Wedding Ends in Disaster as 40 Guests Suffer Food Poisoning, with Groom Worried that 'People Could Have Died' (Exclusive)
Shawn and Azalea Soria's wedding turned disastrous when dozens of guests flee to emergency room, blaming taco vendor
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Shawn and Azalea with their tacosShawn and Azalea Soria's wedding reception ended in disaster when 40 guests fell ill from food poisoning, believed to be caused by their caterer
Attempts to contact the vendor for a refund or apology were met with silence, followed by the vendor blocking them and their family on social media
The couple has since reported the vendor to health authorities, and gone viral on TikTok warning others about unsafe food practices
What was meant to be the happiest day of Shawn and Azalea Soria’s lives quickly turned into a nightmare after their wedding guests fell violently ill due to what they believe is extreme food poisoning.
The couple, who tied the knot in California in late February, had hired a taco vendor, TacoXotic, to cater their reception. Instead of a night filled with celebration, laughter and dancing, many of their guests spent the evening battling nausea and vomiting, and in some cases, even requiring emergency medical care.
The couple shared their shocking experience in a now-viral TikTok video, warning others about the dangers of unsafe food handling.
Azalea recalls the booking process as seemingly seamless. “I actually found them on Facebook,” she exclusively tells PEOPLE. “They were advertising their catering services, and I was really drawn to the fact that they had vegan and vegetarian options. I spent weeks researching, checking Yelp and Google reviews, and everything looked fine at the time.”
However, on the wedding day, red flags started to emerge. According to Azalea, TacoXotic was expected to be set up and ready to serve by 2:00 p.m., but they didn’t arrive until that time and took nearly 45 minutes to start cooking.
Hungry guests, who had already been anticipating a meal ahead of an overnight campout, were left waiting as service dragged on for hours. “We asked when the food would be ready, and they were unsure,” Azalea shares. “They just kind of paused, and eventually said 10 or 15 minutes — but that turned into over an hour.”
Additionally, the couple cite poor customer service and questionable food handling as a concern. “They were really unfriendly,” Shawn tells PEOPLE. “Guests would ask for something and they’d be rude, short with them, as if they didn’t want to be there.”
More alarmingly, multiple guests noticed the vendors using the same utensils for all meats, including the vegan and vegetarian options, and using the same gloves throughout the entire event — even after handling raw meat.
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Azalea and Shawn Soria“One of my family members saw them grab raw meat right before cooking the quesadilla,” Azalea recalls. “In what world is that okay?”
By the time food was served nearly three hours behind schedule, the damage had already been done. And later that evening, guests started experiencing symptoms of food poisoning. “My sister-in-law and her boyfriend had to leave early,” Shawn recalls. “They told us later that they had started throwing up on the way home.”
The sickness quickly spread among their other guests. “I felt like passing out,” Azalea shares. “I kept throwing up every hour. Then my daughter woke up in the middle of the night and threw up all over herself.”
Campers at the wedding site woke up to sounds of vomiting, and soon after, the couple began receiving calls from other guests who were also sick. In total, nearly 40 people were affected, with at least eight to 10 requiring emergency medical care.
“My kids and I had to go to the ER,” Azalea explains. “My aunt, uncle and their kids all had to seek medical help. My step-grandpa, who has cancer and undergoes chemotherapy twice a week, got so sick that he couldn’t receive his treatment. This wasn’t just an inconvenience — this was serious.”
PEOPLE has reached out multiple times to TacoXotic for comment, but has received no response.
The disastrous turn of events put a dark cloud over what should have been a joyous occasion. Their post-wedding plans, including a group hike the next morning, were completely derailed. “We couldn’t even enjoy the moment,” Shawn says.
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Shawn and Azalea Soria holding their food“Instead of reminiscing about our wedding,” he continues, “we were dealing with being violently ill. It completely ruined our experience.”
In the aftermath, the couple reached out to TacoXotic, hoping to at least receive an apology and a refund. “We weren’t even asking for the deposit back,” Azalea notes. “Just the remaining balance, because we had to miss work, we had ER visits, and it just cost us so much more than just money.”
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However, their attempts to communicate with the vendor were met with silence. “I messaged them on Facebook, no response. Texted them, nothing. Tried Instagram, TikTok, nothing. They blocked us,” she explains.
Not only did the couple find themselves blocked, but their family members who also tried to reach out were also cut off. Frustrated with the lack of accountability, the newlyweds turned to social media to share their story.
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Shawn and Azalea Soria with their children and bridesmaidsTheir TikTok quickly went viral, garnering thousands of views and comments from concerned users. “Our intention wasn’t to go viral,” Shawn explains. “We just wanted to hold them accountable and prevent this from happening to anyone else. Food poisoning is serious — people could have died.”
The couple has since reported the vendor to the local health department. “There’s an investigation underway,” Shawn confirms, explaining that they are looking into the validity of their business license and discussing taking potential legal action.
For those planning their weddings, the couple urges extra caution when booking food vendors. “Do your research beyond just Google and Yelp,” Shawn advises. “Look for any inconsistencies, check if they have a valid business license and food handler certification, and don’t be afraid to speak up if something seems off.”
Azalea adds, “This experience affected so many people in so many ways. If we can prevent just one couple from going through what we did, then sharing our story will have been worth it.”
Read the original article on People
