A wedding celebration in the state of Maine took an unexpected and violent turn when the photographer in charge of documenting the ceremony was allegedly attacked with a knife in the middle of the reception.

Donald Halsing, 26, of Massachusetts, suffered serious injuries after a guest allegedly stabbed him near the dance floor overnight on May 23, according to the Boston Globe.

The incident occurred at Kingsley Pines Camp, an event venue located in Raymond, on the banks of Panther Pond in southern Maine.

The photographer worked to finance his own wedding

Halsing had attended the event with his fiancée, Ashley Wall, who was also collaborating on the photographic coverage.

As he later reported, the day passed without incident for much of the day. "It was an absolutely beautiful day. A beautiful place to have a wedding," she recalled.

The couple was taking photographs of the guests when the attack occurred.

According to Halsing's testimony, a man approached while he was working near the table where the cake cutting was taking place.

The guest began asking questions about his wedding photography services, a situation that the professional considered completely normal.

Due to the volume of the music, Halsing decided to show him his Instagram account from his cell phone to facilitate conversation. It was then that, according to his story, the man put his hand into one of his back pockets.

“I thought he was going to take out his phone,” she explained.

However, he claims that the individual pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the abdomen without saying a word.

“I saw a hole in my stomach.”

Halsing said he immediately understood the seriousness of the situation. “I looked down and saw a hole in my stomach,” he recalled.

While the alleged attacker left the place, the photographer managed to get up to the stage where the DJ was and began to ask for help.

The guests reacted immediately.

Among those attending were several health professionals who intervened quickly.

According to Halsing, the bride herself is a nurse and one of the members of the wedding party works in an emergency room.

They began to control the bleeding using napkins and tablecloths while medical services arrived.

“Without them, I could have easily died,” he said.

He was later taken to a hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

Serious injuries and hospitalization for several days

The photographer remained hospitalized for five days.

According to a fundraising campaign created to help cover his medical expenses, he suffered two major lacerations, including a liver injury.

The page describes what happened as an “unexpected and unprovoked” attack.

Family and friends indicated that Halsing faces a long recovery process.

Authorities identified the defendant as Andrew T. Manderson, 26, of Scarborough, Maine.

According to the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, deputies arrived at the scene shortly after 9:00 p.m. and they managed to arrest the suspect in less than 20 minutes.

According to the investigation, Manderson initially fled to an area near the lake after the attack.

He now faces charges of aggravated assault and aggravated assault with aggravated circumstances.

One of the most puzzling aspects of the case is the apparent absence of a motive.

Halsing stated that he had never met the defendant before that night and that there was no prior argument or conflict between the two.

He later learned that Manderson was the bride's cousin.

So far, authorities have not revealed what motivated the alleged attack.