How to Prevent Wedding Crashers

1 Written by natasha on July 28, 2010 – 5:00 am

I know what you’re thinking. “Really, Natasha? People don’t crash weddings in real life.” Oh but you’re mistaken (sorry!)

This past weekend, I was at a lovely little hotel near Santa Barbara, California, where at least one couple decided to host their wedding reception. I know this because the room that was selected for the reception was located between the hotel restaurant’s restroom and the gift shop. And there was an open door. And loud, danceable music. And I, my friends, wanted to dance!

But I didn’t. I did, however, take a few steps into the reception to see who was getting married (research for this blog, of course!) But for most of the time, I stood outside the room, looking in, listening, and watching person after person walk right into the reception to hang out. I know that they were crashing because of their attire, the mischevious looks on their faces, and the fact that they checked the names of the couples and didn’t interact with anyone else.

So that is what prompts this post.  Here are some tips to avoid having people like me walk right into your wedding reception!

1) Know the profile. Most wedding crashers are men in their mid-20s to mid-30s. Usually there is one to two, but sometimes there are groups. Women are less likely to crash. (Take that for what you will)

2) A door. And keep it closed. One of the problems with this location was that the door was wide open. And th emusic was blaring, BEGGING people to come in and dance. So keep the door closed. If people can’t readily see and listen, they are far less likely to walk on in.

3) Work with the staff and/or coordinator. It’s helpful if you have someone on staff or (better) your day-of coordinator who can look out for people. Simple questions like “What’s the name of the bride and groom?” can often make people fold under pressure. Some people choose to go as far as to hire security to protect their wedding. If it’s that important to you and you are that fearful, that might be a viable option.

4) Keep an eye on attire. While I happened to be decked out for a fancy dinner and would have easily blended in to the wedding, some of the other people who wandered in were just wearing jeans. That made them stand out and could have raised some eyebrows, had anyone been paying attention. Backpacks, shopping bags, to-go boxes — all of those things should alert someone to a possible crasher. Check attire.

If, at the end of the day, you end up with millions of photos and you cant account for one person who keeps popping up — you probably had a crasher! Laugh it off, it’s a good story.

Good luck!

~ Natasha

Photo by jdpage