Jessica Baker tells KARE 11 that missed a wedding she RSVPed to after her babysitting plans fell through at the last minute, and she couldn’t bring her uninvited children along to the adults-only reception. A few weeks later, the Golden Valley, Minnesota resident was flabbergasted to receive a $75.90 dinner invoice in the mail for the fish entrées she and her husband would have consumed at the couple’s reception. And no, it wasn’t a joke!

The note read: “This cost reflects the amount paid by the bride and groom for meals that were RSVP’d for, reimbursement and explanation for no show, card, call or text would be appreciated.”

Baker’s etiquette dilemma became a national trending topic on Facebook overnight when KARE 11 posted it to their page, eliciting thousands of comments.

BG brides, it’s not uncommon for guests who RSVPed to not make it due to an emergency such as an illness, death in the family, inclement weather, or even getting the date mixed up. If you ever find yourself in this situation, and you’re unable to reach the bride, try to get in touch with another important member of the wedding, such as the mother of the bride or the maid of honor, to let them know you won’t be attending. Although no-shows can be disappointing, the RSVP isn’t a binding contract, and guests are in no way obligated to pay for their portion of the event. Asking them to do so is not only in extremely poor taste but will also likely cost you whatever relationship you had! That being said, there are rare instances where a significant number of guests may cancel — remember Hurricane Sandy? — so it doesn’t hurt to add some cushioning to your catering budget to prevent any unforeseen financial mishaps.

Tell us: What would YOU do in this scenario?

— Stefania Sainato