Couple Threatens $240 Invoices After Guests No-Showed Their Wedding

Updated September 8, 2021

For the most part, there isn't much that's really expected of you when somebody invites you to their wedding.

After you've made it clear whether or not you're going, you should be in the clear as as long as you put on some nice clothes, bring a gift, and don't make a scene.

But of course, the burden on you can be a little heavier if the couple is having a destination wedding since you have to both plan and pay for a flight to whatever scenic locale they've chosen for this special moment.

Yet as one couple's viral post makes clear, those destination weddings are no small feat for them either. Which is why they didn't appreciate how some guests strung them along and decided to give them one unique wake-up call.

Earlier this month, Doug and Dedra Simmons of Chicago got married at the Royalton Resort in Negril, Jamaica.

Facebook | Septimbur Petty

According to Insider, about 109 stated their intention to come to their dream destination wedding.

And as Mr. Simmons explained in a Facebook post, the costs of this wedding surely added up quickly as the venue alone was apparently charging $120 per guest.

With this in mind, it's not hard to see why the couple would be miffed when eight people decided to pass on this tropical union without telling anyone.

Wikimedia Commons | Don Ramey Logan

And as Simmons said, this lack of communication was the worst part for him as even a simple message that they couldn't come after all would have been appreciated. And it's not like these wayward guests didn't have opportunities to back out either.

In his words, "Four times we asked, ‘Are you available to come, can you make it?’ and they kept saying ‘Yes.’"

So once he was left eating the costs for these absentee guests, Simmons had an idea to make them realize what their lack of consideration meant to him.

Facebook | Septimbur Petty

On August 23, he posted the invoice you see before on Facebook and warned guests not to be offended when they received it.

And in light of any potential excuses, he added, "I'll be sending it via email and certified mail just in case you say you ain't get the email."

Since each guest and their plus one burned a $120 hole in Simmons' pocket, each bill comes out to $240 to cover both individuals.

However, those guests would soon find out that they weren't going to be out as much money as they thought.

Facebook | Septimbur Petty

That's because Simmons told Insider that he never actually sent out any invoices and that his post was partially a petty joke and partially a teachable moment.

Nonetheless, it seemed to work well as some of the guests in question started sending the couple apologies with a few even offering to help cover the costs. Simmons declined these offers.

In his words, "We said: 'Hey, it's okay. Let this be a lesson to you. Please don't do this to anybody else because we understand that things happen, but it's just not okay at the end of the day to do someone like that, especially someone that you call a friend or you call family."

h/t: Insider

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