Having black paint thrown all over your white bridal gown seems more like the plot of a pre-wedding jitters nightmare – but it became one woman’s reality after her sister-in-law completely ruined her dress on day of her nuptials.
Gemma Monk was forced to change dresses at the last minute after her vengeful sister-in-law Antonia ‘Toni’ Eastwood tried to sabotage her big day due to a bitter family feud – but it’s far from the only horror stories which has emerged from weddings.
Guests have witnessed everything from violent ‘brawls’ to wince-worthy occasions that saw uninvited family members show up out of spite.
Elsewhere, one woman sent the internet into meltdown in 2019, with her ‘creepy’ mother and son dance with the groom, latching on to him in an awkward hug in front of his bride.
To make matters worse, she committed the cardinal sin of turning up for the big day in a sheer white lace dress.
And other awkward moments have seen brides stood up at the altar, horrific, drunken musical performances and even ‘rude’ invites.
Read on for times wedding guests turned heads for all the wrong reasons…
NIGHTMARE IN-LAWS
Gemma Monk was forced to change dresses at the last minute after her vengeful sister-in-law Antonia ‘Toni’ Eastwood tried to sabotage her big day due to a bitter family feud – but it’s far from the only horror stories which has emerged from weddings
Gemma was left in floods of tears after her sister-in-law wrongly accusing the bride of having tripped her up at her own wedding the year before – and it’s not the only time nightmare in-laws were centre stage.
Last year for instance, one of most astounding elements of Brooklyn’s tirade against his family was the accusation that his mother Victoria had ‘hijacked’ his first dance with wife Nicola with an inappropriate dance move.
His vivid description of the former Spice Girl dancing ‘on’ him caused jaws to drop – but if Brooklyn’s account is true, Posh is far from the first mother-in-law to turn heads at her son’s wedding for all the wrong reasons.
While Victoria stands accused of reneging on her promise to make Nicola’s wedding gown ‘at the eleventh hour’ at least she didn’t turn up in a quasi bridal dress herself – unlike some other mothers.
While some might argue that it’s impossible to outshine or be mistaken for the bride, one mother from the States, in 2023, did her absolute best by wearing a near-white full-length dress to walk her son down the aisle.
Meanwhile, Amy Pennza, an author from Kirtland, Ohio, revealed how she arrived at her wedding to find her mother-in-law wearing a near-identical ivory frock.
However, she later explained how the mother-in-law’s difficult childhood was behind the outfit choice.
Growing up in a home where money was tight made her so frugal that she ‘couldn’t walk away from any bargain – even if that meant wearing a cheap wedding gown to her son’s ceremony’.
‘I’m happy to report the wedding unfolded without bloodshed, or anyone being shoved into the champagne fountain,’ Amy concluded, admitting that her husband’s mother now ‘feels terrible’ about the faux pas.
Another time, a woman was left red-faced after her groom’s mother decided to berate her at the altar – after she joked out her husband-to-be’s ‘flaws’ during a speech.
A TikTok video, which has since been deleted, was originally posted in 2023 by the bride’s sister, Sarah Ragsdale, from San José, California, in 2020.
Another time, tweets from Amy Pennza, an author from Kirtland, Ohio, revealed how she arrived at her wedding to find her mother-in-law wearing a near-identical ivory frock
One woman made her son kiss her on the lips in front of his future wife, according to a series of now-deleted photos from influencer @lanealexisxo
In yet more wince-worthy moments, one bride, Karolina Ceremon shared in a TikTok how her mother-in-law dumped her ‘save-the-dates’ into a bucket of dirty water
She had captioned the footage, ‘My sisters wedding a few years ago. Her MIL has always hated her. She’s just ones of those MIL’s that feel my sister is taking her son away,’ according The Scottish Sun.
In the 31-second footage, the bride and groom could be seen standing opposite one another at the altar, midway through exchanging vows as the bride read from a sheet of paper.
Suddenly, the unnamed mother-in-law interrupted, exclaiming: ‘You do not have to say my son has flaws.’
As the groom chuckled nervously and tells his mother to ‘be quiet,’ the bride intervened and told her that she ‘can leave’.
Resorting to raising her voice, the mother-in-law quipped: ‘No. I don’t have to leave. The dress you’re wearing – we paid for it!’
As fellow guests attempted to calm the woman down, the bride hit back, saying, ‘You’re not gonna ruin my wedding,’ to which the mother-in-law responded, ‘You’re not gonna say my son has flaws!’
The bride argued that ‘everybody has flaws’ and that it was part of the reason she loved and wanted to still marry her fiancé.
In yet more wince-worthy moments, one bride, Karolina Ceremon shared in a TikTok how her mother-in-law dumped her ‘save-the-dates’ into a bucket of dirty water, while another woman made her son kiss her on the lips in front of his future wife.
The latter was unveiled in now-deleted photos from influencer @lanealexisxo, who shared a series of bizarre revelations from her wedding.
‘I don’t hate her, but the way she told everyone she didn’t want to be at my wedding but had to be, and made sure I was told before walking down the aisle will forever be implanted in my brain,’ she wrote, among other grievances; including that her mother-in-law ‘purposefully kissed her son when he went to kiss her cheek’.
WEDDING ‘BRAWLS
Last summer, a couple had their dream wedding turn into a nightmare when a ‘brawl’ broke out at breakfast, police were called and their evening reception at a plush hotel was cancelled.
Bride Mica Morrison and groom Rob Leah, both 29, were said to have been ‘heartbroken’ after officers tried to halt the ceremony with nearly 100 guests and ordered everyone to leave.
Desperate family members held crisis talks with the hotel manager and it was finally agreed that the noon service could go ahead followed by a buffet lunch in a decked out marquee.
However, a ban on alcohol was imposed at the meal and, apart from guests raising a single glass of bubbly or beer to the couple after they had tied the knot, it was strictly bottled water only on each table.
The distraught newlyweds had to cut short a professional photo shoot to frantically try to find an alternative place for their evening party, for which a further 50 guests had been invited.
One guest at Ringwood Hall Hotel – a popular 4-star wedding venue and spa in Brimington, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire – told the Daily Mail that ‘all mayhem broke out’ after a row at breakfast.
Three police cars and two vans raced to the scene after a member of the wedding party started rowing with other hotel guests.
The man, in his early 30s, had asked other guests to move, claiming they were blocking the way as he was pushing a disabled woman, thought to be his mother, in a wheelchair, witnesses said.
One guest, who saw the drama unfold, said: ‘The man started shouting and gesticulating.
‘He was a big fella and he looked quite intimidating. When a couple from the group he was rowing with grabbed his arms to calm him down, he kept shaking them off and in the scuffle a woman ended up on the floor.
‘Staff looked horrified and it was shocking for other guests to see, as we were trying to enjoy a peaceful breakfast.
‘You don’t expect behaviour like that at a decent hotel. It was all going off at the breakfast buffet. It was mayhem.
‘Shortly afterwards, police arrived and started talking to those involved as well as searching the place as if a murder had been committed.
‘Someone said the bride and groom had been upstairs at the time and not at breakfast but were furious police had turned up and ruined their wedding.
‘They were saying staff and police overreacted, that they had mis-read the situation and acted too impulsively.
‘The person who had started the row wasn’t arrested but was banned from the premises.’
People using the hotel’s spa were advised to stay within the facility and not leave until the drama was over.
A DJ booked for the original reception was cancelled and the newlyweds ended up with no live entertainment at the impromptu reception, instead dancing to music played on a mobile phone. The wedding party feasted on takeaway pizza.
Ms Morrison and Mr Leah, parents of two young children, who live in Derby, did not wish to comment. Ringwood Hotel’s management was approached for comment at the time.
A Derbyshire Police spokesperson said: ‘Officers were called to reports of an altercation at Ringwood Hall Hotel in Brimington, Chesterfield, at about 8.45am on 29 May.
‘No arrests have been made and enquiries into the incident are ongoing.’
In another instance shared on social media, one woman wrote about a drunken fight her family members got into.
‘My brother’s ex-girlfriend got trashed on a bottle of champagne she took from the bar and then proceeded to try and physically fight my brother because he took her keys,’ she shared.
‘She wanted to drive home when she could barely walk.’
JILTED BRIDES
In 2022, one bride made headlines after she decided to keep her wedding party going – despite being stood up by the groom.
Kayley Stead, 31, from Portmead, Swansea, Wales, discovered she wasn’t going to marry her partner of almost four years Kallum Norton, the morning of her do.
Despite the heartbreak, Kayley decided to go ahead with the big day, surrounded with her loved ones around her at Oxwich Bay Hotel in Gower, Swansea, Wales.
Kayley went ahead with her wedding entrance, meal, speeches, dances and even posed for professional photos without her groom.
Brave Kayley punched off the top tier of her wedding cake, and spent her first dance with the groomsmen, her brothers, and dad Brian. She even entered the party singing along to Lizzo’s ‘Good as Hell’ with her bridal party.
And afterwards, Kayley admitted she was pleased she still had the party – so money and effort didn’t go to waste.
Her friends rallied around her, barely leaving her side and setting up a GoFundMe page to try and recoup some costs.
In 2022, one bride made headlines after she decided to keep her wedding party going – despite being stood up by the groom
Insurance clerk Kayley said: ‘I saw the groom at around 4pm the day before the wedding and I haven’t heard from him since.
‘We’ve tried to reach out to him, but I’ve had no response from him, no reason why. I’ve had no explanation – not that I want one now, because it’s too far along the line.
‘It was an absolute shock, I had no indication he was going to do this but seeing my girls distraught as well made me want to turn the day around.
‘I didn’t want to remember the day as complete sadness.
‘The whole day, we were saying it felt like an episode of Hollyoaks or EastEnders. It didn’t feel like a real life situation.
‘There were so many special moments, like my wedding entrance, the sparkler walk, the first dance and punching the wedding cake – so there was still happiness in the day.
‘I’d spent all this money, I’d been looking forward to the food, a dance with my dad, spending time with my family, so why not?’
Manow Jutathip Nimnual was set to marry her husband-to-be Phakin Junjerm – but was left stranded alone at the altar in front of their family and friends
Meanwhile, in 2018, another bride from Thailand decided to live-stream her extravagant wedding day on social media, only to find herself abandoned at the altar after the groom got cold feet.
Manow Jutathip Nimnual was set to marry her husband-to-be Phakin Junjerm – but was left stranded alone at the altar in front of their family and friends after he failed to show up on their special day.
And to make things more awkward, the heartbroken bride had to break the news herself to the guests that the groom had ‘run away’, The Bangkok Post reported.
Standing on stage in a white wedding gown, Ms Nimnual thanked her family and friends for attending the ceremony before announcing she was ditched at the altar.
She then reportedly apologised sincerely to her guests because she felt she had not taken ‘good enough care of them’.
The video showed the devastated woman standing alone on stage before she was comforted by a woman before she spoke to her guests via a microphone
BIZARRE MUSIC PERFORMANCES
Sharing his experiences in a Facebook thread about wedding nightmares, one man who’d worked as a DJ revealed how he’d dealt with a man who’d helped himself to his mic, so his children could ‘impromptu sing’ Let It Go from Frozen.
‘I immediately got up from my dinner seat, walked over, and nicely asked the child for my mic back while telling the dad you need to ask before touching things on the DJ stand,’ he said.
‘He, of course, gave me the “they’re just little kids. They won’t hurt anything” speech as I watched the one almost drop my $300 mic.’
Elsewhere, on Reddit, one poster recalled how the bride and groom at a wedding chose to play out a bizarre scenario in which she played a ‘damsel in distress’ while he acted out the role of James Bond, who zip-lined into the wedding to ‘save her’.
‘They even put the 007 music and everything. it was brutal to watch.’
SURPRISE GUESTS
One woman online shared how ‘an entire faction of her husband’s family who we had purposely not invited just showed up’.
‘We ended up having to seat them (they did not get meals because I’m petty),’ she added.
‘Because our party had already started and we didn’t want to ruin it (the party part is like the western version of a reception for us but bigger because that’s where we have the real fun).
‘They also tried to participate in some of the traditional dances that they shouldn’t have so it was messy.’
… AND EVEN RUDE INVITES!
In 2020, social media was left in hysterics over a ‘rude’ wedding invitation that ranked guests into different groups.
Mary von Aue, from London, shared the ‘important notice’ attached to the wedding invite on X, writing: ‘This was included in an actual wedding invitation.’
The note explained how the venue is limited in the number of guests, so the couple were ‘forced to split our guests into groups to ensure we do not surpass our capacity restrictions’.
Many were stunned by the invite, with one commenting: ‘Hilarious that seems B and C are identical but to be C is just slightly more degrading.’
Social media users were left stunned by an ‘important notice’ attached to a wedding invitation which detailed how the bride and groom had ranked guests into different groups
The note began: ‘Please understand that our venue is limited in the number of guests we will be able to accommodate for our wedding day.
‘As much as we would love to have each and every one of you join us on our big day, we are forced to split our guests into groups to ensure we do not surpass our capacity restrictions.’
People classified in Group A were urged to ‘RSVP as soon as possible’, with the note adding: ‘We appreciate your promptness as we will be able to extend any vacant seats to additional guests.’
Meanwhile Groups B and C were asked to ‘please keep a close watch on our wedding website for notice that we have space available’.
The note added: ‘If you already know that you are unable to join us, it is helpful that you decline via the RSVP function on our website.’
Guests in all groups were also ‘encouraged’ to ‘hire a babysitter for the night and leave your children at home’.
It went on: ‘As much as we love your kids, we are doing our best to make space for all the guests we can.
‘We also ask for our single guests to forgo their plus one if possible. We appreciate your understanding.’
Many said they were stunned by the note, with one person commenting : ‘Group A may choose from filet mignon, wild salmon or Cornish hen.
‘Group B may choose from roast chicken or baked rigatoni. Group C may choose PB&J.’
‘You mean to tell me you’re NOT refreshing their Zola registry every five minutes?’ another mockingly wrote, ‘But you’re top of their waitlist!’
