Florida Couple Caught Trying to Hold Wedding at Mansion Without Permission

A Florida couple sent out invitations for their wedding at their "dream home and estate." The only problem is that the property didn't belong to them.

Daytime shot of wedding set up at a Mississippi Inn.
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Daytime shot of wedding set up at a Mississippi Inn.

Family and friends were invited to attend the nuptials of a Florida couple last weekend inside their “dream home and estate.” However, the big day didn’t go as planned when the owner of the “dream home and estate” called police Saturday morning after spotting random people trying to get through his front gate, South Florida Sun Sentinelreports

The sprawling 16,300-square-foot Southwest Ranches mansion with nine bedrooms and 15 baths, and sitting on 7.2 acres with a swimming pool with a waterfall, movie theater, and an 800-foot bar would have been the perfect location for a wedding, but it didn’t belong to Courtney Wilson and Shenita Jones. Even though Wilson believed that he received a message from God about having them tie the knot on this particular property, home owner Nathan Finkel was hearing none of it. 

“I have people trespassing on my property,” Finkel told a 911 dispatcher. “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.”

Finkel, whose father was a IHOP franchisee, has been trying to sell the estate for two years with an asking price of $5 million. Wilson approached Finkel under the guise of a potential buyer several months ago, and requested if he and his fiancé could hold their wedding in the backyard of his home, but Finkel rejected. 

Despite being turned down, Wilson and Jones moved forward with their wedding plans, listing Finkel’s residence as the location of the ceremony. They might have assumed the home would be vacant for their weeding weekend, but Finkel had been living in a separate home on the property.

No charges were filed against the couple. 

If you’re curious, you can check out the home, which is under contract, over on Zillow.

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