News September 02, 2021
Couple Goes Viral After Posting $240 ‘Invoice’ for No-Show Wedding Guests!
CNN
A newlywed couple who tied the knot in Negril, Jamaica, did not take too kindly to guests who RSVP’d but didn’t show up!
In an interview with People published Wednesday, Douglas and Dedra Simmons got married in a beautiful ceremony in the Caribbean country on August 18.
Though they celebrated their special day with family and loved ones, eight guests who said they would be there failed to attend.
“People might be unable to make it, which is fine,” Douglas told the magazine. “But when we got to the actual, final headcount, and we had 109 people total, we asked everyone, will you be able to make it? Everyone said yes.”
When Douglas returned home, he wanted to express his disapproval to the no-shows but in a humorous manner.
That’s when he created a mock invoice asking would-be guests for $240 and posted it to Facebook.
“This invoice is being sent to you because you confirmed seat(s) at the wedding reception during the Final Headcount,” the invoice read. “The amount above is the cost of your individual seats. Because you didn’t call or give us proper notice that you wouldn’t be in attendance, this amount is what you owe us for paying for your seat(s) in advance. You can pay via Zelle or PayPal.”
Douglas continued about the post, “But to tell me you’re coming, and I asked you four times, and you didn’t show up? Now I got to teach you a lesson. And that lesson came in the form of an invoice.”
Last week, The Shade Room reposted the memo — prompting a variety of responses from social media users.
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Some Instagram commenters sided with the couple and highlighted the exorbitant costs of throwing a wedding.
“Petty but understandable... folks need to start respecting RSVPs... weddings are NOT cheap. And considering they probably had to NOT invite some special people due to costs - so now BOTH the uninvited and the no-show ain’t there but a PRE-PAID OVER-PRICED meal is wasted?!? So ...” one Instagram user wrote.
“DONT RSVP IF YOU AINT COMING!!!!!! Ppl are paying for you TO BE THERE!!!!!!” a commenter wrote.
However, others believed sending an invoice, albeit a fake one, was not the appropriate action.
“I wouldn’t send you an invoice, but im never inviting you anywhere again,” a social media user said.
“Don’t invite ppl you can’t afford. This is tacky,” another added.
After posting the invoice, Douglas and Dedra told CNN that one of the couples who no-showed apologized to the two and offered to pay. However, the Simmons declined.
“It wasn’t about the money, we were just trying to send a message,” Dedra told CNN.
Overall, Douglas says the message he wants to send is, “It’s about accountability. It’s about being considerate.”
“There are hundreds of people who’ve inboxed me, telling me horror stories about their wedding, about their birthday party, and people who did a no-call, no-show. And it begs the question of, is that fair?” he told People. “Whether I’m rich or poor, is it fair to tell me you’re going to do something, give me your word, then no-show me, and I have to just eat the cost and just smile about it? Is that fair?”
