A bride was devastated and furious at her family after a guest ordered pizza to her wedding because she was only serving vegan food.
The 28-year-old bride turned to the internet for advice, explaining that she and her husband had been vegans for three years and decided to have an all-vegan reception dinner. However, she admitted she hadn’t informed guests about the vegan menu to avoid “prejudice.”
Her plan went awry when her cousin took action and ordered 20 pizzas, announcing to other guests that he had “real food” to share with everyone at the wedding.
The bride was left in tears and sought advice online, wondering if she was in the wrong for not disclosing the vegan menu to her guests.
“Am I the a**hole for serving only vegan food at my wedding without telling anyone, then getting upset when my family ordered 20 pizzas during the reception?” she asked.
In her post, she explained that her husband was fully supportive of the vegan menu choice.
“We spent months working with an amazing chef to create a gourmet five-course meal that just happened to be vegan – think mushroom wellington, truffle risotto, roasted vegetable tarts, etc. We spent nearly $15,000 on the food alone,” she shared. “We deliberately didn’t mention the food was vegan on the invitations because we wanted people to enjoy it without prejudice. Every dish was designed to be delicious and satisfying, regardless of dietary preference.”
However, her cousin wasn’t pleased with the food options and took matters into his own hands. She noticed something was off when her brother Tom and cousin were absent from their table.
“The ceremony was beautiful ... Twenty minutes later, I watched in horror as he and my cousins walked in carrying 20 large pizzas. They started distributing them to guests, announcing, ‘Real food for anyone who wants it!’”
The bride was mortified. The caterers were embarrassed, and several guests hadn’t even tried the specially curated menu.
Her initial anger was directed at her cousin, but she later found out that her aunt was actually behind the idea.
“When I confronted Tom, he said my aunt had texted him that ‘all the food is just vegetables’ and they ‘couldn’t let people go hungry at a wedding.’”
The arrival of pizza completely overshadowed the expensive gourmet meal. Guests were taking photos and treating the situation like a joke.
She then mentioned that her mother-in-law posted online, saying her son’s wedding “was saved by pizza” and accusing the bride of trying to “force everyone to eat rabbit food.”
The bride spent the rest of the night crying, and her husband demanded that her cousin and his accomplices leave the wedding.
This caused a divide within the family, as “half the family is calling us stuck-up.” The bride explained that she was accused of “pushing our beliefs” onto the guests.
Reflecting on the situation, the bride ended her post with, “Am I the a**hole for not announcing the menu was vegan, and then getting upset about the pizza?”
Although she hoped for some understanding from readers, many commenters criticized her decision not to disclose the vegan menu.
One person wrote, “Be honest, you didn’t tell anyone about the menu because you knew they wouldn’t like it/come if you did. This doesn’t make you an AH, but people could have eaten beforehand if they knew the menus weren’t to their liking.”
Another commented, “I mean ordering pizzas was out of line but you hid it on purpose knowing people wouldn’t like the idea of it. Yes, it’s your special day but being deceptive doesn’t help anyone.”
A third chimed in, “You are upset people prefer pizza over your perfectly curated gourmet menu. That alone should answer your question. You’re the a**hole for trying to force the issue.”
I can totally understand the bride's frustration in this situation. It's important for guests to respect the theme and dietary choices of the event, especially at a wedding retreat where every detail counts. Having a vegan reception is a bold choice, but it reflects the couple’s values and vision for the day. While it's always good to have alternative options available for those who may not be familiar with certain diets, ordering 20 pizzas feels a bit disrespectful. It’s about creating a harmonious atmosphere, and respecting the couple’s decisions can make the experience more enjoyable for everyone.