A man in Spain has started a business where he attends weddings just to announce an objection to the ceremony. Ernesto Reinares Varea charges €500 (about $550 USD) for this service, which is aimed at brides who may be unsure about going through with their marriage. In his ad, he offers to step in and say he is the bride’s true love, allowing them to escape together.
What began as a joke quickly turned into a business opportunity, as brides began contacting him for help. He now has bookings until December. In addition to his main service, Varea allows family members to “slap him” for an extra fee of €50 per slap.
Varea’s services are not only for brides; he states they can also be used by grooms. He clarified in his ad that his services are suitable for both men and women.
While many find the concept amusing, it raises questions about whether someone should be paid to disrupt a wedding when one could simply say, “I want to break up,” for free. On a recent episode of the Today show, co-hosts Jenna Bush Hager and Hoda Kotb expressed their reluctance to use Varea’s services. Bush Hager pointed out that it’s unnecessary to pay someone to break up when you can do it yourself, while Kotb noted it would be strange to have “the weird guy” come in to ruin a wedding.
