Weddings are supposed to be a happy time when family and friends gather to celebrate. But what happens when you unexpectedly discover the truth about your loved ones and begin to question everything?
In the stories below, three individuals share their experiences of when truths and betrayals were unexpectedly revealed just moments before the wedding ceremony, compelling them to make some tough choices.
1. The Groom Abandoned My Daughter, Karma Gave Him a Strong Reply
I never imagined my only daughter's wedding would end like this. She was so happy on that day, and my heart as a father was full of joy. But when we were at the wedding venue, my daughter and her fiancé were nowhere to be found for about an hour.
We all started to worry. Then, the unbelievable happened. The groom came running into the hall and shouted, 'This wedding is off!' Everyone was in shock, including me.
The groom just ran out of the wedding venue. I had this strange feeling, so I went to look for Jane. I found her almost immediately unconscious on the floor of the men's restroom and called the ambulance.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
On the way to the hospital, she gained consciousness for a brief while and whispered something that made my hair stand on end. I couldn't believe what Victor had done to my daughter.
It was supposed to be the most precious day of Jane's life. She was a bundle of nerves before the ceremony, but she was more than pleased with how her vision had come to life. In just half an hour, she would marry the man of her dreams — Victor.
And although his temper terrified her, she had to admit that his charm had reached her heart.
Standing before her reflection in her room, she smiled. She ran her fingers through her hair; it was freshly done, and she loved how polished she looked.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, Jane turned around and saw Victor. The bride's dressing room was usually forbidden territory before the ceremony, but there he was.
For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube/LOVEBUSTER
"Jane," he whispered, his eyes wide with desire for her. "You look ravishing."
"Victor!" Jane exclaimed. "You're not supposed to be here! You know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding, my love. Now close your eyes and go! I'll help you. Wait for me at the altar. I'll be there soon."
Victor stepped forward, the air between them charged with excitement.
"Don't make me wait, Jane," he said, breathing in her scent. "We'll be husband and wife soon, but I can't wait. I must have you now."
Victor began to undo the buttons of his suit, his eyes lingering on Jane. She felt uneasy. They had decided to wait for their wedding night before being intimate — it wasn't something that Jane believed in, but Victor was adamant about "doing things right," so she couldn't understand what had changed.
For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube/LOVEBUSTER
"What's the big deal, Jane?" he purred against her neck. "Give me ten minutes, and I'll show you what you're in for tonight."
Jane's stomach turned.
"Darling," she said. "We've waited so long. We can wait until the ceremony is over. And I don't want to ruin my hair and makeup, not to mention the dress. We won't have time to sort things out."
"Stop it, Jane," he hissed. "Don't push me away. This is what I want. I know it's your first time, but don't worry, I'll make it special..."
Jane kept pushing him away until she uttered the words that would change her life forever. "Victor, you're not my first," she said.
Victor froze, his eyes searching her own, trying to decide whether she was telling the truth. He took her silence and quivering lower lip as the truth.
For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube/LOVEBUSTER
"What did you say?" he barked. "You're not a virgin? You're telling me that I was about to marry a woman who isn't a virgin? How could you lie to me? How could you make me believe you were a pure woman worthy of marrying me — a powerful businessman? You are disgusting, Jane. You are damaged goods that have been used and thrown aside."
Jane pleaded with him, retorting that she had never lied about it, just that it hadn't come up before. But Victor just wouldn't stop disrespecting my daughter and questioning her character.
Jane rushed out of her room in tears. She was sitting on a bench and crying when she heard a voice, "Excuse me, Miss."
She looked up and saw one of the bartenders from earlier.
"Are you okay?" he asked. "I'm Marcus. Let me sit with you."
Jane collapsed back into her seat, her sobs renewed by the man's politeness.
"I will never be okay again," she cried.
For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube/LOVEBUSTER
"What happened? Why did the groom run away?" Marcus asked her.
"Because he left me," Jane said simply. "He left me because I wasn't a virgin."
Marcus chuckled. "This isn't the Middle Ages."
Jane reluctantly told Marcus everything. She told him about Jake, the man she lost her virginity to — the first man she had loved, until we, her parents, found out and put too much pressure on her, saying that Jake wasn't good enough for her.
Jake couldn't handle the pressure, too, and found comfort in cheating on her. She told Marcus about how she thought Victor loved her for who she was — but Victor wasn't able to see through her past.
"Jane," Marcus said. "Don't waste your time feeling horrible for living your life. He couldn't understand it because he's not the right person for you. We all have pasts. And I can tell you, that groom of yours is anything but a virgin himself."
For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube/LOVEBUSTER
Jane chuckled through her tears.
"Come, I know that you've been booked into the honeymoon suite here — I was given the duty of arranging the champagne for your room. Let's go and order everything off the menu! Let's teach that groom of yours a lesson. And, let's give you a part of this day that you can still have."
Jane reluctantly allowed herself to follow Marcus. She had nothing else to lose now.
They went to the honeymoon suite, where Jane's clothing had already been hung in the closet, her shoes neatly lined against the wall. Marcus ordered every expensive meal on the menu and kicked off his shoes. He made Jane laugh more than she had since her wedding planning began. He had a sparkle in his eyes that reminded Jane of being with someone she loved.
After having a delicious meal and a pillow fight, Jane reached out and kissed Marcus. And right then, Victor entered. He was furious. He grabbed her arm and began dragging her out. She yanked off his arm and ran to the nearest hiding place she could find – the men's washroom — and locked herself in one of the stalls.
For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube/LOVEBUSTER
Victor didn't go after her. Instead, he came to the hall and said, "There is no wedding!" and stormed out.
Jane remained in the hospital under observation until the next morning.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Victor. I wasn't around then.
"Come on. Get dressed. We're having an impromptu drink with the guests. Most of them were staying at the venue, so I sent word that yesterday was a mistake. I will marry you after all. I don't want to. I don't even want to look at you. But I'd look like such a saint, taking you back," he said.
Jane could barely take in anything he was saying. After the act he pulled moments before their wedding, she didn't want anything to do with him. But on the other hand, she didn't have a choice. She thought of the magical time she had spent with Marcus — him teaching her how to love her body and her, enjoying every moment.
For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube/LOVEBUSTER
But Marcus was not here. And Victor was. Giving her a second chance at an easier life — a married woman's life rather than a shunned one.
She did as she was told.
Jane walked around the ballroom where the cocktail party was waiting for her. She looked at every table, hoping to see Marcus, but he wasn't around. Victor was stuck to her, but she knew that he was repulsed by her.
Of course, Victor didn't think it was necessary to invite us. He would only treat us disdainfully now, and Jane was glad that we weren't there to get disrespected by Victor. She hoped I had found her note, though, where she had explained she was marrying Victor.
Jane knew Victor was no saint. He always said guys would date around, but girls? Not so much.
Lost in her thoughts, Jane barely noticed someone walking up to her until he spoke. "Jane," Marcus said, popping out from the crowd. "Why are you hanging out with that guy?"
For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube/LOVEBUSTER
Jane's heart rose. He looked at her tenderly. And she noticed that he was dressed in an expensive suit.
"You left me," she said. "After yesterday, you just left. And why are you dressed like that? Are you not a bartender?"
From the corner of her eye, Jane saw Victor seething with anger. "Get the hell out, you creep!" he yelled at Marcus.
Marcus stood firm. "One more word, and I will have you thrown out."
"You can't do that. A bartender doesn't have that power," Victor laughed.
"No, but this place belongs to my father. And I'm taking over. I was undercover as a bartender yesterday because I wanted to see how things were run from the other side."
For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube/LOVEBUSTER
Marcus smiled at Jane, but she refused to smile back. "I didn't leave you, Jane," he said. "I mean, I did. But I had every intention of coming back."
He pulled a velvet box out of his coat pocket.
"I know you just met me, Jane. But you're magical, and I want to know everything about you. Your past and your present. I want a future with you. So, get to know me. But please, wear this on your finger while you do so. Marry me, Jane?"
Marcus knelt in front of Jane and held the ring to her.
Jane nodded, seeing a future with a man who would love and respect her for everything she was. She squealed when Marcus lifted her up and kissed her. Her fairytale was just beginning.
For illustration purposes only | Source: YouTube/LOVEBUSTER
And me? I was right there, soaking it all in. After racing to the venue with Jane's note clutched in my hand, I saw it all unfold. Seeing her so overjoyed made my heart swell with happiness. For me, my daughter's happiness is all that matters.
2. My Groom Had Five Other 'Brides'
On my wedding day, standing at the altar, I couldn't have predicted the dramatic turn things would take. As I was about to finish my vows, a sudden whispering among the guests drew my attention. I saw five women in wedding dresses walking towards us.
My groom looked as if he had seen a ghost, clearly recognizing each of them. I'd had my doubts, sure, but nothing had prepared me for this.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Rewind to a few weeks prior, I was lounging on the couch post-dinner when I noticed Fred, my soon-to-be husband, pacing anxiously. With our wedding just days away, I sensed something was amiss, especially with Fred's recent antsy behavior and secretive phone usage.
"Fred, you're clearly bothered by something. What's on your mind?" I asked, genuinely concerned.
He tried to brush it off with, "It's just work stress, you know?"
But his evasive gaze told me otherwise.
I pressed on, "Come on, you're not just distracted; you're almost secretive. What's really going on?"
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
After a moment's hesitation, he let out a sigh. "Alright, I'll be honest. I was hoping for a simpler wedding, but now it feels like we're planning a royal ceremony."
Relieved that it was just wedding jitters, I said, "Why didn't you mention this sooner? We're supposed to plan our wedding together. You know, this woman warned me the other day—"
"Woman? What woman? What did she look like?" he asked anxiously.
"Forget her. I only care about you. I had no clue you wanted a more intimate ceremony," I replied.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
"I thought you wanted a lavish wedding. I didn't want to let you down," he said.
"Let's talk to my dad and figure out a middle ground. We're in this together, alright?"
That conversation eased some of my worries, and we got back to wedding planning. Fred, however, remained uneasy about the scale of our upcoming nuptials.
On the wedding day, the chapel looked like something out of a fairy tale, with its grand doors and lovely decorations. Everyone was looking forward to the ceremony. Fred was there before me, waiting.
Walking down the aisle, I felt a rush of joy, thinking about our future together.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
The minister started the ceremony with a warm welcome to the guests. When it was time for our vows, Fred said, "I do," with such sincerity. I couldn't help but cut in eagerly with my "I do" when it was my turn.
Then came that traditional moment, "If anyone objects to this union..." but before the minister could finish, the doors slammed open. A woman in a white dress, just like mine, stood there, pointing at Fred, yelling, "Gotcha!"
Dad was immediately on his feet. "Who are you?" he asked, but she just marched toward us, ignoring his question. The whole place was buzzing.
"Is she lost?" someone wondered.
"An ex, maybe?" guessed another.
As the whispers spread, four more women walked in, each dressed in fancy wedding dresses. Lily, who seemed to be in charge, stepped up and said, "We have to talk about something important before this goes any further."
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
"What in the world is happening? Who are all of you?" I demanded, finally finding my voice amidst the shock.
Fred looked just as shocked and a bit angry at the women. "This is supposed to be our wedding day! What's the meaning of this?" he shouted.
But Lily wasn't thrown off. She gestured for the other women to speak up. Margaret went first. "I'm Margaret, and Fred promised to marry me," she said, which caused the guests to gasp in shock.
Before anyone could really digest that, Vivian jumped in, fiery and holding out a ring. "And I'm Vivian. Fred and I have been together for five years. He gave me this ring."
Then Louise, speaking with a French accent, declared, "I am Louise. Fred and I are engaged, and we're planning for a family!"
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Jae-Hwa was the last one, and she was more subdued. "I'm Jae-Hwa, Fred's ex-girlfriend. I'm a Korean influencer. Fred took advantage of my fame and wealth."
The chapel went quiet, everyone trying to wrap their heads around the drama unfolding. Security showed up, ready to handle the situation.
"Please, remove these ladies," Fred said, trying to sound in charge despite the chaos.
He then tried to laugh it off. "Can you believe this? All exes? At the same time? Come on, that's just crazy talk."
Some guests started nodding, whispering to each other, "Maybe it's all made up."
"Sounds like someone's trying to mess up their big day," someone else guessed.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Fred looked relieved for a second and then turned to me, all earnest. "You believe me, right? I wouldn't be here if I didn't love you."
But the women weren't leaving without a fight. Lily tried to get her point across, but the crowd was too loud, wanting us to just get on with the wedding.