Aleteia logoAleteia logoAleteia
Sunday 24 November |
Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Aleteia logo
Inspiring Stories
separateurCreated with Sketch.

This would-be bride donated her venue to a deserving couple

BRIDE,DONATES,WEDDING

Kolbie Sanders via Facebook | Fair Use

Sophia Swinford - published on 10/31/18

After calling off her own engagement, she gave a special gift to another bride and groom.

Just weeks before the big day, Kolbie Sanders decided to end her engagement. But when she realized she couldn’t be repaid for the venue or the decorations, she decided to donate them to another couple.

She announced the decision on Facebook, saying, “With my engagement ending, I’ve come to find tremendous peace in knowing that I did the right thing for the both of us. With that being said, now I want to do the right thing by others and let some good come out of this decision.”

After receiving many suggestions of worthy couples, Sanders placed all the names in a hat and drew out the names of Halie Hipsher and Matt Jones.

Sanders said, “I don’t think it was a decision I had to make, it kind of just came natural. The second I knew it wasn’t going to be my wedding anymore, I had asked the venue people if it could make this someone else’s wedding.”

When Hipsher found out she had been selected, she was thrilled. “I was in shock,” she said. “As soon as my sister called me, I was like ‘All right, this is real, this is my name.'” Hipsher had been tagged in the Facebook by her sister, and coincidentally lives only 30 minutes away from Sanders.

Hipsher and her fiancé had planned their wedding for next year, but the surprise donation meant they had to move it up significantly. Fortunately, this meant that Hipsher’s grandfather, who is battling stage IV pancreatic cancer, can attend. The two brides say they’ve bonded immensely over the generous gift.


Wedding Shoes
Read more:
How I helped a homeless bride plan her wedding

Tags:
Weddings
Enjoying your time on Aleteia?

Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you.

Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news, stories, spirituality, and more.

2025-Aleteia-Pilgrimage-300×250-1.png
Daily prayer
And today we celebrate...




Top 10
See More
Newsletter
Get Aleteia delivered to your inbox. Subscribe here.