“People puking and crying, going pale,” a guest recalled.
Instead of embarking on their dream honeymoon to Hawaii, these Southern California newlyweds — whose wedding sent more than two dozen guests to the hospital — are staying on the mainland.
Twenty-five people were treated at emergency rooms for nausea and vomiting Saturday night, after becoming ill at a wedding at Country Feels Ranch in Moreno Valley, according to KCBS.
Guests said the joyous affair took an ugly turn at about 7:30 p.m., after the first dance, when people reportedly started getting sick. By 8 p.m., medical help was needed.
“People puking and crying, going pale,” an anonymous guest told Patch.com.
“We just wanted to get out of there,” the guest continued. "People were acting so strange."
Riverside County firefighters, paramedics and sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene minutes later. There, they found more than two dozen ill guests: five who reportedly suffered serious symptoms, nine with moderate symptoms and 11 with minor distress, according to a county fire department spokesperson. All were transported to nearby hospitals.
Neither the bride nor groom became ill, according to the station.
Family members of the newlyweds said they aren’t sure what happened. They said the venue didn’t provide the catering for their party, and they are unsure whether food poisoning was to blame. The 120 guests had been eating and drinking since the afternoon, according to KCBS.
The fire department’s hazmat authorities said they ruled out hazardous materials but are continuing an investigation with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
The couple has called off their honeymoon in the wake of the investigation, and are reportedly heartbroken the wedding that took more than a year to plan ended on such a poor note.
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