Casey, who had adopted a pseudonym for herself and her fiancé Alex, was surrounded by her bridesmaids when she received a text that would shatter her heart. The previous night, she had been sent a message from an unknown number containing screenshots of her fiancé’s conversations with a mysterious woman. Accompanying these images, the sender ominously inquired, “I wouldn’t marry him. Will you?” The content of the messages was deeply compromising for Alex, revealing that he had been involved in an affair in the months leading up to their wedding. One particularly provocative message stated, “This weekend. You and I. It is on, hot stuff. Bring your A game,” while another read, “Your body is f**king incredible. And s**t do you know how to use it. I wish my GF had half the skills you do.”
A subsequent message expressed deep longing: “I miss you immensely. Thoughts of L, S, and our intimate moments consume my mind. This connection is unlike anything I have ever experienced.” In an essay for Body+Soul, Casey recounted, “I was overwhelmed with shame and sorrow, tears streaming down my face.” Her friends were furious, threatening various forms of retribution against him, and they insisted that she contact him immediately to cancel the wedding. Despite this, she confessed, “I loved Alex deeply and wanted to marry him the very next day. I was too stunned and heartbroken to feel anger, so I refrained from calling him.” As the night wore on, sleep eluded her, and when morning arrived, she gathered her friends and shared her decision: she would proceed with the wedding as planned and confront him publicly in front of their loved ones. In a bold move to ‘out’ her fiancé, Casey chose to read the text messages to all their wedding guests instead of delivering her vows.
“It appears that Alex is not the person I believed him to be,” remarked the heartbroken bride. “I cherish all of you, and despite the pain of this moment, I am grateful for your presence.” She continued, “Today will not feature a wedding reception; rather, we will honor the values of honesty, the pursuit of genuine love, and the courage to follow one’s heart, even in times of sorrow.” The groom’s complexion drained of color as his private messages were read aloud, leading him to storm out of the church, his best man following closely behind. Casey wrapped up the narrative by stating, “This was certainly not the wedding day I envisioned, but to our credit, it turned into an unforgettable celebration.” I can only imagine how many tequila shots were enjoyed that evening.
