A Californian bride has shared her wedding reception with dozens of homeless people after her fiance called off their nuptials at the last minute.

Twenty-seven-year-old Quinn and her family, from Sacramento in the United States, were shocked when her husband-to-be decided not to go through with the event, but quickly saw the opportunity to give back to the community.

"When I found out on Monday that the wedding would not be taking place, it just seemed like, of course, this would be something that we would do to give back," the bride's mother Kari Duane told KCRA News.

Homeless mother Erika Craycraft said opening up the reception to the community was a "really kind" thing to do. ( Supplied: KCRA News )

The $35,000 reception had been booked for 120 people at the city's Citizen Hotel and was non-refundable.

But empty chairs were quickly filled, with reports of up to 90 homeless men, women and children — including whole families with grandparents and newborns — turning up to enjoy the feast.

"When you're going through a hard time and a struggle for you to get out to do something different and with your family, it was really a blessing," said Rashad Abdullah, who attended the event with his wife and five children.

He told KCRA News that it was a welcome change from struggling just to eat three meals a day.

He and his wife Erika Craycraft said they were very grateful for the charitable offer.

"To lose out on something so important to yourself and then give it to someone else is really giving, really kind," Ms Craycraft said.

Ms Duane said it was a positive outcome to a heartbreaking situation.

"I feel a lot of heartache and heartbreak for her (Quinn), but I will take away something good from this, I will," she said.