Bride and groom plan wedding at stranger’s mansion without permission

A South Florida couple tried to have their ‘dream’ wedding at a stranger’s mansion without permission this month, but things didn't work out the way they’d hoped. The couple’s fantasy quickly fell apart when reality -- and the property’s owner -- intervened. 

 

Courtney Wilson and Shenita Jones decided to have their wedding at the 16,300-square-foot estate after Wilson toured the property during an open house, calling it their “dream home and estate.” 

 

The couple told others that God told them that the almost 5 million dollar house was destined to be their wedding venue. But when the couple contacted the property’s owner, Nathan Finkel, to ask for permission, Finkel turned them down. 

 

Undeterred, the couple went about planning their wedding at the estate, even sending out invitations to friends and family with the mansion’s address. They assumed that because the property was for sale it would be vacant, and that no one would discover their plan. 

 

Nathan Finkel did in fact live on the estate. When the couple and the guests began arriving, asking to be let in to set up for the ceremony, he called local authorities. 

 

“I have people trespassing on my property,” Finkel told the 911 dispatcher, the AP reported. “And they keep harassing me, calling me. They say they’re having a wedding here and it’s God’s message. I don’t know what’s going on. All I want is (for) it to stop. And they’re sitting at my property right at the front gate right now.”

 

Read the full scoop in this Associated Press article. 

...

 

• Get Ordained in Florida - Who Can Officiate Weddings in Florida?

 

• How to Officiate a Wedding in Miami, Florida
   
• How to Officiate a Wedding in Saint Petersburg, Florida

 

...

 

Choosing a wedding venue can be tough,

but we've got tips. 

 

Choosing a venue can be a difficult part of the wedding planning process. There are several factors to consider: location, amenities and accessibility, available dates, legality, and cost. And it’s easy to get swept up in the planning process, leading to unrealistic expectations, disappointment, and overspending. 

 

Not to mention that booking a venue is especially challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic! Now, as wedding season picks up and more Americans are vaccinated, many venues and vendors (including marriage officiants) are already booked solid through 2021 and 2022, with many booking into Spring 2023.

 

This means that couples will need to get creative with their ceremony planning this year. (But not too creative… Always get permission before using a location that doesn’t belong to you.)

 

To help you get started, here are a few articles on choosing a venue that meets your needs and won’t break the bank, so you’ll have some money left over for everything else on your newly-married list! 

 

 

• Three tips for planning a WTF (Wedding that Fits) Wedding Celebration

 

• Can’t book a wedding venue? Consider a micro-wedding, or backyard wedding ceremony instead!

 

• How to Find Out What County a Wedding Venue is In -- Marriage License Tips

 

• How Wedding Officiants Save the Day When There’s a Sudden Change in Venue

 

• Plan a Wedding Ceremony in a National or State Park During COVID-19, in 5 Steps
   

---