Real Brides' Worst Wedding Guest Stories


From "funny" pranks gone really wrong, to frisky bridal party members, to parents verbally inviting everyone they know, real-life brides reveal some of the worst guest behaviors they've ever encountered.

By Tia Albright


It goes without saying: A wedding is a special time, but it's the family, friends, and crazy occurrences that can make it even more memorable ... not always for the better! Check out these horror stories from brides on TheKnot.com. We've left off the names to protect the innocent (and the guilty).

"My fiance's family loves to pull pranks. At his aunt's wedding, all of the guys rigged the getaway car so that every time the groom hit the brakes, the horn would beep. Unfortunately, they damaged the brake line. As the bride and groom were driving away from the reception, they couldn't brake and crashed the car."

"My mother-in-law (who isn't contributing to the wedding) photocopied our save-the-dates and sent them out to a few people not on the invite list."

"During the tribute section of our video, a married couple in our wedding party said, 'We're glad we could be here for your wedding day. We'll be there for you when you get divorced.' We don't believe they were kidding and haven't spoken to them since."

"One of our groomsmen dropped out two weeks before our wedding to attend a family reunion — the same guy that said he was glad he had an excuse to miss the reunion when we asked him to be in the wedding. I spent three days covering up his name on the programs."

"My father verbally invited six of his friends that are currently (and will remain) on our B-list."

"One of the bridesmaids took off with a groomsman and proceeded to get frisky in the bridal suite. In the midst of their fun, they accidentally knocked over a candle and ended up setting the curtains on fire."

"The judge that married us called my husband by the wrong name at least three times!"

"When I got married, one of my husband's friends grabbed a disposable camera off of a table and took explicit photos of him and his girlfriend in the bathroom during the reception. My mom was shocked when she got all of the pictures printed for us as a gift."

"Our 11- and 12-year-old junior bridesmaids made off with an expensive bottle of champagne, hid in the bathroom, and got trashed."

"One of our guests brought a guy who my husband and I can't stand (we went to high school with him). He got really drunk and inappropriately grabbed my husband's aunt. All hell broke loose at that point because my mother-in-law went over and slapped him."

"My husband was in a wedding last year where the bride got trashed, did a little dance on the altar, spilled a rum and Coke down her dress, and did a face-plant on the dance floor. It was memorable ... but not in a good way."

"My aunt and my mother's boyfriend got into a fight at the reception, and they both stormed off, leaving us stranded (my mom's boyfriend was supposed to take us home after the wedding)."