A Wedding They’d Never Forget
The co-owners of a catering company had thought they’d seen it all when it came to meltdowns, crazy in-laws, and family drama. However, after a run-in with one groom-to-be’s mother, they’d knew this would be the craziest event they’d ever worked.
Saul and Paul were best friends and business partners in the food and catering industry. They’d catered foods for weddings, birthdays, Superbowl events, family reunions, and even business conferences. Collectively, they’d worked around 30 years in the hospitality industry (Saul for 17 years, Paul for 14) and they had always worked well together. They knew each others’ quirks and pet peeves, and they each did their best to stay out of the others’ way when it came to the hard decisions.
They Were Keeping An Eye Out For A Saboteur
Saul and Paul had worked so many different events that they officially came up with certain rules, depending on the situation. Whenever they had to work for a wedding party, they’d always follow their No. 1 rule: the bride and groom were always the priority, no matter what other meddling forces would prefer.
The couple that booked Saul and Paul were a friendly, happy couple named Jack and Jillian. The business duo could see how in love they both were, so they were more than happy to make their day special with the best appetizers, main courses, and most important piece: the cake. Saul already told himself and Paul that this wedding was honestly going to be — pun intended — a “piece of cake.” The couple’s theme was simple yet elegant and the guests would have a choice among three different starts (House or Caesar salad, or soup), three main courses (veggie pasta, chicken cordon blue, or beef tips with mushroom gravy), and dessert would, of course, be their wedding cake.
However, the couple didn’t want just an ordinary wedding cake. They wanted a sweetheart cake, but stemmed out from the cake would be a beautiful array of cupcakes in the wedding colors. The cupcakes would look like a peacock’s tail as they trailed down the stand the sweetheart cake would stand on. Saul and Paul liked the touch of drama the couple wanted to add as a bit of flair to their dessert.
Everything Was Quiet In The Kitchen Until…
Saul and Paul were setting up what seemed to be another beautiful wedding. They’d heard there was a bit of family drama, but they figured it wasn’t anything they couldn’t handle.
One odd thing that happened was a mysterious attempt to cancel Saul and Paul’s service three days before the wedding. Finding it odd, they investigated and found that someone had hacked into Jack and Jillian’s account and with a new password, things continued.
On the day of the wedding, everything was going according to plan. The couple planned to have the ceremony and the reception in the same location, so Paul and Saul were working away in the kitchen, cooking throughout the ceremony so everything would be ready in time.
Towards the end of the ceremony, Paul noticed a commotion coming from the kitchen. He peeked around the corner and saw none other than Mimi, the groom’s mother, looking lost and dazed. Her clothes were in utter disarray despite the fancy occasion. Even her hair was frazzled. It turns out Mimi was kicking up suck wanted her son’s and future daughter-in-law’s special day to be special… but only on her terms.
Mimi screamed, “Ugh! The original caterer I had in mind is way better than you all! He is family and that’s what today is all about.”
Mimi continued shouting about how she wanted the wedding to be a “family affair” with no outsiders allowed. Paul tried to calm her down, but she was becoming increasingly erratic. All he could hope was that she would wander back out the way she came in. When Saul walked over to lend his assistance, Mimi quickly drew him into the drama. Mimi started poking around Saul’s clipboard and after she glanced over at the details, her eyes went wide. She grabbed the clipboard to take a closer look as Saul looked nervously over at Paul. He could see there was a storm coming from this tiny woman, but even he couldn’t have guessed what it would eventually turn into.
Momzilla Is Here And She’s Laying Down The Law
“Well, I never!” Mimi screeched, “Why is our table not being served first? We are the parents! If it wasn’t for us, those ungrateful little turds wouldn’t be getting married in the first place! Fix it.”
Mimi shoved the clipboard back into Saul’s chest and stormed around the kitchen barking orders. Saul gave Paul an exasperated look and Paul simply nodded. It was time to tag team against this horrible witch.
Paul slowly approached the woman and cleared his throat to get her attention. “Ma’am,” Paul started, but Mimi just ignored him. A little louder, “Ma’am. This was already planned and my entire staff has already been given the proper order: bride and groom first, wedding party second, grandparents and parents third. Then everyone else. This was all agreed upon months ago.”
Mimi looked at him sideways, her eyes narrowed in disgust.
“Maybe she agreed to it,” Mimi spat out, obviously referencing Jillian, “but she’s still a child. Our table will be served first, make sure of that.” Mimi then went back to barking contradictory orders at the kitchen staff. Paul shook his head as he heard her order the staff around, trying to completely change the seating, switch out centerpieces, and basically make Jack and Jillian’s wedding completely about her. Well, Paul and Saul couldn’t let that happen; not on their watch. It was Saul’s turn to see if maybe HE could calm down this psycho-mother. It didn’t go too well.
It Takes A Team To Handle This Momzilla
“Ma’am, my name is Saul and I’m the front of house coordinator,” Saul said in his very finest customer service voice. “I understand there is a problem and we would like to hear you out.” Saul put his hand on the woman’s back and slowly led her out of the kitchen, hoping everyone could get back to work while he entertained this madwoman. “Could you walk with me? It’s about to get very busy in here and we don’t want to be in the way.”
Though she was clearly displeased at being “handled,” Mimi could tell this young man might have a brain cell or two upstairs, and she was somewhat happy that at least SOMEBODY around here was going to listen to her. “Fine,” she said curtly as she raised her chin high in the air. Saul used her relief in his favor as he slowly but surely ushered her out of the kitchen and back into the reception hall.
Mimi reiterated all of her complaints and how everything about this wedding was COMPLETELY wrong. Funny, seeing how she’s not the one even getting married, Saul thought to himself.
Once Saul and Mimi made it to the reception hall and far from the kitchen, Saul continued playing up the whole “we care about how you feel” routine.
“I’m very sorry that this problem has arisen, but I can’t change the serving order at such late notice,” Saul said. “However, tomorrow, you can bring the paperwork to my office and I will give a discount on our service tonight for the inconvenience. I hope you understand and I sincerely apologize.”
Mimi scoffed, “Well, I never! Your boss will be hearing from me about this. I don’t even have the paperwork, the stupid cow my son is marrying paid for everything!”
Saul couldn’t help but shake his head. If only she’d realized the “boss” around here was his partner Paul, she’d know that she was already on his crap list.
Saul tried to explain the reality of the situation to her, “Ma’am, if you did not pay for or contract our services then there is nothing I can do for you. Please return to the ceremony and enjoy the rest of your evening.” Saul hoped that would be the end of that as he walked back to the kitchen. But judging from Mimi’s red face and her heavy breathing, this was just the beginning.
Her’s Was The Only Sour Face In The Crowd
A few minutes later, the ceremony ended and the kitchen staff finished setting up tables and prepping food for the after party. The guests slowly came in, including Momzilla Mimi. Saul and Paul noticed how she still seemed visibly upset about something. Something told them that she wasn’t too thrilled about the marriage and having to let her baby boy grow up, but that was her problem. Saul and Paul had a business to run and they quickly went their separate ways to make sure all the other guests were taken of and that the bride and groom are happy.
The reception went on as most receptions do, and even Mimi stayed in her seat and saved her anger for any servers that dared approach her.
Things took a sharp turn the moment the wedding cake came out. All the other guests smiled and gasped at how unique and beautiful the peacock cake turned out to be. However, there was one face in the crowd who had the biggest scowl Paul and Saul had ever seen.
The Cake WAsn’t A Universal Hit
Mimi glared at the cake as the kitchen staff carefully placed it on the bride and groom’s table. Everyone else seemed to marvel at the cupcake tail and cute sweetheart cake at the top. Mimi had apparently had enough and was ready to put her foot down on this horribly unconventional cake.
She got up from her seat and had the biggest pout on her face. Paul and Saul watched her storm over to her son, the groom, and overheard her whining and complaining about the cake.
“This isn’t the cake we agreed to at all. I said a traditional tiered cake, this garbage won’t do! How is this trash a symbol of family union?” Mimi screamed. The bride and groom looked embarrassed, to say the least, and the poor bride even had tears in her eyes that were threatening to spill out and fall down her face. When Jack looked over at his new poor wife in tears, his face, too, started turning red. As Mimi left the reception hall — obviously she’d had enough of nothing going her way this day — Jack stormed after her and he was more than ready to set the record straight with his Momzilla.
Paul and Saul couldn’t help but feel proud of the groom for stepping up so they wouldn’t have to. They couldn’t help but notice the poor bride was full-on sobbing now, and they thought it best to take her into the kitchen to compose herself. Paul and Saul still had hope for the couple’s day, though, because they’d never seen anyone look as determined and angry as the groom did at that moment.
Minutes ticked by. The bride had calmed down and was taken back to her table, where she was waiting for her handsome groom to come back. The guests were getting anxious as they were ready to get a piece of that beautiful cake. From their position in the kitchen, Paul and Saul could hear the epic screaming match between mother and son taking place outside, though they couldn’t hear exactly what was being said. All of a sudden, the voices from outside went silent. That’s when everyone, not just Paul and Saul, heard a huge bang as the reception hall doors opened. Standing in the doorway was none other than groom completely covered in cake pieces and icing.
A Smashing Encounter
Mimi didn’t like what her son had to say when he defended he and his wife’s cake decision. Cleaning off Jack, Paul and Saul learned why the Momzilla had taken their flamboyant cake so personally, and why she kept harping about this affair being a family affair.
Mimi had brought her own cake — without the bride or groom knowing — and it was definitely your “traditional” wedding cake. It had simple white icing and the topper was your classic bride and groom holding hands. The cake also had a plaque with a “mom to son” message inscribed on it. Mimi just wanted to give her son a bit of traditionalism to his “crazy wedding,” even though Jack and his bride left her out of the planning stages to give her the hint that her input — and cake — weren’t needed OR wanted.
When Jack went to confront his mother on her terrible behavior, Mimi had apparently reached her breaking point. Maybe part of her hoped that her son running after her meant she could convince him to give up on marrying such a horrible woman, but her dreams weren’t coming true that night. Jack went off on Mimi and told her to immediately leave the wedding and to stay out of his life. Mimi, furious, hurled the cake at her son’s face. He stood there in disbelief as she ran to her car and peeled out of the parking lot.
After hearing Jack’s pitiful tale, Paul and Saul offered them to let the open bar continue as long as they wanted with no extra charge. The venue manager and wedding planner were able to scramble up another tux for the groom and they even gave the bride a fresh look. No streaked mascara marks for her, thank God.
The rest of the night, thankfully, ran smoothly and the Momzilla was never heard of again.
Years later, Paul and Saul wondered whatever happened to that poor couple on that terrible night. That’s when they received an anniversary card from the happy couple saying they were renewing their vows and would love for them to cater for them again. Paul and Saul shared a knowing glance and wondered aloud: “Is anyone going to invite that crazy, cake-throwing broad to this ceremony?” They could only hope for the best.