Angry groom burns down wedding venue after they cancelled reception due to unpaid fees

AN ANGRY South African groom has set fire to a wedding venue after the facility cancelled his reception party over unpaid fees.

Jean Greyling, 28, admitted to starting the fire which but down the reception hall near the central town of Bloemfontein, causing damage worth more than 3.5 million rand ($397,000), according to the Afrikaans news website Beeld.

The July 27 reception was cancelled a day before because he still hadn't paid the fees.

The fire started shortly after midnight on July 28 and Greyling had been spotted in the area a short while earlier, the news site reported.

Greyling was charged with arson and released on bail. No one was hurt in the blaze.

Other creditors - including the cake baker and florist - said they also hadn't been paid by Greyling for their services.

Meanwhile his bride, Lianne, appeared in court last week on unrelated charges for fraud worth over 5.2 million rand.