Most people expect a wedding to follow a predictable script — a handful of traditional rituals, a few toasts, and some dancing. Nobody, however, prepares for a bride in a full gown sprinting down a bowling alley lane to dive headfirst into the pins. Or a couple turning their reception into a full-scale galactic battle, complete with a Jedi groom and Princess Leia bride.
These wild, funny, and occasionally unhinged wedding moments were shared on an online forum recently, and we’ve collected some of the best ones right here.
All these stories prove that no matter how much time and money you spend on logistics, you can never truly control human behavior or fate.
#21
At my wedding my mom yelled at me, called me a selfish, bad daughter… because I was “making the day all about my partner and myself”. Then her husband texted MY HUSBAND a week later telling him I need to figure out a way to make my selfishness up to my mom.
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12points
Handling unexpected situations comes down to managing your own expectations. Equipment will break, someone will drink too much, and the weather might turn on a dime.
At the end of the day, you simply can’t script human behavior or predict every twist of fate. If everything goes smoothly, you get your dream wedding. If it all goes off the rails, you come away with a valuable life lesson — and one crazy story to tell.
#22
I think I've got a few answers, though I doubt any will even make top ten among the other answers.
One was a surprise wedding. One day we went to church, our pastor said today's sermon was going to be about marriage, and as a demonstration he was going to marry two parishioners.
Obviously they had set it up, but anyone who wasn't a close friend or family member was completely in the dark about it. I wish I'd picked a better outfit that morning.
Another was a fireworks show. A high school friend's wedding took place at a camp, and they took advantage of being far from anyone who'd complain about the noise. I mean, I've seen 4th of July fireworks shows by small town governments that weren't that big.
A third was quite touching. A daughter of one of my cousins (I think that makes her a first cousin once removed) had this beautiful ceremony. But for a bit of context, my cousin and his daughter's mother had an *ugly* divorce. Just awful. Thankfully they've both found people who fit them better since then. But apparently this wedding either forced them or gave them a reason to interact more than they would've (shocker, I know). Because one of the bride's brothers gave this beautiful, tearful speech about watching so many years of resentment and hostility finally be undone. I don't think there was a dry eye in the audience, especially when she got up and hugged him. Simply beautiful.
But I think if we're going for bonkers, I've gotta steal from my parents.
Apparently an ex-boyfriend of my Mom (an amicable breakup, as I understand it) wanted to ask her to get back together with him. But my Mom had been at an out of state college, where she met my Dad. They were engaged by the time he saw her again.
He apparently hid his disappointment well, because both my parents felt comfortable inviting him to the wedding. But the night before he approached my Mom and asked her to call it off and take him back. She obviously refused, and assumed he wouldn't come to the wedding.
But sure enough he did, although he was quiet during the ceremony. Then at the reception, he asked for a dance with the bride. I guess since he'd been respectful up to that point, my folks decided it was okay as a final parting gesture.
Well, apparently somewhere between the ceremony and the reception (or hell, maybe before) he decided to drown his heartbreak in liquor.
My Mom said she didn't even feel it since the dress was so big and puffy. But one minute she's dancing with this guy, the next her brothers are pulling him away, and she can see her Dad holding my Dad back. She learned later that he was fondling her backside during the dance.
Thankfully, this story did ultimately have a happy ending. Not only have my parents been together for over thirty years now; but that ex eventually wisened up, apologized for his actions, got forgiven by both my folks, and did ultimately find a lasting marriage.
One was a surprise wedding. One day we went to church, our pastor said today's sermon was going to be about marriage, and as a demonstration he was going to marry two parishioners.
Obviously they had set it up, but anyone who wasn't a close friend or family member was completely in the dark about it. I wish I'd picked a better outfit that morning.
Another was a fireworks show. A high school friend's wedding took place at a camp, and they took advantage of being far from anyone who'd complain about the noise. I mean, I've seen 4th of July fireworks shows by small town governments that weren't that big.
A third was quite touching. A daughter of one of my cousins (I think that makes her a first cousin once removed) had this beautiful ceremony. But for a bit of context, my cousin and his daughter's mother had an *ugly* divorce. Just awful. Thankfully they've both found people who fit them better since then. But apparently this wedding either forced them or gave them a reason to interact more than they would've (shocker, I know). Because one of the bride's brothers gave this beautiful, tearful speech about watching so many years of resentment and hostility finally be undone. I don't think there was a dry eye in the audience, especially when she got up and hugged him. Simply beautiful.
But I think if we're going for bonkers, I've gotta steal from my parents.
Apparently an ex-boyfriend of my Mom (an amicable breakup, as I understand it) wanted to ask her to get back together with him. But my Mom had been at an out of state college, where she met my Dad. They were engaged by the time he saw her again.
He apparently hid his disappointment well, because both my parents felt comfortable inviting him to the wedding. But the night before he approached my Mom and asked her to call it off and take him back. She obviously refused, and assumed he wouldn't come to the wedding.
But sure enough he did, although he was quiet during the ceremony. Then at the reception, he asked for a dance with the bride. I guess since he'd been respectful up to that point, my folks decided it was okay as a final parting gesture.
Well, apparently somewhere between the ceremony and the reception (or hell, maybe before) he decided to drown his heartbreak in liquor.
My Mom said she didn't even feel it since the dress was so big and puffy. But one minute she's dancing with this guy, the next her brothers are pulling him away, and she can see her Dad holding my Dad back. She learned later that he was fondling her backside during the dance.
Thankfully, this story did ultimately have a happy ending. Not only have my parents been together for over thirty years now; but that ex eventually wisened up, apologized for his actions, got forgiven by both my folks, and did ultimately find a lasting marriage.
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11points
#23
Maid of honor gave a really quick 2 sentence speech basically saying "Congratulations. I hope you two are happy." Best man gave a loving speech telling a story about him and the groom in high school. As soon as he got done, bride ripped into the best man for making the maid of honor look bad. If there was an open bar, I'd understand but it was a dry wedding.
10points
#24
I was working a wedding once in the middle of nowhere Massachusetts, out in the boonies. One of the bride's guests showed up late seemingly fine. About an hour later she was out of her mind drunk/high. I told the event manager to keep an eye on her and as she was escorting her out the completely pitch black service road, as not to disrupt the wedding , the crazy woman attack the manager and took a bite out of her arm. And to give you an idea, the drunk woman had to have been 6 ft tall and in her late twenties and the manager was 5'4 and in her early '60s.
Then drnkie started fighting with the property owner and tried to steal his car because she was convinced that it was hers. The property owner was only like 5'4 and they were having a hard time keeping the woman out of the vehicle. I stepped in to restrain her until the police arrived and she started screaming like a Fisher cat. The police got there and took over. Later in the night, neighbors stopped by and asked if we heard that wild animal noise from the woods.....
I've always thought to myself you have to be a special kind of crazy to bite someone like that.
Then drnkie started fighting with the property owner and tried to steal his car because she was convinced that it was hers. The property owner was only like 5'4 and they were having a hard time keeping the woman out of the vehicle. I stepped in to restrain her until the police arrived and she started screaming like a Fisher cat. The police got there and took over. Later in the night, neighbors stopped by and asked if we heard that wild animal noise from the woods.....
I've always thought to myself you have to be a special kind of crazy to bite someone like that.
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10points
#25
Groom changed his mind morning of. The kind of thing I thought only happened in movies.
I was supposed to ride to the salon with the bride and MOH because my makeup appointment was last of the regular bridesmaids (the rest of them were already at the salon). MOH comes to get me from the suite where I had been waiting an hour late and tells me there might not be a wedding today but we have to act normal in case the two of them work it out. So I have to sit there getting my hair and makeup done with that hanging over my head as everyone is having a grand old time chatting. Well there wasn’t a wedding that day but they did end up getting married a few months later and have a kid together now. I have no idea how you come back from being left the morning of your wedding personally.
I was supposed to ride to the salon with the bride and MOH because my makeup appointment was last of the regular bridesmaids (the rest of them were already at the salon). MOH comes to get me from the suite where I had been waiting an hour late and tells me there might not be a wedding today but we have to act normal in case the two of them work it out. So I have to sit there getting my hair and makeup done with that hanging over my head as everyone is having a grand old time chatting. Well there wasn’t a wedding that day but they did end up getting married a few months later and have a kid together now. I have no idea how you come back from being left the morning of your wedding personally.
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10points
#26
Father Daughter dance was to the song Candy Shop by 50 Cent. Super weird and turns out the father was like estranged from the family and popped back in their lives when she got engaged.
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9points
#27
At the reception, where I work. The staff had been prepared for adult entertainment at 9pm, which was odd enough, at a wedding. When we started to try to arrange the guests (some had kids, so we had a separate area ready for them to use) it became apparent that only the groom and his brother (best man) were in on it. They'd told us they'd ordered an adult dancer.
What they'd actually hired was a facebook "woman of the night". The groom was half naked on the stage, being gyrated over by a woman wearing nothing but 2 splodges of whipped cream, with an audience that included his now-sobbing bride and both of their parents.
The bride's dad cut the party. The groom was punched in the face twice, once by own dad and once by the bride's, before staff intervened. It was freaking nuts.
What they'd actually hired was a facebook "woman of the night". The groom was half naked on the stage, being gyrated over by a woman wearing nothing but 2 splodges of whipped cream, with an audience that included his now-sobbing bride and both of their parents.
The bride's dad cut the party. The groom was punched in the face twice, once by own dad and once by the bride's, before staff intervened. It was freaking nuts.
9points
#28
Cousins wedding, white guy marrying into a Chinese family. At a riverside venue that is a club, food is indoors, people mingling outdoors on a pool deck.
Weird uncle shows up with his Brazilian house cleaner as a date. Wedding goes fine, cocktail hour etc, toast occur before dinner, family does a traditional Chinese deal. Dj makes the worst decision ever: says does anyone else have anything they’d like to say.
Uncle Matt says “yep” and grabs the mic.
Proceeds to rant about how he’s the black sheep of the family, airing out family business, some absolute crazy stuff. I’ve never felt more awkward in my life. He ends his speech saying “I bet you are wondering what I’ll say next”
Then jumps in the pool in his full clothing. Like it was the rug pull punch line after saying crazy family stuff in the most inappropriate of settings.
Irony: brides extended fam didn’t speak English, they had no idea he was saying terrible stuff. They started applauding at this crazy white boy American jumping in the pool.
I am a side gig wedding DJ, I would NEVER open the mic to anyone who’s not on the approved speech list. How the DJ didn’t turn off the mic, or someone go intervene was beyond me. Most amazingly awkward thing I’ve ever seen in my life.
Not surprisingly, family found out uncle Matt had a loooooong tenured substance dependance. Still no clue what the housekeeper thought.
Weird uncle shows up with his Brazilian house cleaner as a date. Wedding goes fine, cocktail hour etc, toast occur before dinner, family does a traditional Chinese deal. Dj makes the worst decision ever: says does anyone else have anything they’d like to say.
Uncle Matt says “yep” and grabs the mic.
Proceeds to rant about how he’s the black sheep of the family, airing out family business, some absolute crazy stuff. I’ve never felt more awkward in my life. He ends his speech saying “I bet you are wondering what I’ll say next”
Then jumps in the pool in his full clothing. Like it was the rug pull punch line after saying crazy family stuff in the most inappropriate of settings.
Irony: brides extended fam didn’t speak English, they had no idea he was saying terrible stuff. They started applauding at this crazy white boy American jumping in the pool.
I am a side gig wedding DJ, I would NEVER open the mic to anyone who’s not on the approved speech list. How the DJ didn’t turn off the mic, or someone go intervene was beyond me. Most amazingly awkward thing I’ve ever seen in my life.
Not surprisingly, family found out uncle Matt had a loooooong tenured substance dependance. Still no clue what the housekeeper thought.
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9points
#29
The newly wedded couple were both deaf, and incredibly sauced. They were arguing with each other in ASL while at the same time articulating verbally with the familiar intonation and cadence that people with hearing issues have.
9points
#30
At my wedding most of us got severe food poisoning. My honey moon was in a cabin with black and white TV watching the only channel, with Oliver North trial, trading the bathroom time with my wife every hour. Before we were all stricken with sickness, my college friends tried to see how many of them could fit in one of the hotel glass door showers. The shower shattered and they got a big bill.
9points
#31
This was the reception rather than the ceremony, but the best man got up on a chair and mooned everyone.
The best part was that he stood on the chair and grabbed his belt buckle and then realized where he was and almost stopped himself, and then the bride's 70-something year old aunt *egged him on*.
The best part was that he stood on the chair and grabbed his belt buckle and then realized where he was and almost stopped himself, and then the bride's 70-something year old aunt *egged him on*.
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9points
#32
Former wedding photographer here -
1. Best man and bro of the bride start pushing shoving/taking off ties/jackets/shirts before they were pulled apart. Apparently bro of the bride was flirting with the best man's wife (she started it).
About 20 mins after they were pulled apart, bro of brides girlfriend and best man's wife got into a hair pulling/fists throwing fight. Broken up by the bro of the groom, who had the other girl pinned, and about 3 guys holding his arm back.
Bride about passed out from panic. It was the last time I saw her that night.
2 - Dinner was at a Chinese buffet place. Two waiters started a full on fight in the dinner hall. One for thrown over a table, and they were throwing haymakers like old time hockey players. Other waiters pushed them into an elevator. Doors closed as they were still going at it.
Both happened within weeks of each other.
1. Best man and bro of the bride start pushing shoving/taking off ties/jackets/shirts before they were pulled apart. Apparently bro of the bride was flirting with the best man's wife (she started it).
About 20 mins after they were pulled apart, bro of brides girlfriend and best man's wife got into a hair pulling/fists throwing fight. Broken up by the bro of the groom, who had the other girl pinned, and about 3 guys holding his arm back.
Bride about passed out from panic. It was the last time I saw her that night.
2 - Dinner was at a Chinese buffet place. Two waiters started a full on fight in the dinner hall. One for thrown over a table, and they were throwing haymakers like old time hockey players. Other waiters pushed them into an elevator. Doors closed as they were still going at it.
Both happened within weeks of each other.
9points
#33
Used to be an assistant event manager at a winery that did weddings, and on the same weekend we had:
1. A groomsman who got so raucously drunk, the bar staff cut him off. He got pissed that he wasn't allowed to drink anymore, snatched an unopened wine bottle, and then ran into the crowd on the dance floor to evade staff. Of course, it's not like he had a corkscrew on him, so he proceeds to try and break the top of the bottle to open it and slices the frick out of his hand. Bleeds everywhere on the outdoor dance floor and then gets to ride in the sheriff's cruiser to the hospital since they had previously been called over a fight that the wedding party had been involved with earlier.
2. DJ got a DUI after driving his car directly in the ditch outside the venue trying to turn right onto the road. Bartender said it must have been substances because she had barely served him and he didn't seem drunk. He was also supposedly a family friend of either the bride or groom.
1. A groomsman who got so raucously drunk, the bar staff cut him off. He got pissed that he wasn't allowed to drink anymore, snatched an unopened wine bottle, and then ran into the crowd on the dance floor to evade staff. Of course, it's not like he had a corkscrew on him, so he proceeds to try and break the top of the bottle to open it and slices the frick out of his hand. Bleeds everywhere on the outdoor dance floor and then gets to ride in the sheriff's cruiser to the hospital since they had previously been called over a fight that the wedding party had been involved with earlier.
2. DJ got a DUI after driving his car directly in the ditch outside the venue trying to turn right onto the road. Bartender said it must have been substances because she had barely served him and he didn't seem drunk. He was also supposedly a family friend of either the bride or groom.
9points
#34
My friend's mom showed up late (despite being told a way earlier time to arrive because she's a mentally ill narcissist who makes everything about her and arrives late every time) ignored the "please leave the photography up to the photographer speech and pulled out the biggest iPad I've ever seen in my life to take pictures and then during their unity sand portion of the ceremony she ran up with a freezer Ziploc bag full of rice and baseball pitched it at the bride and groom and wedding party yelling WOOO! until a family member ran up to grab her and usher her back to her seat
She then cried loudly post ceremony that her son didn't want to take photos with her and wouldn't let her use their photographer to take photos of people of her choice in a bunch of clothes she brought for them to wear.
She then also apparently stormed out during speeches (but nobody noticed) because his sister who was the best (wo)man talked about how he was her protector and always had been there for him and supported her so much through a bunch of trauma they had escaping war as children and life afterwards.
It was freaking bananas .
She then cried loudly post ceremony that her son didn't want to take photos with her and wouldn't let her use their photographer to take photos of people of her choice in a bunch of clothes she brought for them to wear.
She then also apparently stormed out during speeches (but nobody noticed) because his sister who was the best (wo)man talked about how he was her protector and always had been there for him and supported her so much through a bunch of trauma they had escaping war as children and life afterwards.
It was freaking bananas .
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9points
#35
I worked at a small lakeside resort in college, as a bartender. We did a lot of weddings.
Off the bat I knew this one would be weird when the bartenders found out we were only serving water, sodas and juice. Turns out the bride/brides family was very anti-alcohol. Cool, except that the groom didn’t tell ANYONE he invited including his family and his groomsmen, who were all his college frat brothers.
Chaos and contempt filled the reception room quickly. Glad the wedding attendees left the reception before dinner to load up on drinks at the resorts main bar. And they continued to leave the reception in very large groups throughout the evening. It all culminated with a drunk family member of the groom loudly accosting the bride with “I knew you were a lame jerk!” In front of everyone.
Off the bat I knew this one would be weird when the bartenders found out we were only serving water, sodas and juice. Turns out the bride/brides family was very anti-alcohol. Cool, except that the groom didn’t tell ANYONE he invited including his family and his groomsmen, who were all his college frat brothers.
Chaos and contempt filled the reception room quickly. Glad the wedding attendees left the reception before dinner to load up on drinks at the resorts main bar. And they continued to leave the reception in very large groups throughout the evening. It all culminated with a drunk family member of the groom loudly accosting the bride with “I knew you were a lame jerk!” In front of everyone.
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9points
#36
This isn’t that crazy compared to the other stories in this thread, but oh well.
My MIL brought her boyfriend to the welcome dinner the night before the wedding (it was her nephew’s wedding/my husband’s cousin’s wedding). The morning of the wedding, she dumped him. She then spent the entire wedding sulking about their break up. When it was time for dinner, she asked for (what would have been) her boyfriend’s meal to be “boxed up” so that she could take it home. As soon as it was packaged, she took it and left.
My husband and I later found out that she told the bride and groom she was “too poor” to buy them a gift and that her presence was their gift.
My MIL brought her boyfriend to the welcome dinner the night before the wedding (it was her nephew’s wedding/my husband’s cousin’s wedding). The morning of the wedding, she dumped him. She then spent the entire wedding sulking about their break up. When it was time for dinner, she asked for (what would have been) her boyfriend’s meal to be “boxed up” so that she could take it home. As soon as it was packaged, she took it and left.
My husband and I later found out that she told the bride and groom she was “too poor” to buy them a gift and that her presence was their gift.
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9points
#37
My best man ad-libbed his speech and mentioned my exes.
He had one job.
We’ve not spoken since.
He had one job.
We’ve not spoken since.
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9points
#39
My wedding. My bridesmaid stole $400 out of my purse then told me to calm down because I was ruining the day for everyone else. Then accused my mother in law and my grandma of stealing it.
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9points
#40
Very Catholic father of the bride gives speech about how they taught their daughter to wait until marriage, followed immediately by maid of honor giving a speech about how the first date lasted three days.
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9points