45+ Stories About People Who Called Off Their Wedding Last Minute That We Still Can’t Believe Happened

This article appeared in Bridesblush and has been published here with permission.

Last Minute Cancellation

A wedding can be one of the most glorious and joyous times of a person’s life. After all, you’re walking down the aisle with the person you love the most! But for others, it can be a horror story! This is especially true if you’re someone who has been left at the altar. No matter how long before the actual day is, getting left or separating from the person you thought you’d be with forever can be heartbreaking. Here are some stories about people who called off their wedding last minute that we still can’t believe happened.

Just Say No

No matter how much pre-wedding planning or counseling a couple does, the truth is that sometimes they get to the end of that aisle and realize what they’re doing doesn’t make sense to them. This may suck for the other person, but at least they found out before the marriage was completely set in stone.

Just Say No

That being said, this guy could have probably saved this girl from heartache and financial debt if he had just spoken his mind before this.

Clubbing?

When you get married, one of the traditions is to go out and celebrate your last day of being single. Many people do this by hitting a club, which is entirely acceptable unless you do it like this woman did.

Clubbing?

The fact that she didn’t wake up on her day should be a clear sign that maybe this wasn’t her day. After all, if it were that important, even if she were passed out, she would have figured out a way to get there.

Raise Your Hand

There are a lot of questions that we have about this story. The first is why this teacher would invite her whole 4th-grade class? That seems a little odd and a setup for some potential failure and conflict of interest.

Raise Your Hand

The second is how she made it almost entirely up the aisle before she realized that this was not the place for her to be. This just seems like poor planning!

Woke Up With the Answer

If you’ve had a couple of years of struggling with deciding if you want to get married, then the answer is probably no. Why would someone go through all this struggle when the answer was staring them right in the face?

Woke Up With the Answer

Especially if you wound up becoming a priest, he definitely had no urge to commit to a relationship in this manner.

Don’t Talk To Him

We’re sure it’s hard when a wedding doesn’t go off, especially if you’re super close to your fiancé’s family. But when it’s done because of false information, you lose touch with the people you built a close connection with.

Don’t Talk To Him

We actually feel really sorry for this guy as it seems like he genuinely didn’t do anything wrong, yet the girl still did this. Perhaps she really wanted out of it, and she used it as an excuse?

Objections?

We’ve all seen those movies where the couple gets to the end of the aisle, and it gets to the part of the ceremony where the priest asks if there are any objections. These movies have elaborate and exciting situations in them, but we never think it’s something that happens in real life.

Objections?

Apparently, we are wrong because this person lived their romantic comedy horror story right in front of their entire family. However, it was kind of their own fault!

Same Town

It is one thing to end a wedding before it happens when you know that you won’t see that person on a regular basis. After all, some really hurt feelings will stay with you, and these won’t go away anytime soon.

Same Town

That’s why we feel so bad for this couple that’s going to continually have to see each other because they live in a small town. On top of that, in small towns, we all know that everybody talks!

Merry Christmas

It isn’t good when a wedding ends up being called off, but we can’t even imagine when it’s around the holidays. This has to be a pretty devastating moment, and to realize that you’re not happy with the situation has to be even more devastating.

Merry Christmas

We think maybe this woman should have really figured it out when she began bursting into tears when she was trying on her wedding dress. That would have been a sure clue to us that maybe we didn’t think this was the right move.

Hanging Out With a Friend

We don’t know about you, but we’re pretty sure that we wouldn’t let our fiancé hang out with their ex before the wedding, especially if they were still this close. This woman kind of set herself up for having a devastating moment.

Hanging Out With a Friend

On the other hand, this guy should have been a little clearer and not jumped into a relationship knowing his dependencies and problems.

No Call, No Show

Of all the stories that come across when it comes to weddings that didn’t make it to the finale, a no-call no-show seems to be the worst of them all. After all, that leaves one person holding the bag, confused about what really happened.

No Call, No Show

Honestly, this guy was kind of a coward. He should have at least told the woman why he wasn’t showing up, especially when there was a child involved.

Green Card Marriage

There are many reasons why people get married, and one of them, though illegal, is to help someone stay in a country. These marriages can be very tricky and costly for both parties in many different ways.

Green Card Marriage

So it’s probably best that these two found out that they were incompatible before they tied the knot. Otherwise, they would have been in a world of trouble when they had to do those interviews with the government officials.

Nothing!

Sometimes, when people separate after being together for quite a while, there’s no reason for it. It’s just that they don’t work and have grown apart. So we kind of understand why there was no reason or explanation.

Nothing!

On the other hand, this woman was kind of crazy when she asked him this question. Clearly, she should’ve already known the answer. If he had ever loved her, he would’ve given her some sort of explanation.

Ghosted

Arranged marriages can be challenging because you don’t really know the person you’re walking down the aisle to marry. So perhaps in this situation, having someone leave the other was probably the best thing that could have happened.

Ghosted

Who knows what would have happened if they had actually made it down the aisle. We guess that it would eventually have ended in heartbreak.

No Future

Sometimes, people just decide that they see no future with you. This can be heartbreaking, especially when you poured time and energy into a relationship and have made it all the way to the engagement stage.

No Future

But it’s best that it happened before the actual vows were said because otherwise, that would have brought a whole world of other painful heartbreak.

Cold Feet

Whenever you’re getting ready to marry somebody, the process leading up to that wedding can be very stressful. But just because it’s stressful doesn’t mean that you can push aside any red flags you’ve been seeing.

Cold Feet

We think this woman should have been a little bit smarter and maybe done precisely what she said she should have done. Stop this before it got too far and too much money was spent.

Breakdown

Having good friends around when you make a big decision like ending an engagement right before a wedding is essential. This guy made the right decision, clearly, but it didn’t work out very well for both people.

Breakdown

The fact that these friends took the time to encourage him to go through with it, even when he was breaking down, just goes to show you that maybe these weren’t the good friends he needed.

Facebook Status

There’s something to be said about being courageous when you need to make a decision that will affect multiple people’s lives. Just bailing and leaving town is not a great solution to ending an engagement.

Facebook Status

The fact that this girl had to find out on Facebook is terrible, but the fact she thinks that this guy who did it this way will come back to her is a whole other world. Maybe therapy is necessary for her life.

I’m Here to Party

Sometimes couples just don’t work. Though opposites do attract, there has to be some sort of chemistry, and when someone who’s so lovely is marrying someone that is so not, it becomes a problem. So it’s probably best that this guy didn’t go through with the wedding.

I’m Here to Party

When you make a big decision like that, what do you have to do – party! So there’s no doubt that a festival would be the first place we would go to!

Addicted

There’s something to be said about ending something before it becomes too toxic. When you’re dealing with someone who has an addiction, no matter what that addiction is, it might be best to let them solve their problems first.

Addicted

Though it probably hurt, we think this was for the best for this woman. Hopefully, the guy got help, and eventually, they were able to make amends at the very least.

I’ll Stand In

Being left at the altar has to be one of the most heart-wrenching situations to be in. That’s especially true when you go to a wedding like a large Indian wedding that is so elaborate and has so many people in attendance.

I’ll Stand In

This guy stepping up, though, is kind of unique, and the fact that it actually worked out makes us believe that love really can conquer all.

I Had A Vision

It’s one thing to end a relationship before the wedding when you realize that you guys are not compatible in any type of area. It’s another thing to tell the woman you did it because God told you to.

I Had A Vision

We don’t care how religious you are, this just seems like a really lame excuse and a way to pass the blame off onto somebody else, and that’s not right.

It Will Help

Sometimes when we meet someone, we rely on them to fix our lives and ensure that everything will be okay. But the truth is that you wind up hurting yourself, and them, more when you do that.

It Will Help

That may be why it took so long for this woman to realize that she really didn’t want to go through with this wedding. It probably would have been best if the minute she started having any type of questions that she just went ahead and at least postponed the wedding.

Puppy Love

Young love, especially first love, can be very intoxicating. This often leads to jumping into things that you’re not ready for. Perhaps this girl should have realized that when she couldn’t tell her true love she had planned to go abroad for a couple of months.

Puppy Love

But eventually, it looks like they figured it out, and though they probably hurt each other at the moment, it was for the best in the long run.

Alpha Male

Sometimes, you think you have found the one, but when you really look at what you need in a partner, they just don’t have it. It’s better to cut ties when you realize this than to make it all the way down the aisle.

Alpha Male

This woman needed a stronger man than the one she was attempting to marry and called the wedding off. In the end, we’re sure that both of them were better off for it.

His Day in Court

Weddings can be expensive, and having one fall apart at the very last minute means someone is going to be left with a hefty bill. This is the bride’s family most of the time because that’s the traditional way of splitting the cost.

His Day in Court

But this dad was right on it, and we applaud him for taking his stand. Though we are sure the bride wasn’t too happy that they had to air all her dirty laundry out in a courtroom. We’re sure dad was happy, though, when he got to pay the bills.

Dodged That One

There’s a whole process when it starts getting serious and heading towards the wedding aisle. In many cultures, that includes asking for your bride’s hand from her family. Why this guy would go through all this trouble if he knew that it wouldn’t work out is beyond us.

Dodged That One

The fact that he broke up with her six months after doing this, and then wound up moving in right away with someone else, just goes to show you his character.

External Pressure

Sometimes, the disillusionment of a wedding has nothing to do with the fact that you don’t really love each other. Sometimes, external forces cause so much pressure on a relationship that the couple just can’t make it.

External Pressure

But that being said, we would probably say that if that was the case and you couldn’t handle the external pressure, maybe you guys really didn’t want to get married in the first place.

Not That Centerpiece!

There are a lot of decisions to be made when it comes to the wedding itself, from the dress to the venue, to the centerpieces. All of these are vitally important to many people when it comes to creating the atmosphere they want to say their “I do.”

Not That Centerpiece!

But if a centerpiece can break up a relationship, we think that relationship was doomed from the beginning. Luckily, this couple still managed to stay together, despite the centerpieces!

Chicken or Beef?

One of the most complex decisions to make when dealing with the wedding is the food choice. After all, are you going to take the chicken, or will you take the beef? This guy had a very definitive answer to that.

Chicken or Beef?

Though it was funny, it definitely was a little messed up that he chose to go that far before telling his soon-to-be wife that he wasn’t going through with the whole wedding.

Which One of You?

When you’re getting ready to set up your wedding, one of the first questions most brides try to figure out is who they want to be their bridesmaids. This woman clearly chose poorly when it came to bridesmaids because they’re supposed to be people that love you and care about what you want.

Which One of You?

We would be so mad and never speak to these women again! On top of the fact that they betrayed you, they cost you a lot of money as well.

In Love With The Idea

Some people are just in love with the idea of being married, they don’t necessarily look for someone that they love. Instead, they want to look for someone that is willing to tie the knot. This can lead to a lousy marriage.

In Love With The Idea

So the fact that this guy realized this before he got too far was good for him. It may have hurt, regardless of the reasons, but it was the right decision.

Foolin’ Around

There are just some guys that can’t be faithful. Whether it’s because of addiction or mental issues, it’s still a serious issue, especially if you’ve chosen to get engaged. If you are someone that’s going to be like this, then maybe you should just figure your stuff out before you drag other people into it.

Foolin’ Around

For sure, if you’re going to do it, you probably shouldn’t be texting the person you did it with while your fiancé is in the room.

Karma

You can’t help but love who you love. But letting one relationship get so far, before realizing that you want a different one, can be harmful to you and everyone involved in the situation. This woman clearly didn’t see the signs, though.

Karma

We’re sorry for her that she gave up on one person for another and then found out they didn’t want her. On the other hand, sometimes karma catches up to you quickly.

Destination Heartbreak

Destination weddings can be beautiful. They allow your family and friends to get a little bit of a vacation while celebrating your “I do.” But that’s only if you actually plan to go through with it!

Destination Heartbreak

The fact that they hadn’t discussed what they wanted out of life, especially something as big as kids, and let the wedding get to the point it did is on both of them. We certainly hope that nobody holds it against him for very long!

Please Come Back!

There are times in life when you make a decision and then realize you’ve made a mistake once you’ve made that choice. But just like that, there are also times when there’s no going back, even if you realize you messed up.

Please Come Back!

This guy was intelligent and brave to stand up and say “no.” The fact that she thought they could get back together after she did this to him is crazy!

Hospital Stay

Sometimes, calling off a wedding is not necessarily the end of a relationship. There are times when other things get in the way and cause people to have to push things to the side until they can get through whatever is happening.

Hospital Stay

This couple was pretty brave when they decided to postpone their wedding. But it seems to have worked out and we certainly hope that, eventually, they’ll wind up walking down the aisle.

Slow Down

When the person you have feelings for has any form of addiction, it can be challenging. But most of the time, that can be overcome unless there are underlying issues on top of that.

Slow Down

This woman realized that there were some things that they just disagreed on and that was a good reason to call off the wedding. It seems like it was the right decision, and we probably would have done the same thing.

I Enlisted

When it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be! Sometimes, things happen that derail the plans only to allow people to grow. We think that’s what happened here when this guy decided he would go into the military and break off his engagement to his high school sweetheart.

I Enlisted

This is the stuff of Hollywood movies and we think it should be made into one! It’s awesome that even after 30 years, they found each other again and are happy.

Life Skills

Everybody gets enamored with love at the wedding but not everyone thinks about what happens afterward. This woman was just being practical in realizing that she and her significant other didn’t have the same life skills.

Life Skills

Without specific skills, no marriage will be successful and will eventually end. Therefore, we applaud her for deciding before anything went too far.

Broke

Just like with any stage of life, you can’t go into a marriage and not have money. There will be expenditures that need to be had, and if you’re not in a financially stable place, it could be a really challenging and an uphill battle to make a marriage work.

Broke

But it can be even more complicated when you try to push past that and be something you’re not. So this woman made the right decision. Clearly, this guy was all about trying to impress someone.

Life Goals

Before you get to the engagement stage, you should probably have long conversations about what you value in life. Where do you see your life going, and what are your life goals as you go through the world?

Life Goals

If you don’t have these conversations, there are bound to be some rude awakenings by the time you get to the actual wedding. That’s what happened here, and unfortunately, we can’t really be sorry for them because these conversations should have been had way before they got to the wedding.

Bachelorette Party Mess-Up

Bachelorette parties are something that is a tradition, and every woman wants to have one. Sometimes, they’re wild and raucous and other times, they’re a bit tamer. It all depends on the person who’s throwing them.

Bachelorette Party Mess-Up

The one thing that’s not supposed to happen is that the bride-to-be steps out on her groom. When this happens, a breakup is what happens!

World of Warcraft

Some people stay together for a long time and start building what seems to be a married life well before they walk down the aisle. This shows investment and feelings, but when things start to change and you start to feel the shift, it’s time to speak up.

World of Warcraft

Apparently, this guy we feel so sorry for wasn’t paying attention, and his wife-to-be was a little less than loyal. This is really more like a marriage breaking up than an engagement, to be honest!

Gambling Problem

Money can be a determining factor in any relationship. It’s a tricky subject to deal with, especially when you find out that someone is not very good with it. Or maybe they think they’re good with it, but they have a problem with gambling.

Gambling Problem

Honestly, we would have done the same thing if we were this woman, especially since he was so bold to ask her for her inheritance. That’s a problem and he needed help.

Can We Talk?

Sometimes, before a wedding, people feel guilty about things they’ve done during the relationship. This is when they come clean and sometimes coming clean is good, while other times, it can be heart-wrenching and a bad idea.

Can We Talk?

This guy came clean, and unfortunately, the woman couldn’t handle it. So we understand how she felt. After all, we’re not sure we’d be able to be understanding and make it work if our significant other had a ton of extracurricular activities going on.

No Money, Honey!

Some women are really just after a sugar daddy. That means they will look for a person who has a lot of money and try to get them to walk down the aisle. In this case, we’re glad this woman actually ended up breaking it off with this guy.

No Money, Honey!

After all, if he wasn’t what she thought he was, his life would have been miserable. He’d have always been trying to live up to her standards, which would have mentally strained him.

One or the Other

There are just some people that think that you can’t have everything. So when that problem was posed to this guy, he decided he had to choose between marriage and his career. He chose a career, and that may have been a mistake.

One or the Other

On the other hand, maybe it was a good thing. After all, everything happens for a reason, right? This could have led him to a much happier life and left her to find a devoted enough person to make anything work.

Just 3 Days Before

Sometimes it takes a while for people to figure out that someone isn’t the right one for them. We’re sure there were tons of red flags that this woman should have been able to see, but she didn’t realize it until it was just before the wedding.

Just 3 Days Before

The only thing that we have a problem with is the fact that this guy did this to the mother of his child. We think that what she called him was definitely accurate!

Just Wants That Ring

Many people will point to women and say, “Oh, they’re just in it for the wedding and the ring.” But the same can be said for some men, and this woman just happened to find one of those.

Just Wants That Ring

It’s probably good that she realized this was the type of guy he was before they actually finished tying the knot; otherwise, we’re sure that there would have been divorce papers on that table a few years down the road.

Moving to India

It’s never a good sign that someone you are in love with and engaged to decides to block you on social media. This is a dead giveaway that the relationship is probably over, and you probably should try to get refunds on all the money you put down on the wedding.

Moving to India

Why this guy just couldn’t tell his fiancée that he wanted out, instead of blocking her and moving to India, is beyond us. Though, it does kind of make for a funny story, as long as you’re not the person it’s happening to.