Florida couple asks strangers to crash wedding
FORT MYERS (FOX 13) - Inspired by the popular movie "Wedding Crashers", a Florida couple is actually asking strangers to crash their wedding next month.
Lee County sheriff's deputy Paul Johnson and his fiance Shelly Osterhout met online, fell in love, and are now saying 'the more the merrier' for their upcoming wedding reception.
Following a private ceremony, they're hosting the October 10th wedding at Bell Tower Shops, an outdoor shopping plaza in Fort Myers, where they hope guests will wear old bridesmaid dresses, funky tuxes and other unique attire to celebrate.
Shelly says the idea came about when they ran into an issue with their original plans.
"We were going to have the wedding at my house with a big back yard, although we had no parking available in the community," she explained. "It was Paul's idea to ask Bell Tower Shops if they would be interested. He is amazing!"
With plenty of parking to spare, the plaza approved the party.
As the big day nears, the couple is promising an unforgettable surprise for up to 1,600 guests who attend.
The Fort Myers News-Press reports the couple, who will honeymoon in Washington D.C. and Manhattan, is looking forward to seeing who attends, both new friends and old ones.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.