't even smile when I walked down the aisle because the DJ made a mistake.
These should have been warning signs for me about the unhealthy nature of our relationship. Unfortunately, I was young and naive, and ended up staying longer than I should have—10.5 years. This toxic dynamic remained a constant throughout our relationship. There was no room for conversation or compromise, it was always his way or no way. I was made to feel terrible if I didn't comply with his desires.
Any suggestion I made, even something as simple as a paint color for our living room, was instantly dismissed. However, if he arrived at the same conclusion by himself, it would be celebrated. Any input from my end was seen as trivial while I was expected to comply with every single demand he had, exactly as he spelled it out. His incessantly critical nature didn't help matters either. I've made it a point now, never to endure such treatment again.
102. The Butterfly Effect
My spouse and I were in charge of the food for a small, intimate wedding of no more than 50 guests. The couple had their first date at our restaurant and asked us to cater their special day, which was rather touching. The wedding was held by the seashore, carried a strong DIY vibe, and even our children pitched in to help set the scene. Hidden under each spectator's chair at the wedding was a surprise box, meant to be opened when cued by the individual officiating the ceremony.
The aim behind the surprise was endearing. The plan was for guests to lift the lids on these boxes, releasing a flurry of beautiful butterflies, signifying the couple's marriage taking flight. Unfortunately, the outcome was quite horrific. All the butterflies suffocated within their boxed confines due to a lack of oxygen. When the guests simultaneously opened the boxes, the wind swept away the poor creatures' lifeless bodies. In a single striking moment, they were all violently swept off into the horizon.
103. Plot Twist
My wife and I attended a wedding we'd playfully predicted wouldn't last beyond two years. The event took place in the bride's backyard with outdoor seating and a wedding arch.
Instead of a traditional aisle, there was a long stretch of plastic tarp. Ominous clouds began to gather in the sky just as the ceremony was to begin. Realistically, the wedding should've been moved indoors, but it seemed as if they had invited more guests than their house could accommodate.
As the ceremony got underway, a light drizzle began. Weirdest wedding ever, I thought. Then it only got funnier. As the bride was being walked down the aisle by her father, the wet tarp caused him to slip right on his backside!
By the time the bride reached the front, the rain had intensified. The guests, scrambling for cover, were sharply called out by the bride who demanded everyone to remain seated: "This is my wedding! No one is going to ruin it!"
Despite the increasing downpour, we all complied. All around us, the yard was becoming a mud puddle. Some women's makeup began to smear, adding to the comedy of errors.
My wife borrowed my jacket to shield herself from the relentless drizzle. After the rain-soaked vows and equally wet kiss, everyone rushed indoors for cover. Did I mention the mud? Yup, more than a handful of folks tripped and fell in it en route to shelter.
Arriving in the house, it was quite a sight! Guests sported muddied clothes, smeared makeup and were drenched head-to-toe. As clothes clung to bodies due to the rain, some women were forced to fashion impromptu wraps from the men's jackets.
Remember the outdoor cake? Now it was a runny, gloopy mess as it was brought indoors. As the bride and groom started their cake cutting, things spiralled further into chaos. Instead of the traditional bite, they smushed handfuls of cake in each other's faces, triggering a spontaneous food fight! Icing ended up on quite a few people, including the priest.
Exhausted and dirty, my wife laid down the law: "We're not seeing these people for at least six months!" But that's not the end. The couple split 11 months later when the groom found his wife in a compromising position with two other men.
104. The Cruelest Trick
At my cousin's wedding to her partner, some mature family members, including her parents and grandparents, abruptly left the ceremony. They didn't throw a scene or attempt to obstruct the festivities, but their exit was certainly a silent statement of their disapproval.
Their departure crushed my cousin; she had assumed that their presence signified a shift in their attitudes and was a sign of their support. Unfortunately, she was mistaken.
