Cancelled Wedding Reception Donated to Homeless

Imagine the hurt, anger, and embarrassment of calling off your wedding after the plans have been made, reception paid for, and invitations sent out to guests.  Most of us would want to try to recover as much refund as possible, chalk the rest up as loss, and then hide in a hole for several years until life has moved on and the memory blown over. 

One Atlanta couple handled the situation quite differently however when their daughter came to them forty days before her wedding day to tell them that the food, venue, and entertainment they had already paid for would not be necessary.  The bride's father, Willie Fowler said that he then prayed throughout the night and the next morning he stopped his wife Carol from calling to cancel the venue.  Through prayer Willie had been directed by God to turn the situation into something positive that could benefit others.  

Willie and Carol called a nonprofit organization that their daughter had volunteered at called Hosea Feed the Hungry and planned to open their daughter's wedding reception to as many homeless people as they were able to fit.  The logistics were ironed out and buses were able to bring 200 homeless people to the beautiful reception hall for appetizers, a four course meal, motivational speaker, and entertainment.   

An administrator of Hosea Feed the Hungry was humbled by the opportunity given to these homeless individuals and commented that "All the plates were empty and there wasn't any leftover food at all. It was an eye-opening experience. You go to weddings sometimes and you see a lot of people really waste food. We take so many things for granted. These clients or guests, as we call them, they don't."

The Fowlers were so moved by the event that they hope to try to make it annual if possible and encourage others not to let cancelled events go to waste.  The couple has been an inspiration to the community and to their daughter, who said the event was "bittersweet but rewarding."