Photo: Quinn Duane / KCRA
The groom changed his mind.
By NyRee Ausler
Last updated on Feb 03, 2024
It’s hard to imagine a worse wedding day for a bride than being left at the altar, abandoned by the man who was supposed to make you his wife.
In 2015, Quinn Duane from Sacramento, California shared her heartbreaking experience after her fiancé decided to back out of their wedding days before the scheduled nuptials.
Duane was going to marry her fiancé at a high-end hotel. The extravagant wedding had a price tag of $35,000.
Less than a week before the wedding, the man called Duane to let her know that he was not going to marry her after all.
This, of course, was terrible news. In shock, Duane took a few days to decide what to do. She was, undoubtedly, hurt and embarrassed by her runaway groom’s actions.
The bride's mom decided to use the canceled wedding as a chance to help the homeless.
But her family had her back, determined not to let this moment in time define her. They decided that the show must go on. Duane’s mother, Kari, explained that the ceremony and reception had already been paid in full and that they couldn’t get all of their money back.
“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,” she said. She then added. “I feel a lot of heartache and heartbreak for her, but I will take away something good from this.”
Kari decided they would make the best of a bad situation and invited people who didn’t have a home to enjoy the lavish meal. Duane, herself was emotional and couldn’t bring herself to attend the events that were supposed to be part of her wedding, so she ended up staying home.
Many unhoused people showed up to dine with the jilted bride’s family.
Kari got the word out and the first to arrive was a woman who was “too old to work” and unable to afford rent. Then the venue began filling up with families and single people grateful for the hearty meal they were about to receive.
One man, Rashad Abdullah, who brought his wife and five children said, “When you’re going through a hard time and a struggle for you to get out to do something different and with your family, it was really a blessing.”
His wife, Erika was also grateful to the family, saying, “To lose out on something so important to yourself and then give it to someone else is really giving, really kind.”
The fancy meal, consisting of salmon, tri-tip, appetizers, salad, gnocchi, and cauliflower had been prepared with the expectation of feeding 120 guests. A lot less than that showed up, so there was plenty of food for everyone.
As another dagger in the heart, Duane’s family had paid for a honeymoon in Belize. They decided that they would take advantage of it and make it a mother-daughter trip for Kari and Quinn.
Duane is not alone over 20% of scheduled weddings are called off before couples wed. But one might say it’s better to know your mate if fickle before you tie the knot than after. But don’t cry for Quinn. It looks like she got married to a man named Jordan in 2017. Let’s hope she has found her happily ever after.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and author of seven books. She covers lifestyle and entertainment and news, as well as navigating the workplace and social issues.