Weddings are expensive, exhausting, and nerve-wracking for everyone involved, so it’s no wonder that sometimes people get cold feet, say things they wish they could take back, or otherwise freak out. And when you add partying and exotic destinations in the mix, things can really go downhill fast. Here are weddings that got ruined before they even started.
1. When One Door Closes
Here's an interesting tale. My uncle was left standing alone at the altar after being in a relationship for five years. It fell on my grandad's shoulders to address the crowd, thank them for their presence, and break the disheartening news that there wouldn't be any wedding.
Broken-hearted, my uncle embarked on a journey to New Zealand to heal his wounds. A pleasant surprise awaited him on the plane, in the form of a New Zealander co-passenger. This gentleman extended an invitation to his family home where my uncle serendipitously found love. That love developed into a marriage and now they are parents to three wonderful kids. She's an awesome person and happens to be my favorite aunt.
2. Never The Two Shall Meet
Here's a story from my days as a part-time wedding planner. The bachelor and bachelorette parties were scheduled at the same hotel in New Orleans. Despite my advice to choose different venues, the allure of a group discount for an extra day in Carmel was too irresistible. The parties kicked off at 8 pm and crossed paths at 3 am, leading to an unexpected, drunken brawl that oddly turned amorous. The morning after brought feelings of embarrassment and resulted in the wedding being called off. However, love prevailed, and six months later, the couple reconciled and tied the knot in a simple backyard ceremony.
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3. For Better Or For Worse
Here goes a friend's story. The bachelor party was held at a local strip club a few days ahead of the wedding and I was going to join them later in the evening. Just before my flight took off, I received a call and the news was devastating. The groom had fallen from the upstairs VIP area and suffered a severe spinal cord injury that left him fully paraplegic.
Months of rehab didn't change his condition. Yet the bride's devotion didn't waver, and they got married almost a year later. Quite a sobering reality check.
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4. Family Feud
A not-so-joyous tale from my cousin who operates an upscale wedding venue. The groom's mother, notorious for her drunken antics, was a worry for the bride who asked the groom to keep her alcohol intake in check. However, a day before the wedding, the bride walked in to find the groom offering drinks to his sloshed mother.
This triggered a heated argument that escalated into a full-blown fistfight. Mayhem ensued, and what would otherwise have been a civil family affair turned into an all-out brawl in the parking lot, "Anchorman" style. They've since rescheduled but I imagine it'll be a tense event.
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5. Gimme Gimme Gimme
One of my buddies invited me to his wedding. He and his partner have been living together for years, both of them coping with different disabilities and surviving on fixed incomes. They live in an area where living costs are quite high. Preparing for the wedding, they've arranged three gift registries and closer to the wedding, they have sent invites to over 300 people.
The items they were asking for through the registries were pretty standard - towels, coffee mugs, cutlery and the like. All seemed normal until the bachelor party, a couple of days before the big day. It was during this party that the harsh truth surfaced. After a bit too much to drink, my friend confessed that the woman he was supposed to marry was actually just his roommate. They had no intentions of tying the knot. The whole wedding charade was just a way to get necessary items they couldn't afford.
They planned to call off the wedding the next day while still keeping the gifts they'd received. As you can imagine, this news did not go down well with the others at the party. Quite a few were ready to pounce on my friend. I had to step in and calm the situation. Afterwards, he got the supposed fiancée to reveal the truth to everyone as he was nursing a heavy hangover. In response, most of the guests took their gifts back, though surprisingly enough, some let them keep the gifts. As his grandfather rightly observed, "If you had to lie like this to get these things, you must have been truly desperate."
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6. Talk About Bad Timing
One of my other friends had been with his partner for eight years, and they had a baby on the way. Despite not being legally married, their committed long-term relationship felt like they were, so we decided to throw him a bachelor party. In the middle of our fun-filled night at the city, he received a call. His partner was in labor, and none of us were sober enough to drive him to the hospital.
So, our only option was to hire a cab, which cost us a whopping $300. When my friend strolled into the delivery room completely wasted, covered in glitters and with inappropriate drawings on his face, I thought he was done for. But, to our surprise, they are still together, seven years later, and have recently welcomed their second child.
7. Liar, Liar
The next story involves the sisters of the bride and groom. During a casual chat, it came to light that almost every detail about the bride, except for her name, was a lie. Alarmed by this revelation, the groom's sister advised her brother to reconsider marrying the bride. After a few arguments and some serious mulling over, the groom left his bride-to-be and the town.
Turns out, the bride had been lying to her friends as well. But the truth had to come out. Eventually, they distanced themselves from her. She had made up stories about attending a high-end private school rather than an ordinary suburban one, about a supposed massive inheritance waiting for her and about owning a house in Hawaii, among other things. No matter how big or small, nearly everything she said was a lie. I'm not sure how she had planned to go on like this indefinitely.
Attempts to repair the damaged friendships were in vain. She reverted to her lying habits quickly and was eventually cast out by her friends again. Soon after, she quit her job at the company we both happened to work for.
8. She Dodged A Bullet
The last story involves a rather unpleasant high school teacher of mine. He was a short, ill-tempered man who took pleasure in tormenting his students and regaling them with the story of how he'd left a woman standing at the altar.
He loved to turn the classroom into a cold, sunless cage by covering the windows and staunchly insisted on all the backpacks being placed against the wall. If any student dared to fetch something from their backpack during class, they were subject to public ridicule.
Regrettably, he was rather proud of his story about leaving his supposed life-partner, stating that he'd deemed the marriage unnecessary. He even bragged about leaving her at the altar in order to go home and enjoy his drink. His smugness was terribly off-putting. Looking back, I wish I had stood up against him in high school.
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9. The Silver Coffin Lining
In my previous job at a high-end wedding venue, a memorable event occurred just two weeks before a significant, grand wedding. Sadly, the groom's father passed away and we had to transition the wedding plan to a funeral plan. The lovely couple was under tremendous stress, but despite this, it turned out to be a unique and unforgettable customer service experience which I often mention during job interviews when asked about my ability to provide exceptional service in challenging situations.
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10. A Nasty Surprise
I once worked at a bustling music venue in Detroit that also hosted wedding receptions. There was one week in the autumn, when almost every weekend was packed with weddings, and I realized that a Saturday was unexpectedly vacant. Figuring this was odd, I chatted with the wedding planner to find out that the groom had called off the wedding. When looking for more information, I turned to the wedding planner's brother, who was our lead bartender.
He shared with me a story that the groom, out of excitement for the wedding, had taken an early lunch break to surprise his soon-to-be wife with a bottle of exquisite red wine. However, it turned out that he was the one in for a shock. He returned home to find his fiancee in bed with another man, his own father. We offered to organize a revenge-themed party as there were no bookings available and the venue deposit was not refundable. Unfortunately, the groom declined our offer.
11. A Whole Lot Of Fuss
This story dates back a few years ago. My ex was the best man at a wedding for his closest friend. On the night of separate bachelor and bachelorette parties, we were all set to regroup at a downtown bar. As the evening wound down for our all-female party, we hopped onto a party bus and headed to the meetup venue.
The bride was becoming increasingly impatient waiting for her groom-to-be. When reached out to, my boyfriend at the time spilled that they had made an unscheduled visit to a strip club. This, apparently, had broken a pre-agreed pact between the bride and groom. Understandably, the bride was furious.
In a fit of rage, she took my phone and demanded my ex to get everyone out of the strip club. He tried to explain the complications of herding 40 intoxicated men out of a club mid-party. Meanwhile, the groom was ignoring all her calls. The situation escalated when the bride decided to storm off, sparking a physical ring between her and the groom's sister.
The fallout resulted in an all-out brawl among the two families and threats of calling off the wedding. The next day, however, things took a surprising turn when the groom called up my ex and invited us for a movie night with the bride. They later got married and continue to be together to this day.
12. The Biggest Betrayal
During a late-night shift at a hotel a day before a wedding, the staff and I were startled by an ear-splitting scream. We then saw the bride, in tears and shouts declaring the wedding was off while she ran out of the building. In her wake was the groom, entirely unclothed, who was trying to cover himself while expressing deep apologies. We soon realized the bride had stumbled upon her mother and the groom in a compromising situation.
Safe to say that our shift was relatively relaxed the next day since there was no wedding after all.
13. A Moment Of Weakness
Her envious friends from the neighborhood persuaded the bride-to-be to be unfaithful at her own bachelorette party. After they'd had too much to drink, they sent a Snapchat as a "prank" to her future husband showing the evidence. Understandably, he didn't find it amusing and left her, packing up his belongings from their shared apartment and driving off to his parents' home. Instead of walking down the aisle, the bride stayed holed up in her room for nearly a month, heartbroken over how her relationship had fallen apart.
14. More Than Just Friends
Let me tell you about my best friend's bachelor party a few years ago. His relationship with his fiancée had spanned six or seven years. She struck up a friendship with a male coworker who eventually became part of the groom's party. I didn't like this guy and I didn't trust him, and I voiced my concerns to my friend. After a night of heavy drinking, the groom-to-be, utterly distraught, abruptly left the party and walked home. He didn't provide any explanation, not a word to anyone. The next day, we learned that his bride-to-be had been having an affair with the groomsman. Despite attempts to mend the situation, he couldn't let it go and called off the wedding.
15. Everyone Knows But Him
A week before he was due to get married, a friend of mine walked into a horrifying scene: his father was having an affair with his fiancée. In his fury, he destroyed their shared bedroom, and to add to his misery, he discovered love letters to his best friend (and best man), hidden away in her underwear drawer. The letters were recent, dating back just a week. The wedding was immediately called off, and I made it a point to cover his tab anytime we bumped into each other at a bar.
16. The Show Must Go On
Just a few days before a planned destination wedding, my sister, the bride, went out for dinner with her gal pals. Meanwhile, at the bachelor party with the future groom, our phones started lighting up with strange texts, followed by a call from the hospital: all the ladies had food poisoning. The groom announced it was over, suggesting we take one last toast before heading to the hospital.
But don't underestimate the resolve of a bride and her bridesmaids. Despite the setback, the nuptials were delayed by just a single day. On Sunday, my sister stumbled down the aisle, her system loaded with so much anti-nausea medication she probably didn't know where she was, much less that it was her own wedding. Her bridesmaids, with complexions resembling the spectrum from grey to green, all looked very ill.
However, this didn't dampen the festivities. There was an open bar, and to keep the party going, the groomsmen and the groom stayed back and continued to have a good time. My utterly exhausted sister and the bridesmaids retired early with another round of the anti-nausea medication and fell asleep in their hotel room. My mother, a retired ICU nurse, took over their care.
17. Bad Habits
On the wedding day, the bridesmaids stumbled upon some narcotics and injection tools in the bride's bag, resulting in a jolt of shock. The soon-to-be husband was furious upon hearing this and cancelled the wedding just an hour before it was supposed to kick off. Even so, he was generous enough to let guests take advantage of the food and drink that had already been arranged. It was a lucky escape for him, and with free drinks pouring for me the whole night, it was a win-win situation for us both.
18. A Backup Plan
Here's a story from a friend of my wife. The tale unfolds at a destination wedding in South America, though we're from the US. Since it was a celebratory getaway, both the bachelor and bachelorette parties happened there. On the eve of the wedding, the bride-to-be went looking for her groom, who seemed to have miraculously disappeared. We later discovered him locked in a restroom with a local woman, indulging in some illicit substances.
The bride was naturally displeased but, surprisingly, chose to proceed with the wedding. Fast forward a few years, we unintentionally unearthed a plot twist over dinner with the bride. Turns out she never sent in the marriage certificate, meaning they were not legally wedded. Despite having kids and having lived as a married couple for years, the husband remained oblivious to this fact.
19. Rekindling An Old Flame
As a musician, I regularly perform on a lively and lively street renown for its party vibes. On one occasion, we welcomed a bachelor and a bachelorette party around the same time. I chose to bring both parties onstage together for a fun gimmick, but things quickly went south. In front of everyone, the bachelor and bachelorette started passionately kissing...and they wouldn't stop.
They continued their fervent encounter at the back of the bar, barely noticing their friends at the front near the stage. Over a break, I stumbled upon them in the restroom of the bar, continuing their escapades. After their exit, I ended up having an interesting conversation with them. Even as they confessed about their impending marriages to different people, I couldn't sense any guilt. Apparently, they were old acquaintances from a small town who suddenly plunged into unexplored feelings.
For the following four nights, I kept spotting them out on the streets, holding hands or canoodling. About a year later, I learned that they had dumped their respective partners to marry each other. As much as I was torn about my role in their story, it did feel like I played a part in unitifying two soulmates.
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20. Down To The Wire
Visiting me one day was my aunt who decided to drop off a wedding gift at a nearby reception for my friend's daughter. Shockingly, upon her arrival, she found out the wedding hadn't occurred due to an unprecedented twist. Turns out, the bride-to-be answered "No" to the pivotal question at the altar and walked away, leaving everyone stunned.
What was more bizarre is that both parties were present at the reception, mingling separately with their friends. The groom seemed visibly distressed while the bride had an odd sense of relief. From my perspective, it was disrespectful of her to bail out at the very last moment without any prior notice or explanation.
21. A Photo Finish
My old flame was at a party where male dancers perform. It had a reputation for being a little grimy. After she returned from the party, she shared, "Guess what? The wedding's been called off." Apparently, the bride-to-be was getting lots of attention from the male dancers and things got a little too close for comfort. When this part of the night wrapped up, the bride came back to earth, looked around, and saw that about 20 of her friends had recorded everything on their cell phones.
She was horrified. My ex said she flipped out, instructing everyone to erase those recordings and having a major fit of anger. The story ends shortly after, when the bride-to-be gets a call from her fiancé, who, thanks to those "friends," had already seen the photo evidence of her antics with a dancer.
22. Showing Her True Colors
I attended a good friend's engagement party not too long ago and all was well during the party. However, upon returning to their place, where I was staying for the night, things quickly went south. The couple got into a heated argument, and that's when I saw a side of her I wish I never had. In her anger, she assaulted him, striking him twice in the face. Then she threatened him, "If you tell anyone about this, I'll accuse you of being abusive."
He declared he was done with her, but for some strange reason, the wedding plans are still on track. They had chosen me to be the best man, but now there's no way I can support this marriage, and that includes attending the wedding.
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23. Daddy’s Little Girl
This happened at my friend's bachelor party. The bachelor ended up seriously overindulging, which took the bride's father, a very conservative man, by surprise. He was stunned to see this shocking behavior from the otherwise polite and mild-mannered young man who was about to marry his daughter. Amidst the drunken revelry, the bachelor started to reveal some intimate details about his relationship with his future bride.
The bride's father, who held old-fashioned views, was taken aback when he learned about them: his daughter had practically been living with the bachelor since their junior year of college, with her own apartment being for appearances. Despite his heavy drinking, his bride-to-be regularly outdrank him. She also had a little tattoo on her inner thigh that everyone had seen during a skinny-dip session at the bride's father's lake house. They had once hosted a huge post-graduation party at his lake house while he was on a European vacation.
But the final straw was when he found out that his innocent-looking daughter was into kinky stuff. Outraged, the bride's father called off the wedding and began questioning his parenting skills. He has four daughters, and this was his eldest and always the most well-behaved. They got married anyway.
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24. The Bro Code Strikes Back
So, my friend Jack had a male dancer at his bachelor party. The dancer was fooling around with condoms, but nothing inappropriate happened. At the end of the evening, as Jack was tidying up, he put the condom wrapper in his pocket without thinking too much about it. The next day, his fiancée Kristen found the wrapper while doing laundry.
She instantly assumed he had been unfaithful. Even though Jack tried to explain and reassure her, she couldn't shake her suspicion. In an attempt to clear the air, he suggested she call me to verify his story. Obliging, Kristen asked me about the previous night's events. However, Jack had not filled me in on the situation, let alone what to share, so I downplayed everything to avoid mentioning the dancer.
"Wasn't much going on really, just a few drinks with the boys and smoking some Havanas.” Cut to Kristen screaming something about me being a liar before abruptly hanging up.
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25. A Rollercoaster Ride
Okay, so picture this. The action starts at a distillery, where the rehearsal dinner for a wedding is being held. Everyone enjoys the night a bit too much and ends up completely tipsy, even the grandparents. The groom's father, completely high on spirits, had such difficulty in carrying out his one simple duty — to present his toast for the couple. Now speech aside, he couldn't even manage to stand up!
Here comes the after-party. Instead of calling it a night, the whole wedding party, still in high spirits, decides to visit a karaoke bar. Now, this is where it gets ridiculous. The groom’s little sister, who was still in high school, hops on stage and instead of singing, makes the most audacious (and inappropriate) statement. Her family, obviously dismayed, immediately decides it's time for her to leave.
As the night continues, the party is in full swing until an unexpected bomb drops. The bride, fully under the influence, tells the groom she isn't sure if she loves him anymore. This triggers the groom, igniting a fight with his brother and best man. The aftermath the next day is quite a sight, with both men looking as if they’ve danced a round too many with a boxing champ.
Amazingly, the wedding still goes on, with attempts to hide the evidence of the previous night's brawling under layers of makeup. Therefore, the sight from the altar is not just the bruised groom and best man but also the tipsy bride. They manage to complete the ceremony but, as expected, their marital bliss is short-lived, and they soon part ways. Now, this is where the plot gets exponentially interesting. The groom had previously cheated with a woman he met on his bachelor party, and in a twist of fate, she becomes his next wife.
Reflecting on the chaotic chain of events that made up the wedding, it feels more like a circus play that unfolded under a wedding banner.
26. Second Thoughts
Imagine the scenario: My cousin, a fresh US Marine was about to enter wedlock with a girl he met at a gas station. The girl, with no ambition or job, seemed to be hitching a ride on his benefits. But hey, she was ready for the physical part of the relationship, and he was content. The uneasy ripple this alliance made in the family was evident, but fear of distancing him forced us to keep our reservations aside.
We expected the relationship to self-destruct before the big day, but life had different plans. On the morning of the wedding, she casually drops a bomb — her best friend will be moving in with them post-wedding. My cousin, stuck between a rock and a hard place, had no way to entertain this request considering the stringent laws of his base housing. This obvious deal-breaker led her to call it quits, and he didn’t protest.
Although the wedding was a washout, we made sure the pre-paid reception wasn't. The relief of our family was palpable, and we decided to stick around and make the most of the paid party, sans the bride of course.
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27. It’s Not All Fun And Games
Here's an unnerving snapshot from the life of a friend who was on the brink of a fateful wedding. While out for a drink (since his bride-to-named didn't allow him a proper bachelor party), my friend mustered the courage to reveal his twisted secret. His wife-to-be dominated him under the guise of “playfulness,” part of why he was dreading the impending wedding.
Once, when I had crashed at their place after a wild night, she tried crossing lines with me too. My friend chose to brush it off as "just her way," but I saw it for it was — an abusive relationship. One night, after returning from the bar, my friend abruptly decided to leave his abusive partner, which triggered a full-blown ruckus. I decided to escape the chaos quietly, leaving her behind with her partner in crime.
Thankfully, he called off the wedding. She tried turning tables by painting him as “intolerant” of her lifestyle. The silver lining? My friend ended up marrying an incredible woman, turning a sour story into a happy ending!
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28. It All Comes Out Eventually
Ever witnessed total chaos before a wedding? The father of the bride, who was happily married and had kids, literally slept with the maid of honor the night before his daughter's wedding! As you can guess, this didn't sit well with his daughter, the bride. But that’s not all. The big reveal? The groom himself had been intimate with the maid of honor a few months prior. Unsurprisingly, none of this went down well.
29. Bonnie And Clyde Y2K
This story begins with a couple who had been sharing a bed for some time. The woman becomes pregnant and they decide to tie the knot. Planning for the wedding begins to unfold, and the bride-to-be starts showing signs of her pregnancy. The parents of the bride become enormously upset, insult her in every possible way eventually forbidding her to proceed with the marriage. However, the couple got a devious revenge.
In response, they call off the planned wedding and instead steal the parents' car to elope. As if this isn't enough, they set the parents' garage on fire on their departure – a sight to behold indeed.
30. Watching Out For His Own
The next story is about a friend from the past. This gentleman already has a daughter with another woman. During the reception of his wedding with a different woman, the new bride suggests that he should totally abandon his daughter. He assumes she is joking and decides to ignore the comment. However, later she raises the topic again, insisting that he should forget his daughter as she can bear him as many children as he desires.
This proposition angers the groom terribly. He calls off the wedding reception, ordering everyone to leave. The bride is left startled, without a clue about what just happened. A week later, he meets her only to return the ring that was given to him by her family. After this interaction, they never see or talk to each other again. Fed up by the situation, a year later she sends him divorce papers to sign, finally putting an end to their relationship.
31. Finding His Fit
This next account involves an intriguing encounter of one of my dad's friends. During an outing at a club, this individual happens to have one too many drinks, then ends up leaving the venue with a dancer. He's out of sight for several days but eventually resurfaces, this time surprisingly in a relationship with the dancer he had left with. But here's the greatest part.
In an unexpected turn of the tale, he marries the dancer and they continue to be a couple for more than 20 years. They even seem genuinely happy. Love indeed has its strange ways and appears in the most unexpected circumstances.
32. Getting Cold Feet
On the weekends, I work at an events venue that often hosts weddings. One day around two in the afternoon, the event planner of our team comes down looking terribly distressed. He requests if anyone could accompany him back to the dressing room area. The reason is that he has found the groom in a corner, crying his eyes out. The mother of the bride is trying to comfort him and repeatedly saying, "It's not too late, you don't have to go through with this."
The situation is made more complicated by the fact that the bride is bearing a child. However, the wedding takes place as planned and according to the staff, the couple seemed "quite joyful" once the ceremony had been completed.
33. Let’s Call It Even
Clearing his throat, one of my friends started recounting a tale about a couple he knew. That lovely couple - his friends - were quite open-minded about their relationship. They frequently indulged in flirtatious interactions with others even though they were engaged. A few days before their wedding things went haywire. The groom-to-be ended up sleeping with one of his fiancée’s friends after a night of heavy drinking. When he confessed his misadventure, they both declared a sort of “truce”.
To everyone's surprise, they ended up getting married and now, eight years later, they are happily married with two kids. The interesting part is, the woman he slept with is still apart of our social circle, although the incident is always left unspoken. True story!
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34. Flying Too Close To The Sun
Here's another wedding adventure straight from the wild side. At a pre-wedding party, we were all chilling, enjoying some beers and banter, nothing too wild. Amid all the laughter, the groom was absently stabbing a pocketknife into the top of a picnic table. The bride, taking notice, warned him he'd cut his finger off if he carried on. The groom brushed her off, stating confidently, “It's a lock blade, it won't close.” But, fate had other plans.
At his very next stab, the lock blade closed, severing his pinky finger. He was immediately rushed to the hospital, pinky in cooler. He stood at the altar to exchange vows the next day, heavily medicated for pain. Thankfully, though, he was able to have the pinky reattached and everything ended up alright.
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35. With Friends Like These…
Let me share another intriguing tale. A buddy of mine from college had his bachelor party, a unique co-ed one, inviting all his friends from different walks of life. Here enters our happy-go-lucky groom, all set to marry an ultra-Catholic girl who was drop-dead gorgeous, but also a bit of a killjoy. The groom, frustrated due to her refusal to get intimate before the wedding, ultimately organized a wild bachelor party.
The celebration took place in a grand beach house, hosting both guys and girls. The atmosphere was pulsating with energy and soon turned into an all-out free-for-all, with people sneaking away for everything from innocent kisses to more... intrepid exploits. After a surprisingly satisfying encounter with one of the single girls, I ended up overhearing a conversation from the neighboring room.
In hushed whispers, the groom and my semi-ex shared their dissatisfaction over his fiancée’s cold demeanor and their lack of intimacy. What happened next, you ask? Well, let's just say things escalated quickly. The sounds coming from the room were enough to let everyone know what had happened. As a result, all the younger attendees knew about the groom's unruly behavior just three days before his wedding, but surprisingly no one said a thing.
Out of the blue, four days into their honeymoon, the groom returned home early, called me and other buddies, and dropped the bombshell. Whilst on honeymoon, he had been texting the semi-ex about their tryst, even comparing her favorably to his new wife in bed. Unfortunately, his wife saw these texts and gave him a draconian choice: Ditch all his friends and stay married or leave her. He chose to stay and they now have eight lovely kids.
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36. Better Late Than Never
One more story that I remember vividly is of a bridesmaid who had been advising her friend to reconsider her decision to marry her unemployed and abusive partner. Everyone else, including her parents and other well-intentioned friends, echoed a similar sentiment. Despite these warnings, she decided to ignore everyone's advice. Unbelievably, during the wedding, when she was supposed to say “I do,” she instead took flight, running back down the aisle, leaving everyone, including me, in disbelief. Except for her father, who erupted with a loud cry saying, "Thank You Jesus Christ."
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37. Up Close And Personal
My buddy had a relative who was on the verge of tying the knot. On the eve of the wedding, we all decided to kick back at a local bar that featured a professional dancer. The place was filled with roughly 50 other guys. However, the curtain rose and we found ourselves staring at a face that was far too familiar. Unbelievably, the dancer was the bride's sister, a fact completely unknown to everyone in the room, profession-wise. This revelation cast a chill over the family, leading to the postponement of the wedding. But don't worry, they did end up getting hitched a month later.
38. Reading The Tea Leaves
During my sixth-grade year, my mom announced her decision to marry her longtime partner, a man I had never quite warmed up to and vice versa. When questioned about her choice, the rationale she provided was rather straightforward, but perhaps not the most romantic – financial stability. My soon-to-be stepfather was known for his volatile temperament, particularly towards women.
When I voiced my disapproval, my perspective was quickly dismissed. According to my mother, I needed this man's presence in my life. At the wedding, my half-brother, her son with him, was given the role of ring-bearer. Meanwhile, my stepsisters and I had contempt for this union and opted out of participating in the ceremony. To our surprise, mid-vows, the officiant turned our way and asked, "Do you approve of this union?"
A simple exchange of glances between me and my eldest stepsister was enough to reach a consensus. The resounding "No" disrupted the joyful aura, but at least we were honest about our feelings. Fast forward to the present, my mother now has another son with my stepfather, but lives in a state of constant misery. His derogatory remarks, including implying her worth as a woman is tied to her domestic responsibilities, only worsen the situation.
39. Prince Charming Right Here
In my previous role as a banquet cook at a luxurious hotel and restaurant, I experienced a wedding ordeal that takes the cake. It was a Friday, and we were all busy preparing for a wedding reception scheduled for the next day when we received some rather shocking news from a salesperson. Apparently, we might not be needed to cater the event. When asked why, we were told that disturbing noises had been overheard from one of the hotel rooms.
Upon investigation, they had discovered the groom trying to harm his would-be bride. The groom was promptly taken into custody. But the real kicker? The groom's mother, determined to keep the wedding on track, dismissed the entire situation as a misunderstanding, a perspective law enforcement firmly disagreed with.
40. Those Who Can’t Marry, Teach
Back in the eighth grade, I had a unique experience with my US history teacher who had been jilted at the altar. A dominant personality, she would often experience what seemed like sudden flashbacks about that painful moment. In mere seconds, she would transition from calm to volatile. In fact, remnants of her tragic love story populated our classroom in the form of photographs, each with her jilter's face aggressively scratched out. Her references to him were frequent, often involving fantasized scenes of violent vengeance. Despite her strange behavior, I managed to scrape by with a B in her class.
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41. Nothing To See Here
My tale begins when I was just a toddler. A cousin of my dad's tied the knot, but the wedding was not like any ordinary one. The groom had partied hard the night before and arrived at the altar in pretty rough shape. In an unfortunate turn of events, he retched right onto the altar, causing a stir among the congregation. With that regretful mishap, the wedding was canceled and they never got hitched.
To put a cap on this whole thing, my great-grandfather stepped in to stop anyone from devouring the reception food, which by that point was there for a celebration that wasn't even going to happen, so everyone eventually headed home.
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42. Grief Makes People Do Stupid Things
My college roommate was set to marry her college sweetheart. She had graduated and relocated out of state for her job, while he still had a year of school left. However, a tragic accident claimed his life - during a night of heavy drinking, he took a fatal tumble from a two-story parking garage. You'd think that was a crazy part, but it gets even crazier. In the depths of their shared grief, the deceased guy's brother got my roommate pregnant.
Fast forward four months after the funeral, and everyone was gathering once again, this time for an emergency wedding. My roommate had Indian roots, so it wasn't a simple ceremony - it was an entire day of traditional rituals. Being not overly fond of curry, I attended despite recovering from a bout of stomach flu. The heartbroken father of the groom found solace crying on my shoulder, expressing how wrong it all felt.
And it did go sadly wrong. In less than a year, his surviving son violently assaulted my previous roommate who ended up filing for divorce.
43. One Moment Gone So Wrong
Next up is a story about my best friend's bachelor party, which turned into a tragic event. Everybody was enjoying themselves, getting a little tipsy at the lake house. One fellow, brimming with liquid courage, decided to steer the boat out into the chilly water without any safety vests on. He wasn't alone; two other guys joined him. They were enjoying the cold night air out on the water, about 1,000 feet away from the shore, when the boat capsized.
Only one guy tried to swim back to shore for help, but with his body frigid from the winter water, it took him an hour to reach the nearest residence. Meanwhile, my friend stayed back with the other guy, gripping on the overturned boat. In the pitch-dark cold, they couldn't pry off their heavy clothing and boots, their numb fingers making it almost impossible. While they held on, waiting for some sort of help, they disappeared beneath the depths. What was supposed to be a cheerful wedding party turned into a harrowing search and rescue mission.
Several agonizing months later, they discovered the remnants. Sometimes, I find myself resenting him for not swimming back to shore, other times, I admire his courage for trying to save his friend. I miss you, buddy.
44. One For The Memories
The last story I'll tell today is about my best friend's ex-husband, who was remarrying his long-term girlfriend. The bride-to-be had two sons from a previous relationship, and so did my friend along with her ex-husband. The new wife, although amiable enough, had a tendency to be a little rigid. To illustrate her sense of sternness, she insisted that her soon-to-be stepsons address her formally as "Miss Kate."
During their nuptials, the officiating minister wanted to gauge the sons' sentiments on this "blessed day". The younger of the two brothers, being an outspoken 8-year-old, took the opportunity to vocalize his discontent. Leaning forward to the microphone, he clearly declared, "To be honest, I don't like this too much. Her sons aren't nice, they make me look at inappropriate stuff on the computer, and she uses a wooden spoon to discipline me." The entire incident was captured on a cell phone by my friend. It's probably one of the most unforgettable wedding videos ever.
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45. Probably Not Worth It
Here's my recollection of a wild story involving my brother and his friend. Bear in mind, my brother is a decade older - so I was a 14-year-old kid when everything unfolded. I only learned the complete truth a few years later, as an adult.
My brother's friend was getting married. He was one of the groomsmen. The love story was cutesy, typical of college sweethearts. They were together throughout college and got engaged on graduation day.
Everything was in place for a dreamy summer wedding. But then, the bride-to-be began wrestling with doubts. She'd been romantically involved with just one guy, her fiancé, and knew it was the same for him. After reading a heap of self-help books, she started to believe inexperience to be the downfall of many marriages.
So, she proposed a wild plan to my brother's friend, her future husband. She suggested they have a foursome or swap partners with their best friends - the best man and maid of honor, the night before their wedding. Crazy, right?
The groom, initially silenced by disbelief, argued against it until his fiancée threatened to cancel the wedding. Left with no choice, he spoke to his best man, who reluctantly accepted the plan. The bride-to-be did the same with her best friend who also agreed with a heavy heart.
And so, the quartet met, evening before the big day, and started partying at the couple's apartment. That's when calamity struck. The groom, heavily intoxicated, couldn't perform, leading to a threesome involving the best man, maid of honor, and the bride-to-be.
Losing face and distraught, the groom bolted from the apartment and crashed into a freeway divider. The wedding was subsequently called off because of the accident, and he ended up paralyzed waist-down. A decent guy, we still see him play pick-up games here and there at the local rec center with my brother and me.
They never got married. And I wouldn't be surprised if he's cut ties with his former best friend. As for the would-be bride, I met her at a Christmas party thrown by my parents since her folks are family friends. She seems to have moved on and got married. I think she has a kid or two now. - spacedude86
46. The Shirt Off His Back
Let me narrate an oddball of a wedding I attended some time ago. So, the wedding reached the point where the groom was to say his vows. But lo and behold, he fainted, tumbling down a few stairs. Regaining consciousness shortly after, he looked terrified and bolted out of the building.
Time ticked away: five minutes, then ten, then twenty. More and more attendees stepped outside to see what was happening, and whispers of him possibly not returning grew louder.
The groom finally reappeared, pale as paper. Oddly, he was only in his half-opened tuxedo jacket, baring his chest. His excuse was feeling "too warm" in the heart of winter. He proceeded to the altar nonchalantly, chest hair on full display. The ceremony rolled on, and they got married despite all the oddities. Strangest wedding I've ever witnessed, hands down. - flat5
47. Party Foul
Here's a chilling story I heard on the news. It was about a bachelor party gone horribly wrong. While the party started out routinely, the guys later rolled the bachelor in a rug and propped him outside against a wall for fun. When they came back to unroll the rug, they discovered they'd left him upside down - and he was dead. - Conn3ct3d
48. No Happy Ending
Years ago, I had a close friend in high school - a girl. She was getting ready for her wedding, and the bachelor and bachelorette parties were scheduled for the same night. Upon returning to their hotel room, they had a heated argument that escalated terribly. He ended up beating her so brutally that he believed he killed her. Stricken with guilt, he crashed his car into a concrete road divider and committed suicide.
My friend, thankfully, survived the ordeal. It's been a decade since the incident. She's now happily married with two kids and isn't shy about discussing the tragic event when asked. - KittyFallDown
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49. Putting It Off
On the eve of their municipal courthouse nuptials, the lady, and her soon-to-be husband, decided to throw their separate raucous celebrations, both of which resulted in the pair oversleeping the next day. It wasn’t until city hall called, inquiring about their whereabouts, that they realized they had slept past their scheduled wedding. Nonetheless, they tossed all their concerns aside deciding to postpone their marriage ceremony for a later, unspecified date. They ultimately tied the knot a couple of months later. Remarkably, they have managed to maintain their union for over two decades so far, to my knowledge.
50. Privacy, Please
One of the most unforgettable stories was that of a bachelor who decided to enjoy his last single night in Las Vegas. He met a woman with whom he shared an immediate connection, and in the heat of the moment, he handed her his cell number so that they could continue their rendezvous later that evening. Unfortunately, his plans turned sour in a most unexpected way.
His soon-to-be wife was at home, with their synced iPad, receiving every incoming iMessage from this mysterious woman. Realizing her fiancé's betrayal, the heartbroken bride promptly called off the wedding.
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51. Keep It In The Family
Several years prior, I received an unexpected call from a friend who happened to be the maid of honor of a wedding that I was due to attend within a fortnight. She sounded incredibly distressed but managed to blurt out, "There's no wedding, the groom called it off. He's fallen in love with someone else." I chose not to pry, given my close friendship with the couple, confident that the full details would be relayed to me in due time. However, the truth eventually unveiled was more bewildering than I could ever have imagined.
The groom had announced his intentions to the bride a few weeks before the big day. He visited her apartment, brought to tears by his confession of being in love with another individual. He admitted his love for her, however, confessed that he did not love her in the way she rightfully deserved as a bride. Naturally, this revelation led to a lot of anguish and altercations, but the bride eventually gathered herself to inquire as to who had stolen her groom’s heart.
To her sheer disbelief, the groom named his newfound love, who shockingly turned out to be none other than the bride's own brother. This revelation marked the end of the couple's wedding plans. Today, after about five to six years, the groom and the bride's brother are in a blissful matrimonial bond. As for the bride, we lost touch after the entire ordeal, so I'm unsure if she ever pardoned the duo for their actions.
52. I Just Keep Coming Back To You
The subsequent scenario took place at a wedding reception. The couple, now officially wed, took an unusually long time to make their grand entry, arriving almost an hour late amidst a heated disagreement. Their demeanor did little to dampen the traditional introduction and applause that welcomed them to the main table. However, the quarrel resumed between the appetizer and main course.
Intrigued by the ongoing saga, my girlfriend and I decided to investigate the reason for the bridegroom's sudden disappearance. We found him engrossed in a telephone conversation in the hotel lobby. To our surprise, the bride showed up moments later, still dressed in her bridal gown, and continued her tirade. It was at this moment that the reason for their argument became apparent, leaving us in utter shock.
The groom had invited his ex-girlfriend to their wedding, a fact that unnerved the bride. Additionally, it surfaced that he had strayed numerous times with his ex-girlfriend, with their most recent transgressions occurring approximately a month prior to their wedding. To add more salt to the wound, the ex-girlfriend was, at that very moment, on her way to whisk the groom away from his "hysterical" bride.
As the minutes progressed, we stood there, just a stone's throw away, witnessing the catastrophic argument unfolding before us. The arrival of a worn-out sedan, carrying the ex-girlfriend, confirmed our worst suspicions. The groom bid adieu to his new wife, stepped into the car, and was whisked away by his previous flame. The bride, however, had the last word. As he sped off, she yelled, "Fine! I'll go back to sleeping with your brother then, you jerk!" Unsurprisingly, their union didn't survive much longer after that spectacle.
53. Sister Act
Let me paint a picture for you about a really intriguing event that happened at a Jewish wedding. If you're not familiar with the customs at a Jewish wedding, we can walk through the series of events together.
To begin, at a Jewish wedding, everybody first gathers for the reception, split into separate rooms for the bride and groom. Then comes the ceremony, after which the family members leave to take pictures as guests make themselves comfortable and begin to eat. Once the family photos are taken, the newly married couple makes a grand entrance and the celebration really kicks off with dancing.
However, in between these main segments of the event — specifically, between the ceremony and family pictures — a unique ritual takes place, known as "Yichud." The name itself doesn't exactly translate, but it's more or less understood as "togetherness in isolation."
Here's how it works: After the ceremony, the bride and groom choose to seclude themselves in a room, overseen by two trustworthy witnesses who ensure they stay in the room long enough to, hypothetically, consummate their marriage. In reality, couples typically don't use the Yichud ritual to consummate the marriage — it would be deemed inappropriate — but this practice is still seen as a significant step in solidifying the marriage.
Now, let's add a twist to the tale. After emerging from her Yichud with the groom, the bride makes a shocking announcement. She apologizes to the crowd and informs them that the wedding is off and they will be getting a divorce. They plan to return all the gifted items, except for one - the bedroom set, where she had found her husband-to-be with her sister only a week ago.
At this point, you might be wondering: if she knew about the betrayal before the wedding, why did she proceed with the ceremony? Well, according to Jewish law, once you've been married to a woman, you're prohibited from ever marrying her sister, unless your first wife has passed away.
So by going through with the wedding, the bride cleverly barred her sister from ever having the chance to marry her soon-to-be ex-husband. It's a story that is sure to stir conversations!
