When restaurant owner Enzo Fabrizi was tasked with hosting an elaborate wedding reception at his eatery in Frosinone, Italy, he didn’t think much of it.
A mutual friend had introduced him to the groom, and the couple paid a deposit of £3,000 (about R71,000) when they visited the property several months prior.
What could possibly go wrong?
Fabrizi’s restaurant hosted the September 24 event for 80 guests, the 40-year-old Italian man and his German bride, 25.
After the reception, the agreement was for the couple to settle the outstanding bill of £7,620 before September 27.
That never materialised.
Fabrizi told the British Express the couple not only failed to pay the amount, but left the country in a hurry.
“A bill of €8,800, they only paid me the deposit and disappeared,“ he told the publication.
“And to think that I thought of everything: flowers, music… the decoration alone cost me €400,” he added.
The businessman has now involved the local authorities as he struggles with the financial loss.
Frustrated by being swindled, he said the guests enjoyed the reception by the pool and a delicious meal prepared by his restaurant.
He even made extensive arrangements for the big day, using his own money.
Speculation is rife that the newlyweds fled to Germany to evade arrest, the Express reported.
In the meantime, Fabrizi finds himself struggling to make up for the lost revenue.
