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Home » Exclusive | Why people are paying to crash weddings — and how a new website lets it all happen
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Exclusive | Why people are paying to crash weddings — and how a new website lets it all happen

staffstaffJune 6, 20264 ViewsNo Comments
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Exclusive | Why people are paying to crash weddings — and how a new website lets it all happen

They’re giving Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn a run for their money.

Party animals are now paying to be wedding crashers thanks to a new website that allows couples to fill empty seats ahead of their big day.

Not a Wedding Crasher was launched this month by a married couple from San Diego — and so far, they’ve filled chairs at four weddings in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Washington and San Antonio.

Texan Hannah Emerson paid $70 to crash a wedding this month. Courtesy of Hannah Emerson

Hannah Emerson was elated when she first saw the unusual opportunity advertised on TikTok.

“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, Heck yes!’ Because I’ve always wanted to crash a wedding. But obviously you can’t do that and be respectful about it, so this was perfect,” she told The Post.

The 26-year-old background investigator paid $70 to attend a wedding in Seguin, TX, two hours from her San Antonio home.

Her husband drove her there, but refused to be her plus one.

“He thought it was the weirdest thing ever. So he sat in the car the whole time,” she said.

When Emerson arrived, she glanced at the “fancy seating chart,” assuming her name would not be listed.

“And it was!” she said, incredulously.

At the reception, Emerson, 26, sat at a table with three other crashers. Courtesy of Hannah Emerson

She spent four hours at the shindig — which included a taco buffet and an open bar — where she sat at a table with three other crashers.

“I’m waiting for someone to be like, ‘And who are you?’ But nobody asked,” said Emerson, whose video of the experience got over 5.5 million combined views.

She and her fellow crashers cringed when the DJ announced that the bride and groom were going to each table to take photos.

“We were like, ‘Oh no, does that include us?’ And then they called Table 5, which was just us four crashers,” she said.

The Not a Wedding Crasher website allows prospective guests to browse available nuptials, learn about the couples and check pricing.

Crashers create a profile and upload a form of identification, and the couple — who earns 80% of each sale — must approve them before they are given the venue’s address.

Founder Jeff Besen, who runs the company with his wife, Karina, told The Post the couples themselves determine the price tags, which have ranged from $25 to $75 per person.

“Factors like catering, alcohol service, open bar versus dry, venue, and location all play a role in the overall cost,” he said.

Julius and Diane Wu of Los Angeles attended a 25-person wedding, where they sat next to the best man. Courtesy of Julius Wu

When Julius Wu heard about the new site, he thought strangers’ weddings would make the perfect date night for him and his wife, Diane.

“You can only go to so many restaurants, so many comedy clubs and so many movies,” Julius said.

The Los Angeles couple traveled an hour to attend an intimate 25-person reception in Topanga, which was $40 for a cocktail hour, seated dinner, dessert and an open bar.

They arrived early, so even crashed the ceremony.

“We were completely planning on hanging back. But when we talked to the wedding planner, she said, ‘Oh no, we know about you guys. We want you to be part of this,’” Julius 53, an IT manager, recalled.

The Wus were one of the first to congratulate the groom after the ceremony. Courtesy of Julius Wu

The Wus also happened to be one of the first to congratulate the groom.

“I think we probably beat most of the guests to go talk to him,” Diane, 52, an aerospace engineer, said, laughing.

At the reception, they were even seated next to the best man.

“There was never an ounce of weirdness,” Julius said.

“We didn’t have to pretend we were somebody else or make up a story. People were just really nice and were like, ‘Oh, you’re from that website?’”

The founders of Not a Wedding Crasher, Jeff and Karina Besen, right, were at the wedding the Wus attended. Courtesy of Julius Wu

Kristine Ulrich of Scottsdale, AZ, “thoroughly enjoyed” crashing an outdoor wedding in Gilbert.

“I met the groom and I told him, ‘Honestly, of all the weddings I’ve ever been in my life, Top 5,’” she recalled.

“The wife came up to me later in the evening and gave me a big hug … I truly did not expect to be as welcomed as I was. “

Ulrich, 61, joined five other crashers for the $25 ceremony and reception, which was alcohol-free, but included mocktails, hors d’oeuvres, pizza and a dessert bar.

The former human resources manager now works as a lunch lady at an elementary school, where one of her co-workers questioned the unconventional extracurricular activity.

“People are like, ‘Why are you going to a stranger’s wedding?’ And I think there are why and why not people … and this service is for the people who say, ‘Why not?’”

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