In February 2016, the parents of Dr. Tristan Lue’s fiancée flew in from Korea to meet his family for the first time. Dr. Lue, a dentist based in Edgewater, N.J., felt a sudden shift in his yearlong relationship. It became clear that his would-be in-laws did not approve of their union.
“Two days later, I got home and all the furniture was gone and just the ring was there on the table,” Dr. Lue, 43, said. “It’s like one of those Korean dramas.”
Beyond heartbreak, Dr. Lue had another problem: The nearly 200 guests who had R.S.V.P.’ed for their wedding in three months. Thankfully, the couple’s wedding planner, Diane Kolanović-Šolaja, the owner of Dee Kay Events in Howell, N.J., leaped into navigating logistics.
Not everyone has the luxury of a wedding planner, and even if they do, dealing with the aftermath of canceled nuptials can be daunting. Here’s what to do — and what to avoid — according to wedding planners and laypeople who didn’t make it down the aisle.
