Close Ad

Bride Finds Out Something About Her Fianc and Cancels the Wedding - Decides Not to Let the $15K Reception Go to Waste
Bride Cancels Her Wedding and Donates $15,000 Reception to Kids With Special Needs
Uplifting News

Bride Finds Out Something About Her Fianc and Cancels the Wedding - Decides Not to Let the $15K Reception Go to Waste

When an "I do" turned into an "I don't" this bride decided not to let her reception go to waste.

*Featured image contains photo by Dimitri Kuliuk and Diana Titenko

Weddings are supposed to be the start of a couple's "happily ever after," but for this particular bride, her happily ever after doesn't actually include her groom.


Just days before the ceremony, the California bride discovered something about her fiancé that made her say, "Yeah, NO" and she called off the wedding.

Hot Stories

Unable to cancel her non-refundable lavish $15,000 reception, she decided to turn lemons into lemonade.

How a Bride Turned Her Nightmare Into a Dream for Families of Children With Special Needs

wedding altar
Photo by MunozPhoto_

The bride, who wishes to remain anonymous, reached out to Parents Helping Parents (PHP), a San Jose-based nonprofit that provides support to children and adults with special needs, as well as their families.

It's a charity near and dear to her heart, having helped her own family in the past.

She made a phone call and offered up the whole shebang — including the venue, the food, the DJ, a photo booth, and even a dazzling display of fireworks.

Not surprisingly, PHP employees were shocked. And beyond thrilled.

"I think this donation is extraordinary," executive director Maria Daane told NBC Bay Area.

"I've never heard of anyone ever calling a nonprofit and saying, 'We want to donate a $15,000 party in two weeks to you.'"

Maria Daane via NBC Bay Area

(And she said she likely never will again.)

With no time to spare, the nonprofit sent out invitations to the families it helps, dubbing it the "Ball for All." RSVPs came pouring in.

And by the time the big day rolled around, more than 100 children, parents, caretakers, and PHP staff showed up to the ballroom at the Gilroy Eagle Ridge Golf Club ready to party.

Turning a Personal Set-Back Into a Source of Joy

Guests were all smiles as they ate and danced the night away. Liz Schwartz, the mother of a daughter with special needs, said it was a "rare and special treat."

"It’s wonderful to be included and to have this celebration of who our community is.”

Liz Schwartz

Oftentimes, families of children with special needs can feel isolated, navigating a complex and unique journey that many people outside of their circles may not understand. They don't always get to partake in the same events as their peers, which is why this was so special.

The celebration, born out of the bride's sad and unexpected turn of events, not only brought joy to the faces of the attendees but also served up a much-needed sense of community.

In one special night, the families and caretakers were able to just kick back, relax, and enjoy themselves. As did their kids. The event wasn't just about a canceled wedding; it was about rewriting the narrative for families of children with special needs. And it was pure magic.

Finding the Good in the Bad

Despite her heartbreak, this bride managed to do something amazing and give back to a community that had given so much to her and her family.

No one would have blamed her if she had just locked herself away and shut out the world for a while. Instead, she chose to turn her misfortune into an opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of others.

It just goes to show that the old adage is true, every cloud truly does have a silver lining. Sometimes, we just need to make it ourselves.

Why Jennifer Hudson Forgave Her Mother's Killer -- Life Stories By Goalcast

At the peak of her career, Jennifer Hudson faced a horrific family tragedy. Hudson's mother and brother were brutally attacked in their family home, and her seven-year-old nephew was kidnapped. What followed was a heart-wrenching manhunt to rescue her nephew and seek justice against the man who took her family. Hudson speaks from the heart in this video on what happened to her family and how she was able to move forward.

Celebrities
ideas and thinking

bright ideas

The 21st century has brought great new opportunities for entrepreneurs. The digital revolution has completely changed the way we live -- and the landscape for aspiring CEOs and innovators.

powerful-business-woman

Keep ReadingShow less
Entrepreneurs
Sad woman arms on face
woman crying on a beach

While life is beautiful in so many ways, it is also filled with struggles and obstacles. We can’t truly appreciate happiness without experiencing some sort of pain.

Pain is inevitable. No matter how much we try to prevent bad things from happening, life will strike. Maybe you will have to face grief, betrayal or a broken heart. These experiences can tear you down in unspeakable ways. Some of them will cause so much pain that you’ll do anything that comes to mind to avoid it or feel a bit of joy, even if just for a few seconds.

Keep ReadingShow less
Authors