Most bad wedding stories involve a drunken relative giving an embarrassing speech or some minor occurrence.

This is a different case.

The bride seemed genuinely excited to finally marry her partner, but the reception didn’t reflect that. Things felt off, to say the least.

It’s hard to believe, but the venue didn’t have any decorations and the caterer was late.

What followed was several hours of guests sitting around feeling confused and bad for the bride.

Keep reading for the full story.

No food, no drinks, no music, no decorations. A cellar wedding experience.

I was at a wedding some five years ago, it was the first one I attended as an adult. I went shopping for a nice dress, shoes and a great gift.

I was really looking forward to it because I LOVE weddings! It was the wedding of my then boyfriend’s cousin.

It was a little awkward to begin with because she was 22 and he was 37 and he was pretty quiet and weird.

I mean, quiet is okay but he would always stand in the corner at family gatherings, watching us and if asked something, just mumble something inaudible.

She always went on gushing over her son, was bubbly, just so nice and quite lovely.

Oh yes, they had a child, it was already one and a half when they wed.

According to her, nothing was ideal.

The toddler was the bride’s whole world and she wanted to marry the father so badly and since I only saw her three or four times.

I didn’t feel like I could say anything because I believe she was 19 when they started dating. And he was 34/35. She was his first girlfriend.

Anyhoo, the ceremony was at a well known church here in Germany in a quaint little town where the bombs didn’t hit in WW2, so everything is picturesque and medieval, it is a marvelous place!

So here she comes, the ceremony is nice, everyone is happy for her (his family was almost inexistend, it was mostly her very large family and almost no friends, mostly old people from her side).

It sounds mean, but she’s describing her experience.

Her dress was fitting so badly, I really felt bad because her back was sticking out of the corset in the back and I thought, why didn’t anyone help her dress?!? Or they did a very bad job. I was sad.

And guilty because she looked so happy, maybe she didn’t care, but I thought about the pictures and being obese myself, I just thought, hopefully she’ll feel pretty, because she was.

But you know… It can ruin the moment if you feel insecure and I thought maybe she would. She should have been dressed properly.

I don’t get why no one made sure she was, you can’t tie a wedding dress corset by yourself!!!!! Someone had to notice!

Now the party…

We went on to the party location which was not in the old town district, but in a community space for a sport’s club.

Sadly, the roo was in the cellar. There were two narrow windows at the top.

There was no light whatsoever, it was very dim.

The only lights would have been naked lightbulbs illuminating this like an office space. That was so sad, I wish they had done something about it, maybe some string lights, Idk.

I know they had little money, but the parents had some and I know they’d have paid for some lights.

It gets worse.

No flowers, no decorations, nothing. Not even a balloon. Just 90’s wooden tables, chairs with brown cushions, dated.

The walls were brown wood, floor was grey carpet. It was depressing. Someone was finally able to get a few bottles of coke and a few six-packs of beer.

They actually went out to buy them. Like 20 bottles of soft drinks, 10 water, some 40 beers. It was hard to get anything, of course we let the wedding party go first, still got some. But then no more drinks.

The bride was flustered, the caterer didn’t show up.

She told us and said she’s sorry.

My heart feels tight.

That was heartwrenching.

I don’t know how much didn’t happen, that she actually planned, but the food made her nervous. Fudge.

No music was played, there was no tech in the room. Then someone played some music over the smartphone. It was so weird.

I really think there was more, but not much more planning. The invitations went out 8 months prior, so there was time.

I would get it, if they just didn’t care, but why celebrate then, if you just sit and stare and starve.

Well, the caterer never came. We were thirsty, hungry, the tables bare, no candles, no flowers, no cloth.

My then boyfriend and I had had breakfast, but that was then hours ago.

It was more like detention than a party.

After three hours of waiting, no speeches, no music, no entertainment, everybody just sitting and waiting, we went home because we were so hungry.

We stopped to get a kebab and I felt so so sorry. For leaving, for her, for coming, for everything.

I have been to funerals that were more inviting, in Germany we always go to a restaurant to eat after the funeral service and there’s usually quite a spread. It was depressing.

I don’t know how she felt about it. I don’t care for him, I think he’s weird and she could have done much better, I mean, she was too young for him… but she loved her son so much and it was evident that she wanted a family of her own.

She still thinks about the bride.

I hope she is happy now and can think somehow fondly of the day. I hope she actually just didn’t care.

I don’t need a spectacular wedding, but something festive, special to the newlyweds, something that has a little warmth to it, I think that’s how a wedding should be. This one was so weird.

I have since been to a garden wedding and it was so lovely, family stepping in, bringing food, it was amazing and magical.

And the newlyweds felt special, I know that. I was a bridesmaid.

That was so different.

I still think about this day. I hope she is okay.

Every bride deserves a beautiful wedding. This is a red flag, in my opinion.

If you enjoyed this post, check out this story about a sister who canceled a family dinner after realizing she’d been the only one putting in effort for years.

What did Reddit think?

A reader shares their thoughts.

That’s also sad.

Bleak is the word of the day.

I can’t believe the caterer bailed.

Me too.

It would’ve been more romantic.

My opinion is, if you don’t care, don’t make a wedding or a reception, just keep it simple and chic.

Weddings and receptions are also about offering the guests good memories and a way to celebrate with the couple. This didn’t offer them this opportunity.

Another point is, people have beautiful weddings on limited budgets all the time. A backyard, a garden, a community hall, homemade food… There are ways to do it.

People usually remember the atmosphere and the food.

Yeah, in this case it seems like there wasn’t much warmth in the room and no food at all.

This was weirder than Dwight and Angela’s wedding.