SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- It was supposed to be a beautiful wedding overlooking the Sacramento skyline, but after the groom got cold feet, the would-be bride's family was left with a venue, but no wedding.
The tables were set, the food was hot out the oven and one by one the guests arrived Saturday. But they were not the men women and children the Duane family originally planned to host.
"When I found out on Monday that the wedding would not be taking place, it just seemed like, of course this would be something that we would do to give back," Kari Duane, the would-be-bride's mother, said.
Earlier in the week the would-be groom got cold feet and called off the wedding, so rather than cancel the $35,000 outing, the bride's family invited the city's homeless for a once-in-a-lifetime meal at one of Sacramento's finest hotels.
"I think it's very generous actually,” said Erika Craycraft, who is homeless. “To lose out on something so important to yourself and then give it to someone else is really giving."
Many came with their families, giving their kids a rare night out.
"When you're going through a hard time and struggle, for you to get out to do something different and with your family, it was really a blessing," Rashad Abdullah, who is also homeless.
Wedding dinner
The food was similar to what you would find at the hotel's four-star Grange restaurant.
"This is not coming out of our kitchen, we love our Chef Leo, but he wouldn't be preparing nothing like this," Tamara Dotson laughed.
While full stomachs and smiles are everywhere, the night was still painful for the Duanes.
Their 27-year-old daughter who got jilted chose to stay home.
"I feel a lot of heartache and heartbreak for her, but I will take away something good from this, I will," Duane said.
The special supper turned a night that was supposed to be about their family, into one that takes care of others, helped ease the pain.
Part of the $35,000 wedding includes a non-refundable honeymoon, so mother and daughter will take the trip instead to Belize.
