Hello all,
I would like to get some objective feedback from people here on a minor incident. So, I attended a wedding last night here in Belgium. I know the bride as she is pretty good friends with my wife. I've met her now husband at least 5 times, just small social occasions and that kind of thing.
After the main course was served last night but before the dessert, the waiters came around to each table and took drinks orders. Before then, it was all just wine and water. People were ordering different drinks, some continued with wine, some got beer and some had soft drinks. I presumed that this round of drinks and maybe another would be covered by the wedding, and after that then maybe it's up to everyone to go to the bar themselves.
I should clarify that in Belgium, you can normally just order "a beer" in most pubs and they'll give you a glass of whatever the standard house beer is, usually something decent but not expensive, e.g. Jupiler or Stella Artois. Anyway, the waiter came to the table and my conversation with him went like this:
Me: "Can I order a beer please?"
Waiter: "Yes, of course"
Me: "What beer do you have?"
Waiter: "Stella Artois"
Me: "Do you have anything apart from Stella?"
Waiter: "Yeah, we have Palme and Duvel as well"
Me: "I'll have a Duvel please"
The waiter then asked the fella sitting beside me at the table if he would like a Duvel too and he declined. The waiter went off to get the drinks for the table. A couple of minutes later I'm standing over at an adjacent table chatting to the bride's parents and a friend. I look over and I see the groom and he waves me over with his hand. I acknowledged him and then tried to get past but there was a good few people in my way, so I just stood there waiting for a space to get through. I look over in the groom's direction again a few seconds later as I'm unsure if he just wants me, or me and my wife for a photo or something.
This time, he waves his arm twice quite impatiently, mouthing the words "come here, come here". He seemed very agitated. So I went the long way around to the table straight over to him. As I approached, he was talking to the bride, and it was clear from their facial expressions and body language that something was wrong. The conversation went like this:
Me: "Is everything ok?"
Groom: "Did you order a Duvel?" he asked me in a very serious tone of voice.
Me: "Yeah"
Groom: "No Duvel, No Duvel, just Stella" he says while waving his hand in a horizontal manner.
Me: "Oh right, sorry. I didn't know that"
Groom: "They've already opened the bottle so they'll give you the Duvel this time, but that's it. Ok?"
Me: "Yeah no problem at all. Look don't worry, I'll pay for it anyway."
Groom: "No, you don't pay. But that's it, ok."
The groom then walked away leaving me there with the bride who seemed very uncomfortable. I apologised to her again and said I didn't know they had certain drinks included. She said it was fine. I told her I would pay for it and she said it's grand, leave it off.
A while later, I went to the bar to try and pay for it, but the bar staff told me it was taken care of and it was included. I should point out that a glass of Stella in this part of Belgium probably costs about 2 euro, while a small bottle of Duvel would cost maybe 3.50 at most.
I was a bit shocked by the groom's behaviour, but just said I'd forget about it. Myself and the Mrs then had a great night dancing and everything.
So, was I in the wrong by ordering the beer and not checking first? Did the groom behave inappropriately? Thanks for your opinions
