U.S. couples sell wedding seats to strangers on new platform

Jeff and Karina Besen created "Not a Wedding Crasher," a platform where U.S. couples can offer available wedding seats to people they do not know. The platform helps couples fill gaps left by cancellations or meet venue minimums. The platform launched in March 2026 and has more than 20,000 registered accounts; this figure does not mean 20,000 people have attended weddings. Tickets for wedding seats range from $25 to $160. Hosts make the final decision about who attends, and guests must complete third-party identity verification using an ID and selfie. The average wedding cost is reported as $292 per guest, which is higher than the ticket price range. Interested guests browse weddings, explain why they want to attend, and complete third-party identity verification using an ID and selfie. The bride and groom review requests and approve their additional guests.