Bride And Groom Canceled Their Catering at the Last Minute, Then They Came Crashing Down to Earth
The day before the wedding, everything was going perfectly—until the bride called demanding a last-minute menu change. I was managing the catering company on behalf of my boss, Tom, who was undergoing chemotherapy, and this was my first major solo event. It was supposed to be my chance to prove I could keep the business afloat.
The couple had ordered 150 steak plates at $50 each. Contracts had been signed, ingredients purchased, and our kitchen team was already prepping when my phone lit up with a call from the bride, Camille. I had a gut feeling—this wouldn’t be good.
Camille wanted to switch the menu to seafood, saying salmon or sea bass would be more “elegant.” I calmly explained that the contract didn’t allow changes this close to the event and the steaks were already being prepped. She didn’t take it well. Her tone shifted from demanding to insulting in seconds. She questioned my literacy, threw the cost in my face, and eventually handed the phone to her fiancé, Blake—a lawyer who was even more arrogant than she was.
Blake ignored everything I said, declared we were fired, and hung up. I reminded him mid-call that canceling within 24 hours meant he still owed 90% of the payment, but he just laughed.
My kitchen staff looked at me for direction. Miguel, my best line cook, asked if we should stop. I said no. Something told me they’d come crawling back.
Sure enough, at 7 a.m. on the wedding day, my phone rang. It was Blake, barking threats and demanding that we show up with the food. I reminded him he had terminated the contract and would now need to pay our rush-rate—triple the original cost—upfront, no changes to the menu. He was furious, but ultimately agreed. I made him sign a new contract and brought the team to the venue.
When we arrived, Camille was pacing in her wedding dress and Blake looked like a groom having second thoughts. Before we unloaded anything, I demanded the signed contract and full payment. He grumbled but complied.
As we set up, my assistant Jen pulled me aside. Blake had threatened Miguel, suggesting he’d “have him deported” if anything went wrong. Miguel was born in San Diego. I confronted Blake immediately and warned him that if he spoke to any of my staff like that again, we would walk out. Loud enough for guests to hear.
The wedding went smoothly. The food was flawless, the service impeccable, and guests raved. Camille and Blake didn’t say a word to us.
Three weeks later, Blake sued us for “predatory pricing” and breach of contract. We had recordings, the signed paperwork, payment receipts—everything. The judge not only ruled in our favor, he ordered Blake to cover our legal fees and called out his behavior in court.
Tom came back to work part-time six months later. When I told him the story, he laughed so hard he cried. He said I made more on that wedding than he would’ve in three.
Out of curiosity, I checked on Blake and Camille’s Facebook profiles recently. Divorced. Less than three years after their lavish wedding. Turns out karma always finds its way to the table.