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Would-be Seattle bride, broken up with weeks before her wedding, donates her reception to homeless women
BY RACHEL BELLE, KIRO Radio, Ron and Don Show Reporter | January 15, 2016 @ 5:29 pm


Twenty-nine year old Dana Olsen's was supposed to get married tomorrow. But about five weeks ago her fiance came home to the apartment they share, and called off the wedding.

"It was totally out of the blue. I was completely blindsided and he just said, 'I don't think we're right for each other anymore," basically."

Dana was devastated. And on a practical level, she knew they couldn't get back the money they had already paid for the downtown Seattle venue they'd rented.

"We had paid for the band and that was non-refundable and we wouldn't be able to get that money back either."

Out thousands of dollars, she didn't want the party she paid for to go to waste.

"I had heard of things like this happening and people throwing parties. You know, like, maybe they'll just throw a party for their friends and family or turn it into a birthday party. I just thought, I don't really have anything to celebrate."

So she thought of an idea that would turn her pain into joy for 150 needy people. Dana donated her reception, complete with stylish, sought after venue, catered dinner and live band to Mary's Place, a Seattle shelter for homeless women and children. Makeup artists and stylists have volunteered to do hair and makeup for the women, who will be taken to the party in rented buses.

"It's all women and children. That was something, definitely, that was important to me. I was seeking out women's charities or women's organizations because I'm just feeling very strongly feminist right now."

Dana will not be attending the party, that she imagines will be very similar to her would-have-been wedding reception, with dinner and dancing. She grew up in Seattle, but lives in Los Angeles, and says she plans to hide out all weekend.

"I obviously could have gone and chose not to. But my mom is going and a few of her friends, to just see it and help out. I have to say, it is making me feel a little bit better. I am going to have a really terrible weekend, this weekend, and it's some comfort to know that at least some other people will be having a good weekend."