WEDDING NO-SHOW GETS BILLED

     Being a newlywed of ten months, I couldn't believe this actually happened! This is Jessica Baker of Golden Valley, Minnesota. She was recently invited to a relative's wedding, RSVP'd she was coming, her babysitter cancelled, so she couldn't go to the wedding and she received a bill from the bride and groom to cover her plates. Yes, that really happened! 

     Baker said she was completely floored when a few weeks after missing her relative's wedding a bill arrived in her mailbox for $75.90. The bill read: "This cost reflects the amount paid by the bride and groom for meals that were RSVP'd for, reimbursement and explanation for no show, card or text would be appreciated." Baker recalled her reaction in an interview with "You've got to be kidding me!" Sounds to me like Baker's relatives are a bunch of assholes with a lot of nerve. Yeah, when you have a no-show who RSVP'd, it sucks! You paid for their plate and it went nowhere. I get it, but sometimes you just have to suck it up, unfortunately. And really? $79.50 for two dinner plates? She's lucky she didn't "no-show" at our wedding then. She would have gotten a bill four times that. Where the hell was this wedding that the couple paid $30 a plate? Maybe we should have gotten married in Minnesota.

     Baker said she fully intended to attend the wedding but her mother, who was serving as her babysitter during the event cancelled at the last minute, cancelled at the last minute. Because the wedding invitation specifically stated children could not attend, Baker said they had no other choice but to stay home. Again, for our wedding, we didn't invite children either except for my nieces and nephews, but we also didn't charge the no-shows for their dinner plate. Baker said she has no plans on paying the bill, which she said she's since thrown away, but she wonders what her correct response should have been. Mine would have been "Go 'F' Yourself!" They are supposed to be a relative? This is how you treat your relatives? You charge them for a $30 plate? Those are assholes and have no place in my life. Oh, did I just make this personal? 

      What wasn't clear in the interview was if Baker attempted to notify the bride and groom about her last minute cancellation, as implied in the letter attached to the bill. One wedding expert advised that guests should notify the couple as soon as possible. I guess, I can see that perspective too. Our "no-shows," at least, notified us and let us know they couldn't come last minute. Luckily, we were able to make other plans. If Baker never notified them and just didn't show, that is kind of wrong on her part, but she still should not have been charged for two $30 plates. What a bunch of cheapskates! Do you think the bride and groom's billing was justified?