Caterer scams bride and groom, bails on the day of the wedding, leaving the wedding planner scrambling: 'This is my worst nightmare as a planner'

Author image for Ben Weiss
Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Nov 15, 2024 4:00 PM EST

This was not exactly the wedding of anyone's dreams.

Let's start with the bride and groom of this event, who had to switch wedding planners about ten days prior to the ceremony. Just when it seemed like all the stress and chaos was under control, the food and beverage caterer completely bailed on the day of the wedding, taking the money and running without any ability to contact her. To make matters more upsetting, this was a Wish Upon a Wedding event (keep scrolling below for further details).

From the wedding planner's perspective, this was about as disastrous as it could get. She inherited the prior planner's mess and had entrusted that the catering was all good to go, having confirmed with her about the details the day before. Unfortunately, the wedding planner was left scrambling and eventually found help in a nearby restaurant, who she gives a shout-out to at the end of her account of this debacle. 

Keep scrolling below for the full story. For more, check out this post about this boss's fake message before layoffs began.

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  • 01
    Revad n Tapas Craquelas Chimichangar Brische Lamin Tabla de Quesa dre che
    via Unsplash+ (Jordan González)

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    The caterer no-showed. This is my worst nightmare as a planner.
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 03
    Today the caterer no-showed after confirming they'd be here (they confirmed with me on Friday). Fully ghosted. Multiple phone calls and no answer.
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 04
    They had the food and also all the water, Bev, and mocktails. Since it was a Wish Upon a Wedding event, it was a donation. Which means it doesn't even make sense to scam.
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 05
    I sure hope that is a first and a last in my planning career Thank heavens a nearby restaurant stepped in to save the day, but guests went 2 hours without any liquids many left.
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 06
    I feel so bad, I did all I could. But this was supposed to be such a beautiful day, a true gift to a couple faced with unimaginable hardship.
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 07
    UPDATE: The original caterer blocked me on all accounts. She blocked the bride on all accounts. Her website no longer works. I don't even know how I could review her if I wanted to. All I did
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 08
    was email her to ask her if she was okay and what happened that she didn't show up. I definitely did NOT come in gl a-blazing, I truly gave her a chance to explain herself. I'm shook.
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 09
    Also, I'm a wedding planner, but I took over this event 10 days before the wedding. The original Lead Planner and the couple did NOT get along, and there was a lot of nastiness. The Lead Planner YELLED at the terminal
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 10
    cancer patient. I'm so upset by AA that, and it's for the best she was fired. I am glad I stepped in, because the couple loved me but I inherited A LOT of work. I felt like I had nearly an entire wedding to plan in a week.
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 11
    The caterer had already been found by the Lead Planner, and I had assumed she did her due diligence in checking the caterer's background. But also??
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  • 12
    It's doesn't make sense??? To scam a Wish Wedding??? I thought it would be okay to have a little more faith in the vendors.
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 13
    I asked the other vendors if they had seen anything like this before. Combined, they had over 100 years of wedding experience. Not a single one of them have seen a caterer no-show.
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 14
    Also, the restaurant that stepped VI up deserves a medal. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Water Street Grille if you're ever in Eastern VA! They truly saved the day. They made food and Bev for 50 within a 2 hours' notice and to top it off,
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 15
    they surprised the couple with a $200 gift card and told them that whenever they come to the restaurant that they should tell the wait staff so that they (the owners) will personally come up to thank them and check on them. I am getting emotional over here, truly amazing people at Water Street Grille.
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 16
    UPDATE 2: The original planner and caterer are NOT in cahoots. I know the planner personally and while she was negligent and mean to the cancer patient, she is not nefarious. I also know that
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 17
    this was the planner's first wedding she fully planned (or, tried to) outside of her own, so she has very few connections and certainly has not had time to build any loyalty with a caterer. Her business is barely a year old.
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 18
    Rhamona_Q 21h ago . Sounds suspicious, like caterer and original planner might have been in cahoots/relatives/??
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 19
    Amazing_Realit... 21h ago. You could file a lawsuit in small claims court if she had all the food and drinks. Doesn't matter if they were all donated. She stole them from the bride and groom.
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 20
    IdlesAtCranky • 21h ago Wow. Sounds like the original planner has a LOT to answer for.
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 21
    JesslsAJedi · 20h ago • . I am a planner who did a wish upon a wedding and something similar happened to me! Luckily it got fixed before the couple found out.
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 22
    Basically I booked the venue as soon as we could, they confirmed sent contracts and menu. (we weren't allowed to choose our menu it was whatever they wanted to serve. 1 week before I call
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 23
    to reconfirm all the details and they tell me that it's not on their books and the person who booked it got fired. Luckily they were able to make something work but
    via Smart_Ant1465
  • 24
    I was nervous I would have to tell the couple their venue cancelled and we would have to to move the wedding to another date
    via Smart_Ant1465

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