A wedding-to-remember was supposed to happen just before the Sacramento Skyline, when the groom called it quits after having cold feet. The bride's family, on a lighter note, turned the $35,000-worth wedding reception into a feast for the homeless.
The cancelled wedding should have taken place in the city's finest venues, Citizen Hotel. But due to the unfortunate event, the Duane's, bride's family, turned it into Sacramento's one-in-a-million meal for the homeless.
"When I found out on Monday that the wedding would not be taking place, it just seemed like, of course, this would be something that we would do to give back," Kari Duane tells KCRA News.
Kari Duane, bride's mother, said that her 27-year old daughter, Quinn, called her on Monday to tell them that she and her fiancé decided not to push through with the wedding. Thereafter, they decided to share the non-refundable but blessed day with the less fortunate.
"Even though my husband and I were feeling very sad for our daughter, it was heartwarming to see so many people be there and enjoy a meal," Duane added.
The reception would have had hosted 120 guests. With their initiative, 90 homeless people which included grandparents, families with kids and newborns showed up. The first to arrive was a woman who can't afford rent, but was too old to work. Then more came.
The sumptuous menu included appetizers, salad, gnocchi, salmon, and even tri-tip. Some even dressed up for the occasion. The homeless enjoyed their meal overlooking the magnificent view of Sacramento from the hotel.
"I think it's very generous actually to lose out on something so important to yourself and then give it to someone else," says Erika Craycraft, a homeless woman who came with her husband and five children.
"When you're going through a hard time and a struggle, for you get out to do something different with your family, it's really a blessing," Craycraft's husband, Rashad Abdullah, says.
The bride-to-be did not attend and opted to stay with her friends. She also would be taking her honeymoon trip to Belize with her mother instead and not with the would-be husband.
"I hope that when she looks back at this, she knows she was doing something good with a bad situation," Kari Duane added.
What are your thoughts about the cancelled wedding that turned into a feast for the homeless?
