Person Gets $240 Invoice From Couple For Being A No-Show At Their Destination Wedding, Sparking A Debate Online

Sep 01, 2021 by apost team

Having a beautiful, elegant and romantic wedding typically comes with a pretty hefty price tag. From the flower arrangements to the wedding band to the extravagant dinner for guests, there is a long list of items that couples have to pay for on their special day. To better plan their wedding and make sure they're not spending any extra money, it's common for couples to ask guests to RSVP and stick with their original plan. If you say you are going to attend a wedding but then decide not to, it's important to communicate that with the bride and groom. 

For one couple in Chicago, they decided to make their guests who didn't show pay up for their part of the wedding. Doug and Dedra Simmons posted an invoice online on Aug. 18, 2021, directed at any of their guests that failed to turn up to their wedding without informing them beforehand. Those who knew they were the target audience of the invoice were surprised to find out that they were being charged for being considered "no-shows," and were being asked to pay up for their portion of the dinner service. 

It was a destination wedding ceremony and reception in Jamaica, meaning the costs were pretty high for their happy couple, so they wanted people to pay to make up for the uneaten meals. The invoice has since gone viral and has sparked a debate online with people chiming in to defend the newlywed's actions and others claiming that they were extremely wrong for asking their guests to pay for a service they wouldn't have had to had they shown up.

Creating The Invoice

The Simmons held their dream wedding at the Royalton Resort in Negril, Jamaica in August 2021 according to Business Insider. A total of 109 guests RSVP'd to the destination wedding, but eight of those guests ended up not showing up without telling the couple beforehand. They also failed to reach out to the couple after the wedding to provide a reason behind their absence.

"When we got back, they didn't say anything," Doug said. "And I feel like that was a real issue because we would've understood if they had told us that they could not make it. It wouldn't have been a problem. But to no-call no-show — that was an issue." The Simmons decided to do something about this. Doug posted an invoice on his Facebook with the caption: "Don't be offended when I sent this #invoice to you." 

He explained that he would send them through email and certified mail and posted a picture of the invoice that charged people $240 for the wedding dinner service they missed. However, Doug told Business Insider that he never actually sent the invoice; rather, he used it to teach people a lesson and be "a bit petty." Fortunately, some of the missing guests did apologize for their absence and even offered to pay the invoice, but he ultimately declined.

The invoice ended up catching the attention of plenty of people, including HuffPost editor Phil Lewis who shared a picture of it on his Twitter, and said, "I don't think I've ever seen a wedding reception invoice before." The photo has continued to circulate across various social media platforms. 

apost.com

People Have Mixed Feelings

Since posting the $240 invoice online, the Chicago couple has received mixed reviews from friends, family and many people around the world. According to Business Insider, some guests stated that it was a "teachable moment," but others have had very different reactions. Doug said that "hundreds and hundreds" of people have thanked the couple for helping to spread an important message about how inconsiderate it is to be a no-call, no-show.

According to Firstpost, Doug and Dedra had called and asked every guest at least four times about their attendance, which is what sparked them to create the invoices when so many failed to show up. The couple had put a lot of time, effort and money into their dream destination wedding, and they wanted to make sure that their costs knew that.

After overtaking various social media platforms, the invoice has sparked an online debate. While it's ultimately up to the couple to decide how much they spend on their wedding, that cost can definitely be impacted by the amount of guests, which is why it's so crucial to have an accurate guest list. Plenty of people have since spoken up in agreement with the couple, while others have shared their criticism, even calling the move tacky, as per Firstpost. 

However, Doug has continued to defend his and his wife's actions. On Aug. 26, 2021, he posted on Facebook, and said, "My #pettypost has turned into something deeper… it has exposed people's lack of accountability and always finding a way to make themselves the victim." He has continued to encourage others to call out their friends and family who are no-shows.

What do you think about this couple's decision to post an invoice to their no-call, no-show guests? Let us know, and be sure to pass this on to your family members and friends, too.