At a recent wedding reception, a guest with severe gluten and dairy intolerances encountered a situation that sparked a heated discussion. The guest, who is 36 years old, had communicated her dietary restrictions on the RSVP card, but the bride reportedly informed her that the venue could not safely accommodate her needs. Instead of providing alternative options, the bride suggested that she ‘make do with salad and fruit.’
Undeterred, the guest carried a small container of grilled chicken and rice, taking a few minutes outside the venue to eat during the reception. However, the groom’s mother allegedly confronted her, accusing her of ‘disrespecting the caterer’ and making the couple ‘look cheap.’ The mother reportedly told the woman she was ’embarrassing the family’ and that the wedding was ‘about the couple, not about [her] diet.’ Many of the guest’s friends supported her stance, while the incident has been widely discussed online.
Support for the guest has been overwhelming, with thousands of Reddit commenters praising her for making sure she could enjoy the event without compromising her health. One user pointed out, ‘You took care of your own needs – that’s it. Is it somehow respectful to eat food that would physically harm you?’ Another commenter noted, ‘No one would have known if the groom’s mother hadn’t made a big deal about it.’ Meanwhile, other commenters argued that the guest should have sought the bride’s permission to bring her own food, with one person suggesting, ‘Maybe next time let the host know you’re going to bring your own food.’
Wendy Neuhart, an Ohio wedding expert with over 25 years of experience, offered her perspective on the issue, stating that in 2025, dietary restrictions have become more standard to provide safe options. ‘If a caterer truly cannot accommodate someone’s needs, it’s absolutely acceptable,’ Neuhart said. ‘What’s not acceptable is expecting a guest to go hungry. A wedding reception is, after all, a dinner party.’
However, some experts believe that bringing one’s own food is acceptable only in extreme cases, such as when a guest has a severe, documented medical issue. Lisa Mirza Grotts, a California etiquette expert, added that ‘you don’t waltz into a wedding with a Tupperware of chicken and rice. A wedding is a hosted event, and the guest’s job is to eat what’s offered – or politely pick around it – without making their plate the headline.’
In the end, the incident has become a focal point for discussions about dietary accommodations at social events, highlighting the need for a balance between respecting the host’s efforts and the guest’s health requirements.