Cancelled wedding turns into feast for the homeless

A family in California turned sorrow into joy after their daughter's fiancée broke off the engagement.

The Duane family KCRA / kcra.com

Kari Duane's eldest daughter, Quinn, had planned to be married on Saturday but on Monday her fiancée had cold feet and cancelled the wedding.

However, the deposits were already paid and the plans set. So Kari decided to use the opportunity to host a feast for the homeless community in their hometown, Sacramento.

"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," Kari said.

"We were like, OK then, we are going to serve," she told Buzzfeed News.

Kari Duane, Quinn's mother who advertised and hosted the event KCRA / kcra.com

Through connections with local homeless shelters, the event was advertised and around 90 adults and children attended.

"To lose out on something so important to yourself and then give it to someone else is really giving, really kind," one attendant, Erike Craycraft told KRCA, a local news site.

Sacramento's Citizen Hotel served its four-star food in abundance and what was intended to be a wedding reception was instead filled with the town's destitute.

"When you're going through a hard time and a struggle for you to get out to do something different and with your family, it was really a blessing," said Craycraft's husband, Abdullah.

"This is not coming out of our kitchen. We love our chef Leo, but he wouldn't be preparing nothing like this," homeless mother Tamara Dotson said of the food served at the local shelter.

As many as 90 of Sacramento's homeless and destitute received top-class wedding food from Sacramento's Citizen Hotel

Although they were able to provide for many, it was still a painful night for the Duanes and the bride-to-be stayed at home with friends.

"I feel a lot of heartache and heartbreak for her," said Kari, who ran the evening. "But I will take away something good from this."

related articles
Real life \'widow\'s mite\' story touches congregation: Homeless person leaves 18 cents with a note
Real life 'widow's mite' story touches congregation: Homeless person leaves 18 cents with a note

Real life 'widow's mite' story touches congregation: Homeless person leaves 18 cents with a note

The Good Atheist: Why Christians don\'t have a monopoly on charity
The Good Atheist: Why Christians don't have a monopoly on charity

The Good Atheist: Why Christians don't have a monopoly on charity

\'Gift of Mercy\': New homeless shelter opens in Rome
'Gift of Mercy': New homeless shelter opens in Rome

'Gift of Mercy': New homeless shelter opens in Rome

Seven-year-old girl sleeps out to raise funds for homeless shelter

Seven-year-old girl sleeps out to raise funds for homeless shelter

News
Concerns raised that government grooming gang inquiry will ignore Islam
Concerns raised that government grooming gang inquiry will ignore Islam

"I grew up a Christian .. it was just used as a way to break me down, as in ‘Where is your God now? Why has your God forsaken you?” said one rape gang survivor.

UN rights panel hears concerns about discrimination against Christians in Europe
UN rights panel hears concerns about discrimination against Christians in Europe

Christians in Europe are threatened by Islamist violence and government restrictions.

Iraqi Christian complex hit by suspected Iranian drone attack
Iraqi Christian complex hit by suspected Iranian drone attack

A local church leader said the latest Middle East conflict would once again prompt the region's Christians to ask themselves whether they should stay or go.

Poll finds majority support legal protection for unborn babies with heartbeat
Poll finds majority support legal protection for unborn babies with heartbeat

A pro-life organisation is urging the UK government to introduce new legal protections for unborn babies with detectable heartbeats.