6 Real-Life Wedding Crasher Stories

Your wedding day is a significant event. Most couples plan every last detail, from the flower arrangements to the playlist. Yet on the big day, you might find a few extra guests in attendance. Wedding crashers aren’t just myth — ask these real-life brides and grooms.

1. A Buck for Luck

During their wedding celebration, Karen and Michael Tufo noticed a few extra guests in attendance. Each time the Tufos tried to greet the strangers, they were interrupted by family or friends. According to the New Jersey newlyweds, the crashers appeared in every photo of the celebration.

On the bright side, the uninvited guests were kind enough to leave a gift. They took a Polaroid photo of themselves, along with a note of congratulations and apology. They also left a one-dollar bill, a so-called “buck for luck.”

2. A Tainted Memory

At first, Krista and Andrew Reilly thought wedding crashers at their celebration would be a fun memory. Until three weeks later, when they realized the couple dominated their cherished photos and videos. The crashers posed on film, saying, “We love you guys! Congratulations!” though they don’t know the bride and groom.

Later, the strangers signed a special bench the coupled used in place of a guest book. “Right on the bench, they signed it. That is pretty frustrating to me,” said Andrew. Later, Krista got a Facebook message from one of the culprits. The man claimed he had no ill intent. He only meant to enjoy a good party. Krista’s advice? Don’t crash weddings again.

3. A Classic Tradition

Wedding crashing isn’t some new phenomenon — it’s been going on for decades. Back in the 1950s, Judy and Robert Snow would often crash receptions at the Plaza and Pierre hotels in New York. When anyone would ask who they were, the couple would respond they knew the bride or groom.

Linda Snow Gross, one of the couple’s daughters, said most people found their presence amusing. “My parents were, in a sense, professional party crashers because they made the party fun.” She claims they weren’t afraid to mingle, meet people and have a good time.

Wedding Crashers the movie

4. An Inspired Search

When Alan Greenblatt decided to crash a wedding, he said he was influenced by a “great movie” — referring to the 2005 movie The Wedding Crashers. Using Google, he found a wedding website set up by Laura Lorenz and Michael Friedman. According to Greenblatt, they looked like the sort of couple that would throw an interesting celebration.

Greenblatt bought a suit and got a haircut. He talked to guests and claimed he knew the bride or the groom — depending on who the other person knew. The couple discovered the stranger’s presence after they found a card reading, “Congratulations on your wedding and thanks for letting me crash the party.” Greenblatt also left a $100 gift card.

5. A Starstruck Reception

You may want to block strangers from crashing your celebration — but what if those strangers are Justin Beiber and Selena Gomez? Jeanine Holguin and Rob McCool planned their Malibu wedding down to every last detail. Yet they never expected a pair of celebrities to pop in.

According to Beiber, he and Gomez were walking by when they heard one of his songs playing at a nearby event. Beiber took the stage and made a speech. All in all, the star-studded duo stayed for 10 minutes, posing with the newlyweds and shaking hands before leaving.

6. A Full-Circle Experience

In 2001, Tana Runyan discovered crashers had attended her celebration after receiving a card signed, “Todd and Liz.” She forgot about the incident until later, when she received an invitation in the mail from an unfamiliar address. The note enclosed read, “We crashed your wedding on our second date. We would be honored if you would attend ours. Sincerely yours, Todd and Liz.”

Todd was Angus Maclane’s alias as a wedding crasher. Liz is his now-fiancée, Tashana Landray. At Runyan’s wedding, the couple posed for photos, mingled with guests and carefully dodged the newlyweds. At their own wedding, Maclane and Landray claimed they also had wedding crashers.

How to Prevent Possible Wedding Crashers

You can never predict if wedding crashers will show up at your event, but there are a few steps you can take to prevent uninvited guests.

For complete peace of mind, hire a security officer who can patrol and monitor the event. As you focus on your big day, a professional will ensure everyone at your gathering feels safe.

Avoid venues with an attached restaurant, as diners might be tempted to check out the party or enjoy a free drink. You can also evade accidental wedding crashers by choosing a venue separate from other event spaces.

While you might want to set up a wedding website, it’s a common tactic for wedding crashers to learn about upcoming nuptials online. If you want to keep the event from becoming public knowledge, stick to an email or closed social media group.

The verdict is in — some people love wedding crashers while others hate them. If you want to skip the experience altogether, follow the steps above to keep uninvited guests out.