BATON ROUGE - A community of small businesses came together to show love and support for a couple whose wedding was almost ruined thanks to a no-show caterer. 

Alaijah and Patrick Carpenter were married in Houma on Friday. They hired Keon Sibley of Kajun Sensation Catering for the wedding, paying him $6,000 to feed their 250 guests. The wedding coordinator successfully checked in with him on Wednesday, but he didn't respond to texts or phone calls on Friday.

Hours before the wedding, Lakesha Dunn spoke with her sister and Mother of the Bride, Ashley Hooper. 

"She sounded so panicked and she said, 'Keon is not answering the phone for the coordinator,' and I'm thinking, 'Where is Keon?'" Dunn said.  

Dunn posted about what was happening to Facebook and word traveled quickly. 

"Instantly everybody started saying, 'Oh he did this to someone else, oh he did this to someone else,' and I'm like oh, he's not coming," Dunn said.

Instead of attending the ceremony, family members frantically drove around Houma gathering food for the guests. The menu included Domino's Pizza, sandwiches from Rouses, and Raisin' Canes. Instead of stressing out of the ordeal, the bride and groom took the news with love and grace.

"My sister went to cry and my niece said, 'Don't worry it's only food,' and they didn't let that stop their day," Dunn said.

The couple danced the night away with their friends and family, but overnight something magical happened. Dunn's Facebook post has been shared several hundred times and got the attention of local small businesses who wanted to help.

D'Andra and Brandon Odom own Odom's Kitchen, LLC. Friday night he posted a comment about the situation offering to help.

"I woke up to plentiful DM's, text messages, different people I know in the community, Smoke Bayou was one of them, and that was it," Brandon Odom said.

The redo reception was held at Chateau Lyle. Every service was donated from the cookies to the photos, music, and food. The entire evening came together in less than 48 hours. 

"It was important to us to say, 'Look we know we can't make up for what happened but what we can do is let you end the weekend, this Juneteenth weekend, on a high note,'" D'Andra Odom said. 

The Carpenters serve on the Bethany Church Praise and Worship team. 

Bride Alaijah Carpenter, who recently graduated from Bethany College, says she is "amazed at how fast they pulled everything together," and is thankful for the community response.

Dunn sends her well wishes to the bride and groom.

"May God love and bless you, the whole entire community of Baton Rouge loves you and I hope that your marriage is filled with love and joy and prosperity," Dunn said.

Sibley was arrested on a third offense DWI in May 2022. He pleaded guilty to first offense DWI last year and is currently under probation. His phone went straight to voicemail and he did not respond to text messages Monday. His linked website is not operational.

There are other victims who have reached out to 2 On Your Side. Jalacy James says Sibley didn't show up on their 2022 wedding day after paying him $4,000. In May 2025, he was a no-show at Ratasha Alexander's daughter's graduation party. She paid Sibley $2,000 and after saying he'd refund the money has yet to do so. Other posts on Facebook share similar testimonies.