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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Weddings you went to where things went wrong?

764 replies

Bupo · 09/03/2025 12:01

Please can you share any times you attended a wedding where things went awry. I’m just keen to avoid any possible issue.

The only one I can think of is where the bride was two hours late. Apparently her family were just really exacting with the make up artist and had a lot of the make up redone/touched up.

We were sat in the Church for aaaaages. It meant that the drinks reception/evening meal was really rushed as the bride and groom really prioritised the dancing.

OP posts:
SwanOfThoseThings · 09/03/2025 12:04

My DH was late to mine as his family's booked taxi failed to turn up!

eosmum · 09/03/2025 12:04

Brides dad passed away just after the meal. He looked obviously very ill, but such a terrible shock.

ElfAndSafetyBored · 09/03/2025 12:07

I don’t think I’ve been any where something (noticeable) went wrong. But a few marriages afterwards have, possibly due to the focus on the wedding (or the need to have one).

1AnotherOne · 09/03/2025 12:09

No officiant turned up. They assumed it was included in the package. It was not.

Iamallowedtodisagreewithyou · 09/03/2025 12:10

Cheaply undercatered and ran out of food.

Original poster
Bupo · 09/03/2025 12:10

1AnotherOne · 09/03/2025 12:09

No officiant turned up. They assumed it was included in the package. It was not.

What did they do??

OP posts:
jackstini · 09/03/2025 12:10

The hotel lost our flowers
Best man took them the day before but when they went to get them for the table arrangements they had mysteriously disappeared

My bouquet also disappeared from the cake table later on, MIL very upset as I had given it her to put on her parents grave

Aliflowers · 09/03/2025 12:11

Where the hotel had double booked some rooms.

We arrived early the Friday afternoon to the hotel to spend the weekend for a friends wedding (to be held the Sat). There was a wedding on when we arrived and the bride groom and bridal party were in the grounds taking photos. We checked in and enjoyed our day. We found out the next morning that when the bridal party actually arrived to check in all their rooms were gone. Some issue with the booking system and my friends guests had checked in first and taken the rooms. So the bridesmaids and groomsmen ended up sleeping on camp beds in the spa area

yellowfeanw · 09/03/2025 12:11

Bride was throwing up outside shortly after the speeches, she went home and we carried on dancing until the party was suppose to finish!

NaomhPadraigin · 09/03/2025 12:12

eosmum · 09/03/2025 12:04

Brides dad passed away just after the meal. He looked obviously very ill, but such a terrible shock.

My brother was at one where the bride's mother had a heart attack at the dinner. Very sadly she passed in the hospital later that night.
Don't think there is anything you can do to avoid this, it must be very rare.

Coffeeishot · 09/03/2025 12:12

I was at a smallish wedding where a woman and her partner were so drunk that they started arguing at the meal everybody noticed it was all very awkward and it got worse and worse ! I think the hotel staff had to step in.

TheSandgroper · 09/03/2025 12:13

Recep was in a hall. Hall was used regularly for various events.

Yeah, we had to call the sewerage pumping truck halfway through the evening.

TheSandgroper · 09/03/2025 12:14

Reception. Not the Turkish prime minister.

newkettleandtoaster · 09/03/2025 12:15

eosmum · 09/03/2025 12:04

Brides dad passed away just after the meal. He looked obviously very ill, but such a terrible shock.

Oh that's heartbreaking.

That poor man and poor family.

AllyDally · 09/03/2025 12:15

My sister was at a wedding where both the bride and groom had a sickness bug, they were rushing out during the service to be sick. Both of them missed the reception.

8misskitty8 · 09/03/2025 12:16

Grooms brother and a couple of the brides family got into an argument at the evening do.
Punches thrown, chairs broken. Grooms brother stormed out and police were called.
Bride ‘fainted’ and carried to the toilets.
Once police left the wedding continued but the bride/groom were billed for the damage and banned from the venue.

Original poster
Bupo · 09/03/2025 12:16

Wow some of these are tragic

OP posts:
Pancakeflipper · 09/03/2025 12:17

There was a fire and explosion at a building next to the reception venue. All nearby building evacuated.

We heard the fire engines tearing past as we got to the church. Whispers of the explosion passed round during the service. The bride was informed after signing the register. She took it amazingly well.

onetwothreefourfive11 · 09/03/2025 12:17

Wow
Some of these are very bad or really funny

Motherrr · 09/03/2025 12:18

NaomhPadraigin · 09/03/2025 12:12

My brother was at one where the bride's mother had a heart attack at the dinner. Very sadly she passed in the hospital later that night.
Don't think there is anything you can do to avoid this, it must be very rare.

Show quote history

I heard of one where the bride's grandma died on the morning of the wedding. I think they had to tell her. Such sad timing! But it must indeed be pretty rare

harijes · 09/03/2025 12:21

DH ridiculous cousin. Had nut allergy. Wanted Waldorf salad. Gave her self an epi pen. Had a reaction, ambulance had to be called. Missed the entire evening reception

newkettleandtoaster · 09/03/2025 12:21

Pancakeflipper · 09/03/2025 12:17

There was a fire and explosion at a building next to the reception venue. All nearby building evacuated.

We heard the fire engines tearing past as we got to the church. Whispers of the explosion passed round during the service. The bride was informed after signing the register. She took it amazingly well.

I was actually at a wedding just before Christmas where there was a fire alarm at the venue.

It was all dealt with very well and it was a dry day so it was all fine. All over within about 30 minutes or so and back inside.

1AnotherOne · 09/03/2025 12:30

Bupo · 09/03/2025 12:10

What did they do??

Show quote history

The best man made a bit of a fumbled poor speech lasting all of a couple of minutes then the bride went ‘well that’s that then’ threw her arms up and back they went up the aisle. Failing that it was a brilliant day.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 09/03/2025 12:32

Only the one I was glad to have missed, since dh had just been admitted to hospital. Apparently the venue was very cold, the supposedly hot food likewise.

DodoTired · 09/03/2025 12:32

i was MOH at a wedding where a bride organised most of things herself, and after getting ready at the hotel with me and bridesmaids and photos she drove off in a beautiful car to the wedding venue: at which point it became clear she forgot to organise or ask me to organise transport for her bridesmaids and flower girls 😁
luckily we managed to find two taxis in time 😁