Chicago couple sends ₹1700 bill to the no-shows at their wedding; sparks online debate
A Chicago couple went viral on the Internet after mailing an invoice of $240 to the wedding guests who RSVP'd 'Yes' but didn't show up.
- World News
- 2 min read
A Chicago couple went viral on the Internet after mailing an invoice to the wedding guests who RSVP'd 'Yes' but didn't show up. The charge is $240 (₹17,622) to cover the expenses of the couple. On social media, Doug Simmons, 44, and Dedra Simmons, 43, have gotten both acclaim and criticism for sending the invoice. According to The New York Post, the couple married at the Royalton Negril Resort & Spa in Jamaica.
On August 23, Doug Simmons took to Facebook and shared the invoice. The post was shared by almost 6,000 netizens. He wrote the caption, "Don’t be offended when I send this invoice to you. It’s gonna look something like this. I’ll be sending it via email and certified mail just in case you ain’t get the email.[sic]" One Twitter user shared the image on Twitter writing, "I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wedding reception invoice before lol[sic]".
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wedding reception invoice before lol pic.twitter.com/ZAYfGITkxP
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 24, 2021
Post sparked a debate among netizens
The daring move ignited a heated online debate about whether the couple's missive was nasty or completely deserved. The no-shows were given a one-month payment deadline from August 18, according to the invoice that many Twitter users suspected was a forgery. The invoice was sent by the once-anonymous newlyweds whose Royalton Negril Resort & Spa wedding in Jamaica reportedly cost $120 per person.
As someone who just got married, it is naive. It was $130 per person for food, $40 for drinks, then cost of renting chairs, tables, venue fees and everything else that goes into a wedding. Averaged about $375 per head all in. People who cancelled at the last minute screwed us
— Bruce Pierre (@thedoublebruce) August 28, 2021
So, RSVP'ing you're going during a pandemic, confirming you're attending during final headcount, then not calling is OK because pandemic? You have no idea what the reason for the no-shows is. You're blaming the couple for people not honoring their commitments?
— JLeon (@j_leon70) August 25, 2021
That is tasteless. If you cannot absorb or factor in the no shows then don’t have it. Simple
— CAJillybean (@CaJillybean) August 25, 2021
Stop spending so much on weddings. This is so stupid. Shit happens. Sending an invoice is incredibly tacky. If you can't afford your wedding, make it cheaper. So dumb
— Nicmarie (@nikkinbonnie) August 25, 2021
I wish I'd thought of this. A third of the people who RSVP'd for our wedding didn't show up. We paid for a LOT of food that went to waste (though it was a LOT LESS than than $120 a plate).
— Jackie Barbosa (A BIT OF ROUGH is out now!) (@jackiebarbosa) August 24, 2021
The no shows devastated the couple
When contacted by The New York Post, the groom said that he was "a little petty" at times but that he was not some trivial person who is going to bill somebody. Simmons, a Chi-Town small business entrepreneur, emphasised that it's not about the money. The no-shows at his and his new bride's hard-earned fantasy wedding, which drew over 100 guests, devastated them and made them feel insulted. Doug Simmons told the tabloid that he asked the guests if they could attend the destination wedding several times. Even after guaranteeing him that they would be there, some attendees failed to show up without so much as a phone call or text. The pair claim that the no-shows have harmed and mistreated them. It's another matter if they would follow through on their request. The duo stated that they accept payments through Zelle and PayPal.