Saturday was a joyous day in the lives of Amy and Alex Mathys.
The couple said “I do” in front of some 60 people with whom they wanted to share their love and happiness.
But their joy became tinged with bitterness and suspicion following the discovery two days later that between $1,200 and $1,500 was taken from a cash box somewhere between 1 and 3 a.m. Sunday.
In lieu of gift items, the couple had asked for cash to pay for a honeymoon later this year.
“We're going to take off for a week in November when I am off work,” says Amy who works at Little River Boat World. “Alex works at Staples during the day and at Off the Beat at night so we see each other for an hour a day if we're lucky.”
But now, the trip seems unlikely.
A cash box with $300 was provided to a bartender hired to oversee the sale of liquor at the reception held at a friend’s home in Sunnybrae.
The best man had purchased $1,000 worth of liquor and gifted the couple $500 worth as a wedding gift. Drinks were sold for $3 apiece.
“After an hour on the bar, our one friend counted $600 in bills and another friend spent $300 buying for others,” says Amy.
At 1 a.m., the bartender turned the box with counted cash over to the homeowner and cleanup began.
Alex and Amy returned to their friend’s home the following day to collect the decorations and the cash box but, because they were so tired, didn’t open the cash box until Monday.
“We counted the money in the cash box, but it didn't make sense… the float was accounted for, when we had to come to terms that somebody scooped the bottom of the pile,” says Amy. “It sucks; it's all friends and family that we invited to celebrate with us.”
She says the money can be replaced, but what is devastating is the betrayal and not knowing who would steal from them.
“We never will know, and that's probably the worst thought. Who would have done that and why would they have done that?" she asks. "We were just starting to save (money) ourselves, which is hard because between the two of us, we have three children. It was pretty big, what was taken from us.”
Angered and disappointed by the theft, one of Amy's best friends, Tawnia Gagne, there is no way anybody who was not a wedding guest would have been able to access the home. But it was open to all guests to access food or use the washroom.
Gagne has started a GoFundMe account, which as of this morning, has had 168 shares and raised $785.
“I have never met two more deserving people of a honeymoon – Amy works full time and has two kids, Alex works two jobs and has a little girl,” wrote Gagne on the GoFundMe page. “Amy and Alex don't ever have any time to spend just the two of them with three kids and both working all the time. It has been hard to find the time or money to get away. Anything anyone could give would be hugely appreciated.”
Anyone wishing to help the couple may go to http://www.gofundme.com/2e98kbw.