Many of us have high hopes for our wedding days, but sometimes things don’t turn out quite as expected.
Jenny Ly, 25, didn’t think she would be hosting a cancer fundraiser on what would have been her wedding day. After ending her engagement to her fiancé who she had been dating for five years, Ly was left with an empty wedding venue.
The full-time Long Beach student couldn’t break the $5,000 contract for the Clubhouse of the La Mirada Country Club in Sante Fe Springs, California. Ly’s mentality was: no wedding, no problem. She told NBC Los Angeles:
“I could have just cried myself to sleep every night. But I’m trying to turn this bad situation into something else.”
The young woman and her family decided to reach out to the American Cancer Foundation in early August. Her relatives and friends were recently affected by cancer so Ly thought this would be a nice tribute for them.
The fitting theme for the August 28 fundraiser is “Lemons to Lemonade.” The event will include comedy acts, raffles, dancing and a buffet dinner.
As for Ly, she remains an optimist after finding a silver lining in her canceled wedding. Ly told NBC that she is “keeping busy” in the meanwhile and attempts to find humor in the whole situation.
“I’m trying to be positive and a good sport about the whole thing. I don’t want anyone to feel bad for me. Everything happens for a reason, and it’s better that we didn’t go through with it.”
Her family has been supportive of the event change and understanding of her reasoning behind it. For those who are considering marriage, Ly advises:
“Make sure you’re really sure about getting married before you sign a contract!”
Tickets for the fundraiser are $25 for pre-sale and $30 at the door. All proceeds will go to Relay for Life help the fight against cancer.
