Adding Florida Man To the Bridal Party Was A Huge Mistake
A wedding is supposed to be a wonderful time of celebrating for family and friends.
There are times, though, when things can get out of hand.
Especially so when there’s a readily available supply of alcohol available, and Florida Man in the bridal party, which turned out to be a huge mistake.
FLORIDA MAN STRIKES AGAIN!
DATELINE – Largo, and the Saga of Florida Man Rontae Stokes.
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen happen at a wedding?
I was in a band, we were doing a wedding reception. Things are going along well, we’re in the middle of a song.
We noticed that there’s some kind of a commotion going on.
We keep playing the song.
Well, the commotion turned out to be some guy who came in off the street, grabbed one of the bridesmaids around the waist, and lifted her up off the dance floor and carried her outside of the reception hall.
We kept on playing.
A WTF moment
Obviously, there’s a lot of stunned people looking at one another, including me turning
to the bass player with a WTF look on my face.
Well, add Florida Man into the mix and you probably can’t top what happened at that wedding, because Florida Man Stokes got into an argument with the bride.
The bride also happens to be his sister.
Did we mention that Stokes was also a member of the bridal party? He was a groomsman.
It started as some kind of an argument. It got so heated that other guests had to escort him out of the reception.
On his way out the door, he struck a few people, including his new brother-in-law, a bridesmaid, a niece, and his own mom.
A lengthy criminal record
Turns out that Stokes has a rather long rap sheet.
Stokes spent over 10 years in prison already, and in fact, just last month, was fined $500
for disorderly intoxication.
I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to assume that there was alcohol involved in
this incident as well.
Stokes is now facing five battery charges, all of them felonies, and they’ve also tacked on a criminal mischief charge because on his way out of the reception, he decided to throw a lawn chair through a glass door.
If you’re planning a wedding anytime soon, you might want to think twice about inviting
Florida Man.
MORE EPISODES OF FLORIDA MAN STRIKES AGAIN
Ditching Tradition: A Look At 'Anti-Wedding' Trends
Ditching White Gowns
While most conventional wedding dresses feature white dresses with trains, a new trend has hit the scene. Many soon-to-be brides are opting for dresses with pops of color or even daring to wear the color black. Google Trends had high searches for “black wedding dress” over the past 12 months, CNN reported. In fall 2021 specifically, “black wedding dress” was searched more times than “white wedding dress” on Google. Another traditional gown switch-up is not wearing a gown at all and wearing a suit, or a romper.
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Swapping Veils For Dramatic Capes
More brides are saying goodbye to veils and going to wedding capes. Some brides just don’t find veils to be a comfortable accessory. It can easily be removed without destroying your hair and is perfect for chilly weather. We can’t forget to mention that it adds a majestic timeless feel.
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Quiet Receptions
Keeping it casual is a very bold and anti-wedding move. You can just gather your friends after an elopement and head to a restaurant to celebrate. The key to this is to make restaurant accommodations in advance and to make sure the food tastes good. You don’t want your family and friends to leave disappointed.
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Non-Wedding Activities
You may have been seeing this a lot more at weddings. People are ditching the first dance, cake-cutting, and speeches. Some people are taking a didn’t approach to the typical wedding program and stepping outside of the box. If you’re more into the idea of having board games, forming your own newlywed band performance, or non-conventional forms of activities, you should go for it.
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Minimal Decor
One anti-wedding trend that could save you some coin is scaling back on decorations. There’s always the pressure of making your wedding Instagram-worthy. But with anti-weddings, this isn’t the case. Think low-key set-up with cozy seating with an at-home feel. Some people even go as far as not having chairs at their outdoor ceremony, trading them in for blankets.
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The Chosen Ones Guest List
Keeping your guest list small is another anti-wedding trend to look into. Think about it, the more people mean a bigger venue, more food, higher costs, and higher expectations. A smaller wedding and reception makes it more intimate. It also gives you more options when it comes to budget.
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The Aisle Walk
Some people may dream of recreating the scene from Father of the Bride, but not the anti-bride. Anti-weddings often consist of walking down the aisle solo, with your pet, your mom, both parents, your soon-to-be Mr. or Mrs., or anyone other than your father. The big moment where you truly shine on your wedding day is your processional or the start of the ceremony. It’s the first time your guests and maybe even your soon-to-be spouse, will see you in your big-day attire. So, why not do it the way that you want?
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