Florida Couple Planned Mansion Wedding. Its Owner Had No Idea.

SOUTHWEST RANCHES, FL — Courtney Wilson and Shenita Jones knew it was “God’s plan” for them to marry at a sprawling 16,300-square-foot estate in suburban Fort Lauderdale.

Like a lot of couples, Wilson and Jones posted an online invitation, encouraging friends and family alike to attend the elaborate two-day event at the $5.7 million mansion.

While the couple may believe God granted them permission — though this does seem to fall under the commandment prohibiting stealing — they forgot at least one important detail: make sure the mansion's owner is OK with it, too.

The would-be squatters took wedding crashing in an unexpected direction, making owner Nathan Finkel's life a living hell.

The Fort Lauderdale estate had everything: a bowling alley, swimming pool with a waterfall, hot tub, tennis courts, gazebo and an 800-foot bar that's three-fourths as long as the Eiffel Tower is tall, according to a report by The Associated Press.

The Saturday wedding didn't happen.

Finkel said he was stunned when Wilson and another individual arrived to set up for the lavish affair.

“I have people trespassing on my property,” Finkel told a 911 dispatcher, according to the South Florida SunSentinel. “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.”

Police asked Wilson to leave. He did, and no charges were filed, according to SunSentinel.

Despite trying to crash his own wedding, Wilson had reportedly toured the mansion months earlier, Keith Poliakoff, attorney for Southwest Ranches, told The AP.

Finkel, whose father made a fortune as an early franchisee of IHOP, has been trying to sell the home for two years.

“A few months later, this guy asked Nathan if he could use Nathan’s back yard for his wedding,” Poliakoff said. “Nathan said no.”

It didn’t stop the couple from sending invitations anyway.

The event for “the Royal Couple” was as elaborate as the venue, the SunSentinel reported. The wedding was supposed to be followed by a red-carpet cocktail hour, an evening reception, and a four-hour brunch on Sunday.

“The guy figured it was a vacant house and didn’t realize Nathan lived on the property in a different home,” Poliakoff told The AP. “This guy had no idea he lived there. You know the shock that must have been on his face when he showed up at the gate and the owner was home?”

By Friday, the couple’s invitation was no longer posted to zola.com.