Earlier this month I posted some unsolicited wedding advice for couples planning their happy day. One of my suggestions was,

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Something is bound to go wrong with the logistics, flowers, music, etc. 90 percent of your guests won’t notice any little hiccups, but 100 percent of your guests will notice if you flip out over something trivial on your wedding day.

OK, but what’s my advice for couples who experience major disaster on their wedding day, like this couple? Follow me after the jump.

From the Des Moines Register on Thursday:

A Polk County jury has awarded $50,000 to a couple whose 2006 wedding reception was interrupted when guests were overcome with nausea and diarrhea linked to a food served at a rehearsal dinner the night before.

Andrew and Sara Slagle had asked for $415,000 from Trostel’s Greenbriar Restaurant and Bar in Johnston, where the wedding party hosted the dinner.

The wave of sickness that sent a handful of people, including the bride and groom, to the hospital was traced to a norovirus that originated with a restaurant employee. Testimony in last week’s trial centered on the guests’ salads.[…]

Jurors awarded $25,000 to Andrew Slagle and $25,000 to Sara Slagle for emotional distress. The jury rejected [plaintiff’s attorney Roxanne] Conlin’s bid to include money for future emotional distress.

Granted, that’s a pretty disastrous wedding story. But as much as I love Roxanne Conlin, I can’t see any reason to award damages “for future emotional distress” in such a case. No one died or was permanently disabled by the illness.

My best friend from college’s husband came down with a stomach bug on their wedding day. He couldn’t eat anything at the reception luncheon and couldn’t even leave their hotel room for the party on Saturday night (the bride came by herself). It wasn’t the wedding of their dreams, but you know what? Things could have been worse. They’re not still carrying around emotional baggage about it. The important thing is, they have a happy marriage.

I would advise the Slagles to spend part of their settlement money on a big anniversary party. If they continue to find themselves unable to let go of the anger and distress from their ruined wedding, they should set aside part of the money for a good therapist. Life’s too short to keep feeling torn up over things that happened years ago. Your wedding is “only the beginning of what [you] want to feel forever”: