While people have been crashing weddings for probably about as long as people have had weddings, the idea of “wedding crashing” really entered the popular consciousness when the Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn film Wedding Crashers was released in 2005. Since then, many more people have tried their hands at crashing weddings in order to meet new people, eat good food, drink free alcohol and party like crazy. But the fact is that by entering a wedding you haven’t been invited to, you are likely breaking a crime.
Laws Against Wedding Crashing
Weddings are some of the biggest, most expensive parties most people will throw or attend. As such, they make popular targets for gate crashers, but food and drinks aren’t free, which is why most wedding crashers are committing theft, even if it’s typically just petty theft.
Additionally, while some weddings take place on public property, such as beaches, the majority occur on private property, like the Vistonian, meaning that wedding crashing also usually involves trespassing. If a crasher finds out the name of someone who didn’t attend and pretends to be that person, they could also be guilty of false impersonation if he benefited from using the other person’s name or harmed that person’s reputation somehow.
In most cases, wedding crashers are just innocently curious or bored and want to attend weddings for free entertainment. Wedding crashing could even be completely legal if an uninvited person goes to a wedding on public property and doesn’t partake in any of the food or beverages intended for invited guests. For example, if someone has a small wedding in Oceanside, you wouldn’t break the law if you showed up and socialized with the guests as though you knew the bride and groom.
While eating someone else’s food, trespassing on private property, and falsely impersonating someone else are all crimes, they’re all minor enough that it’s unlikely someone crashing a wedding will actually be charged. For example, if you wandered into a special events venue and enjoyed someone’s wedding buffet, you would be breaking the law, but if you got caught, you’d most likely just be kicked out —not arrested.
When Charges Are Likely to be Filed
Unfortunately, some people use weddings as a convenient excuse to commit more major crimes, ranging from grand theft of gifts and money all the way through rape of overly-intoxicated revelers. Additionally, those who enter the premise with the purpose of committing theft or a felony can also be charged with burglary. If someone who committed theft at the wedding attempted to hurt someone who tried to stop them, they could also be charged with robbery.
Even those who attended the wedding without nefarious purposes could be charged with battery, assault, or making criminal threats if they hurt, attempted to hurt, or threatened to hurt someone who asked them to leave. All of these more serious offenses are likely to result in charges and, in fact, many wedding crashers have faced criminal charges for these offenses.
What Are the Potential Charges?
Before you decide to try your hand at wedding crashing, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the potential consequences, even if it’s unlikely you’ll face charges for simple trespassing and theft of food or drink. In fact, simple trespassing and petty theft of particularly low-valued goods are generally only infractions, meaning even if you were arrested, you’d only face a fine for these offenses. False impersonation can be charged as a felony or misdemeanor, but you would likely only face misdemeanor charges in this case —especially if the only way you benefited from claiming to be someone else was to be admitted into the reception.
On the other hand, if you stole gifts or cash from the bride and groom or stole items from the purses of people dancing, you could easily face more serious charges. If the items and cash were valued at over $950, you will face grand theft charges, which can be punished as a felony that carries up to three years imprisonment or a misdemeanor, punishable by only one year in jail. If the items were valued at under $950, the crime will be petty theft, which is punishable by no more than six months in jail —unless the individual has two prior theft offenses on their record. At that point, the offense becomes a felony, punishable by up to 3 years in prison.
Sexual assault of an overly intoxicated partier is a particularly serious offense that could result in lengthy prison terms, large fines and mandatory registration as a sex offender.
Burglary is usually punishable by up to three years in prison, if charged as a felony, or a year in jail if charged as a misdemeanor. If the reception was at a private residence, then the crime could even be first-degree burglary, meaning it could carry a sentence of up to six years.
As for robbery, this is a very serious offense that can carry a penalty of up to five years in prison. But if the victim suffered great bodily injury, or if a weapon was used, the penalty could be even higher.
Battery, assault and making criminal threats, on the other hand, are usually misdemeanors punishable by up to six months in jail. But in some cases, they can even be felonies, punishable by multiple years in prison. This is a good reason to always stay level headed if you do crash a wedding, even if you are told to leave by someone’s very angry relatives.
If you have been accused of a crime related to wedding crashing, Peter M. Liss can help. Please call (760) 643-4050 to schedule a free consultation.
