It’s not a phase, Mom.
It’s an emo wedding, and .
Jennifer Ortega, 31, and her husband Nick Santos, 30, are throwing an emo/metal rager for their wedding celebration in Golden this September. The Aurora couple is on the hunt for musical soulmates who want to crash their big day.
— short for “emotional” — is a musical genre that spun off from hardcore punk and features its own subculture characterized by angsty songs, black clothing, heavy eyeliner and side-swept bangs.
The wedding’s dress code is strict — black-and-green attire only. Ortega will be outfitted in a black, lacy dress with black-and-green custom Vans shoes branded with her wedding date. The table centerpieces will be ghosts encircling black candles. The floral scheme? Black-and-green roses, of course.
What begins as a more traditional wedding reception will transform into a rollicking, angst-filled, scream-singing concert of sorts, sure to have attendees channeling their inner by professing
The couple already eloped last year while overlooking Saint Mary Lake at in Montana, but their family said they needed a reception for everyone to celebrate.
“I said, ‘OK, well if we’re going to do a reception, it’s going to be exactly how I want it,'” Ortega said.
And Ortega wants it non-traditional. Even the guest list is a bit shocking.
In addition to Ortega and Santos’ friends and family, the couple is welcoming more than 30 complete strangers to their celebration.
The newly launched company allows engaged couples a platform to sell seats to their wedding to guests looking for a good time.
San Diego-based co-founder Jeff Besen dreamed up the idea when he and his wife were concocting a fun date night and wished they could find a wedding to crash.
“The interest from people wanting to attend weddings has been amazing across the country in all different demographics from ages, genders, relationship status, you name it,” Besen said. “Everybody is interested in attending a wedding. People are willing to make a monetary contribution because there’s dinner, open bar, dancing, socializing. It’s a no-brainer.”
The company launched in March and has worked with about 10 weddings across the country so far. It’s had success going viral on social media and Besen hopes that continues to spread by word of mouth.
“It’s been awesome,” he said. “People go in as strangers and leave as friends.”
And the happy couple can turn declined wedding invitation RSVP’s into income by charging random people for attendance to one of the most important days of their lives.
For Ortega, it’s not about the money, though.
“As an adult, it’s hard to make friends,” she said. “This just seemed like a great way to meet people. I get to bring in people I’ve never met but probably will have the best time with. Meeting friends through music is very important to me.”
Ortega grew up an emo kid in Brighton. She dressed in all black, listened to bands like and , and was constantly coming into Denver for concerts. She spent most of her 20s following her favorite band, , across the country and got involved in photographing the local metal scene, too, which led to her career in marketing.
“The music basically lit the path for my future,” Ortega said.
She met her best friend at the music festival 10 years ago. Now, she’s hoping to meet some new emo fanatics to usher in her love story.
Ortega and Santos met on the dating app in 2022.
“We started talking and never stopped,” Ortega said.
Santos was more into “dad rock” like , but his interest in emo music intensified when they started dating, she said.
When the couple saw a TikTok video of a Not a Wedding Crasher attendee at someone’s wedding, they wanted to be a part of the fun, too.
The couple signed up and posted their Sept. 11 wedding on the platform about two weeks ago, selling invitations for $50 each (Not a Wedding Crasher pockets about $10 of that). They’ve opened up 35 seats for the taking and, so far, 22 of those spots have been filled, Ortega said.
Prospective attendees fill out a little information about themselves, and the couple chooses who gets a seat at the table.
Ortega said she and her husband are enjoying reading about everyone and seeing who fits the vibe. Ortega’s coworkers have volunteered to sit with the strangers to show them a good time, she said.
“I have a lot of people who are excited to meet the strangers,” she said. “It gives an extra value to the wedding.”
The wedding reception will start more traditionally so the couple’s family members can enjoy themselves at the venue, the in Golden.
“Once it hits 9 p.m., our DJ is planning to make an announcement letting people know if they want to leave, now is the time,” Ortega said. “It’s the best of both worlds. It pleases the older crowd, and it pleases me and my friends.”
