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San Jose Wedding Guests Exchange Blows After Bride, Groom Exchange Vows

SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) -- It was an unforgettable wedding for a pair of San Jose newlyweds for all the wrong reasons. After they exchanged their vows and rings, their guests started trading punches.

The incident happened at the reception Saturday evening at SF Nova Aliança, a San Jose event venue run by a local Portuguese band.

What was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives for the young couple all went downhill when a group of guests starting arguing. Wedding bells soon turned into wedding blows.

Willis Pacheco was the bartender on duty that night and said he saw how a guest began the melee. "He just kinda came flying in," said Pacheco. "He just jumped, flying in with a superman punch. He hit someone because I saw him going backwards towards our fence line wall."

Then family and friends piled in, including members of the bridal party.

"And from there, everybody just jumped in -- women, younger women, and then friends of groom friends of the bride," said Pacheco.

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(CBS)

He says the guests were drinking mostly Bud Light and it didn't look like weapons were involved, only fists.

Pacheco then got the attention of two San Jose police officers who were already there working as paid security. They called for backup and a short time later, a small army of officers arrived to break up the fight.

It's unclear how many people were arrested, but police took away at least one woman in handcuffs.

SF Nova Aliança staffer have a warning for any would-be troublemakers.

"Rent it, have a good time, enjoy yourselves, but don't start, because you will either go to jail, or you'll suffer the consequences," Pacheco said.

How did the bride and groom take it?

"Very hard, man," says Pacheco. "They were very disappointed, lots of tears."

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