My wife and I were sh0cked when we were booted out of a friend’s wedding for ordering pizza after the buffet had run out of food. We had no clue that our intoxicated plan would set off a chain reaction of turmoil, leaving us doubting our actions and friendships.
My wife and I were delighted for my friend Tom’s wedding. The wedding was small and intimate, with approximately 70 visitors, the most of whom were family members. The atmosphere was upbeat, and everyone appeared genuinely thrilled to be there.
“Look at the decorations,” my wife said, smiling. “They did a great job, didn’t they?”
“Yeah, it’s beautiful,” I replied. “Tom and Linda look so happy.”
We took our seats at a table with other amicable people. We introduced ourselves and began conversing.
“Hi, I’m Mike, and this is my wife, Sarah,” I said to the couple next to us.
“Nice to meet you! I’m Jane, and this is my husband, Bob,” the woman said with a warm smile.
The ceremony was beautiful. Tom and Linda exchanged vows, and there were tears of delight all over. After that, we returned to our seats, eager to celebrate.
The open bar was a success. Everyone was chatting, beers in hand, and laughter rang across the room. The waiters set out two bottles of wine on each table, along with bread and butter.
“This wine is fantastic,” Bob remarked, pouring himself another glass. “Have you tried it, Mike?”
“Not yet, but I will,” I explained, grabbing for my drink.
Soon the buffet was announced. The emcee said that tables would be called up one by one, beginning with family.
“That makes sense,” Sarah said. “Family first.”
We observed as the first few tables were called. The buffet looked amazing, with a variety of delicacies. However, I did detect something disturbing.
“Those plates are piled high,” I whispered to Sarah. “I hope there’s enough for everyone.”
“Yeah, me too,” she replied, frowning.
Time passed, and more tables were called. Family members returned for seconds, filling their plates even more than before. My stomach grumbled while we waited.
“Finally!” I said when our table was called.
But when we arrived, the buffet was nearly empty. We scraped together some scraps and returned to our seats, dissatisfied.
“This is all that’s left?” Jane inquired, glancing at her half empty plate.
“Afraid so,” I said. “I can’t believe they ran out of food.”
Everyone at our table looked extremely angry. The mood had turned from delight to frustration.
“This is ridiculous!” Bob said. “I’m still hungry.”
“Me too,” Sarah added. “What are we supposed to do now?”
We sat there, picking at our small servings. Conversations around us got quiet and tense.
“Someone should have planned better,” Jane muttered. “This is a wedding, for goodness’ sake.”
Tom, the groom, approached with a concerned expression on his face.
“Hey, Mike, is everything okay?” he asked.
“Not really, Tom,” I replied. “There’s no food left. We’re all still hungry.”
Tom’s face fell. “I’m so sorry. I thought there would be enough for everyone.”
“It’s not your fault,” Sarah said kindly. “We’ll figure something out.”
After Tom had left, we continued to talk, trying to make the best of the situation.
“Wouldn’t it be funny if we just ordered pizza?” Bob joked, attempting to lighten the mood.
“That’s not a bad idea,” I said, half-serious. “I’m starving.”
“Let’s do it,” Jane murmured, her eyes brightening. “We can all pitch in.”
Everyone agreed, so we soon pooled our money. I contacted a nearby pizza restaurant and ordered four huge pizzas and some wings.
“Thirty minutes,” the delivery person said. “We’ll be right there.”
“Perfect,” I responded, feeling relieved.
We waited, our anticipation increasing. The mood at our table improved as we envisioned the pizza approaching.
“I can’t believe we’re doing this!” Sarah laughed. “This is going to be a story to tell!”
Finally, the pizza arrived. I met the delivery guy outside and brought the boxes inside, feeling the gazes of other visitors on me.
“Did you really order pizza?” one of them inquired, astonished.
“Yep,” I replied, grinning. “Help yourselves if you didn’t get enough food.”
As we began eating, the atmosphere at our table changed. We shared the pizzas with other tables who had lost out on the buffet, and everyone was grateful.
“This is the best idea ever!” Bob commented, munching onto a chunk. “Thanks, Mike!”
“No problem,” I responded, feeling a sense of community. However, I didn’t notice the other tables’ obvious disdain.
I tried to enjoy my pizza, but I couldn’t escape the feeling that something horrible was going to happen. Just then, a tall man in a suit approached our table, and I recognized him as Linda’s father.
“Excuse me,” he said, his voice severe. “Where did you get that pizza?”
I looked up at him and sighed. “We ordered it. There wasn’t enough food left on the buffet, and we were all still hungry.”
His eyes narrowed as he examined the nearly empty pizza cartons. “You didn’t get enough food?”
“No,” I responded, attempting to remain calm. “By the time we got to the buffet, there was hardly anything left.”
Linda’s father frowned. “There are two slices left. May I have one?”
I glanced at him with fury and disbelief. “Honestly, sir, no. Your family ate most of the buffet food. We had to order this just to get something in our stomachs.”
His face grew crimson. “You’re refusing to share?”
“Yes,” I said firmly. “We barely got to eat anything, and we’re still hungry.”
He remained there for a time, visibly angry. He then turned and returned to his table, mumbling under his breath. The tension in the room was apparent. I could see Linda, the bride, frowning at us from across the room. The family at their table was muttering and pointing daggers our way.
“This isn’t good,” Jane stated gently. “I think we’re in trouble.”
Tom returned, visibly distressed. “Mike, I’m sorry, but you and Sarah need to leave.”
“What? Why?” I inquired, feeling a wave of wrath.
“Linda is really upset,” Tom explained. “Her father is furious. They think you disrespected them by ordering pizza and not sharing.”
I shook my head in astonishment. “We were starving, Tom. We did not mean any offense.”
“I know,” he admitted, seeming truly remorseful. “But it’s causing too much tension. Please, just go. We’ll talk later.”
I nodded, feeling furious and hurt. “Alright, we’ll leave.”
Sarah and I packed our belongings and exited the reception. We got a cab and returned home, finishing the evening on a sad note.
A few days later, Tom called me. “Mike, can we talk?”
“Sure,” I replied, still little angry. “What’s up?”
“I want to apologize,” Tom began. “I had a long talk with Linda and her family. They realize now that there wasn’t enough food for everyone. Linda is furious with her family for taking so much and leaving the other guests with nothing.”
“I appreciate that, Tom,” I said, feeling a bit relieved. “It was a tough situation for everyone.”
“Yeah, it was,” Tom agreed. “Linda’s father feels terrible about what happened. He wants to make it up to everyone.”
“Really? How?” I asked, curious.
“He’s planning an ‘After Wedding Shindig’,” Tom explained. “He’s going to invite everyone who was at the wedding, plus a few more. There will be plenty of food and entertainment. He wants to make sure no one goes hungry this time.”
“That sounds great,” I said, genuinely pleased. “When is it?”
“Mid-August,” Tom replied. “He’s pulling in favors and going all out. There’ll be food, drinks, music, and even some fun activities like axe throwing and a bonfire.”
“Wow, that sounds amazing,” I said, smiling. “I’m looking forward to it.”
“Me too,” Tom said. “I hope this helps smooth things over.”
“I think it will,” I agreed.
As I hung up the phone, I felt relieved. Although the situation had been difficult and tight, it appeared like things were improving.
Reflecting on the entire incident, I understood how unexpected and bizarre everything had been. A simple lack of food had produced so much drama, but it ultimately resulted in a solution that promised to be much more entertaining than the initial event.
