After learning the would-be-groom called off the Saturday wedding, Kari Duane, mother of the prospective bride, thought of the logistics of canceling the wedding.
On Monday, Kari Duane’s 27-year-old daughter, Quinn, told her mother that the fiancé began having doubts.
The bride’s family had already paid a deposit for the $35,000 reception at the Citizen Hotel, a fine venue in Sacramento, Calif.
Kari Duane shared that once the cancellation was certain, she said, “We were like, OK then, we are going to serve.”
The original guest list had over 100 names, and about 90 of the city’s homeless attended, including single adults and families with children.
Citizen’s has a four-star restaurant, and the reception menu included salmon, tri-tip, gnocchi, cauliflower and salad.
Erika Craycraft feasted with her husband and five children. She spoke of the Duanes’ generosity, “To lose out on something so important to yourself and then give it to someone else is really giving, really kind,”
Duane said, “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.
She also said, “I feel a lot of heartache and heartbreak for her, but I will take away something good from this, I will.”
Giving did not end with the banquet — flowers were donated to a nursing home.
Quinn and Kari Duane won’t waste a nonrefundable honeymoon trip either. The mother and daughter headed for Belize on Sunday.
