Guests stranded as service providers shut down wedding over nonpayment

Wedding guests were left stranded yesterday after service providers halted a reception over unpaid balances in Mbarara City. 

This was at the wedding of Raymond Nyakojo, a resident of Nyakasenyi, Bihanda, and Maxencia Namanya.

The couple had earlier exchanged vows at Nyamitanga Cathedral, with the reception planned at Asamar County Resort in Ruti. 

However, when guests arrived at the venue, they found the tents sealed off and no activities taking place.

At the time the newlyweds arrived in the afternoon, no food or drinks were being served, there was no music and photography teams remained idle. 

Decoration service providers tied tape around the tents and blocked entry, preventing guests from accessing the reception area. 

Service providers demanded that at least half of the outstanding balances be paid before the event could proceed.

“We took this action because the outstanding balance was too big and we saw no way of ever getting our money,” one of the service providers said.

The standoff lasted for hours as guests waited outside the venue. TV West reported that the groom later met the service providers at around 4:30 pm and signed cheques for some of them in an attempt to resolve the dispute.

The reception eventually resumed after the payments were promised, but by then several guests had already started leaving the venue. 

The team that made the wedding cake kept it in a car and refused to release it until payment was made. 

At around 5:00 pm, the cake was partially released after a payment of Shs1 million.

The baker said the cake cost Shs2.6 million but only Shs200,000 had been paid earlier. She released only half of the cake after receiving the additional payment.

Service providers later vowed to drag the couple to police and compel them to sign an agreement committing to clear the remaining balances.