Bride does a runner

[STEVE HANLEY]

I was reading on another forum a couple of weeks back, where the bride did a runner and never showed.

Because everything had been paid for and there was no chance of getting a refund from anyone. The groom thought sod it let's have a party anyway.

The DJ said it was possibly the worst gig he'd ever done. Can't even begin to think what it must have been like.

So has this ever happened to anyone else and how did you handle it?

[Jonathan Ford]

Never had a no show,but did have a gig around 5-6 years ago where it became apparent during the evening that the bride had "enjoyed the company" of another male guest the night before the wedding (they'd all stayed in the hotel). Obviously, the same gentleman was in attendance at the reception, and when the groom and his brothers discovered the incident, they were none too pleased.

Fortunately / unfortunately, I didn't have to manage the event...as the police dispersed them all during the massive fight that ensued afterwards!

[Vectis]

I once had a 50th birthday that turned into a 'life celebration' inbetween booking and the actual date of the event :o

I was dreading it, but it turned out to be a really nice evening. Very gentle partying as you might imagine, and plenty of thought provoking messages to read out.

[mark@pegasus]

did a wedding a couple of weeks ago where the bride was so ill she spent the ceremony with a bucket in front of her, changed out of her dress when they arrived at the reception didn't eat anything, missed the speeches, no cutting of the cake and went home at 7.30 so no 1st dance. The groom hung around until 10 to explain to the evening guests, thanked myself, the photographer and videographer for being so understanding.

[Charlie Brown]

Was she hungover Mark or actually ill?

[Eski75]

Can't give a DJ'ing example but when I was playing in bands we got asked by a landlord at a pub we played at regulary to help out with a private function. It was a payer so no problem!

We got there, set up, no drama........then this bloke comes over with a bin liner full of football strips....odd one thinks? Dumps them in our dressing room and says "just pick one that fits lads, I'll collect them after".

Having eventully collared "our mate" the landlord...he eventually coughs that the event is a fundraiser in memory of a 17 yr old lad killed in a motorbike accident a few weeks back. The shirts were that of the local village team he (the deceased) played for and the family hoped we would all wear one in his memory!

It turned out to be a cracking gig in so much as all his beered up football mates got really into the band.......however had we known...............

p.s. fee for the band went toward the air ambulance if anybody was wondering!

[DazzyD]

I once did a wedding where the groom had had a bit too much to drink during the day and went home after about ten minutes of me playing (it wasn't me, the groom's mother made sure I was aware of that!). He actually left before all but about 6 of the guests had arrived.

We still had a damn good party, though! ;) (even if the bride was a bit miffed!).

[mark@pegasus]

Was she hungover Mark or actually ill?
It was a very hot day and she had been stressed about the day going right :eek: for days.

[Ecstatic Events]

Was she hungover Mark or actually ill?

Charlie - Getting Married is the biggest day of your life - WHY ON EARTH would a bride get so drunk the night before and be in a state like that???

Of course she wasnt HUNGOVER you :muppet:

[Charlie Brown]

Charlie - Getting Married is the biggest day of your life - WHY ON EARTH would a bride get so drunk the night before and be in a state like that???

Of course she wasnt HUNGOVER you :muppet:

It wasn't a stupid question at all.

[Javlingames]

It wasn't a stupid question at all.

Exactly, it wouldnt suprise me at all if a bride got hammered the night before her wedding.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Exactly, it wouldnt suprise me at all if a bride got hammered the night before her wedding.

I have had that happen before....

[DazzyD]

It wasn't a stupid question at all.

For once I agree with Charlie. I thought it was a reasonable question.


Exactly, it wouldnt suprise me at all if a bride got hammered the night before her wedding.

Wouldn't surprise you? I think, in today's society, we'd probably expect it!


I have had that happen before....

And you're not the only one!

[goldensounds83]

did a wedding a couple of weeks ago where the bride was so ill she spent the ceremony with a bucket in front of her, changed out of her dress when they arrived at the reception didn't eat anything, missed the speeches, no cutting of the cake and went home at 7.30 so no 1st dance. The groom hung around until 10 to explain to the evening guests, thanked myself, the photographer and videographer for being so understanding.

That's terrible the poor woman what a time to get ill.

[goldensounds83]

The first wedding I ever did back in 1998 was something of an odd one. fairly standard early on buffet... first dance etc. then it gets to about 9 oclock and the Bride and Groom have a massive row, no idea what it was about, but he said something she screamed something along the lines of f:Censored: you then and stormed off in tears didn't see here again until about 10:30 (finishing at 11) when she did come back she was flirting with all the men basically anyone but her husband.

Dispute all this the party continued at the request of the groom and his mother and still had a reasonably busy dance floor considering what was going on.

And the truly amazing thing was I saw them a few weeks ago still together and now have 3 kids so dispite the shaky start it all worked out in the end :D

[mattydj50]

I was reading on another forum a couple of weeks back, where the bride did a runner and never showed.

Because everything had been paid for and there was no chance of getting a refund from anyone. The groom thought sod it let's have a party anyway.

The DJ said it was possibly the worst gig he'd ever done. Can't even begin to think what it must have been like.

So has this ever happened to anyone else and how did you handle it?

This happened to me last Saturday. I came back from holiday on Friday evening and on Saturday my cover DJ called me to ask if I was the DJ at the venue on Saturday night and did I know what the party was. I checked my sheet and it was a wedding and I had a first dance and music list so I thought, something's up here. I rang the hotel and they confirmed that the wedding had indeed been cancelled but the "groom" was still having a "bit of a do" on the Saturday night.

Turns out that the B&G had a final meeting with the wedding host at 2pm on Thursday so when neither had turned up by 4.15, the host rang the bride and left a message. 20 minutes later, the groom walked into the hotel and confessed that "he couldn't go through with it" and the wedding was off.

Because the contract says no refund by this time, the hotel and groom agreen to still hold the evening function as a family gathering. There were 6 guests who had travelled from New Zealand, so that would be an expensive taxi home.

The hotel offered a postponement and offered to feed the guests with the daytime menu but as an evening meal but this was declined.

As they had paid over £1,500 to the hotel, there was a deal done over food and some drink and the evening went ahead. Turned out to be a brilliant night and I was called a "legend" by two of the guests!!

I've had cancellations before, but never as close to the day as this and never being replaced by a family party.

We were a bit apprehensive as we knew the bride only lived 4 streets away and had visions of her, vodka bottle in hand, with bridespaids, mother and father and whoever in tow gunning for a punch up.

[nigelwright7557]

I had a groom ring me up for a price.
He said he wanted it as cheap as possible and didn't even want a DJ just somewhere to plug his ipod into.
So I gave him a good price.
I got there and set up and plugged in his ipod.
I was about to disappear into the bar and the bride asked me where I was going.
I said to the bar for the rest of the night.
She said I had to DJ. I said they hadnt paid for a DJ and she lost it big style and started screaming at the groom.
I said if they paid me to DJ I would do it but the groom refused !
The bride and groom really went at it arguing.
Not the best start to married life.

[DJ Jules]

We were a bit apprehensive as we knew the bride only lived 4 streets away and had visions of her, vodka bottle in hand, with bridespaids, mother and father and whoever in tow gunning for a punch up.

Gives me visions of having to divide the dance floor in two with Gaffer tape... Bride's Family to the left and Groom's on the right - do not cross the line :D

Julian

[funkymook]

I had a groom ring me up for a price.
He said he wanted it as cheap as possible and didn't even want a DJ just somewhere to plug his ipod into.
So I gave him a good price.
I got there and set up and plugged in his ipod.
I was about to disappear into the bar and the bride asked me where I was going.
I said to the bar for the rest of the night.
She said I had to DJ. I said they hadnt paid for a DJ and she lost it big style and started screaming at the groom.
I said if they paid me to DJ I would do it but the groom refused !
The bride and groom really went at it arguing.
Not the best start to married life.

Now I see that as much your fault as the groom's - and a good example of why booking 'as cheap as possible' can often lead to disappointment.

[Digitalsounds]

I had a wedding like this a few years ago

A couple who I knew were due to get married, everything booked really classy venue no expense spared, Day of wedding arrived groom left a note at reception saying he couldn't do it and vanished. I had a call at 3pm asking if I could attend early as they wanted to go ahead with the party.

Have to say it was a really hard night trying not to play the wrong kind of tracks that made reference to this type of subject but the party actually went quite well considering even he bride that wasn't got up dancing but I think she had , had enough to keep her happy if you know what I mean. Have to say we were thanked for lightening the day but did feel bad for her.....

Amazing what happens in life.