Philly.com – A man died of heart attack after an all-out brawl broke out at a Society Hill wedding early this morning, and part of the melee was caught on video. Police had little information on the wedding fight, which occurred at the Society Hill Sheraton on Second and Walnut streets, but a video posted by a hotel guest to YouTube this morning shows a chaotic scene with guests fighting police and a woman letting out blood-curdling screams. At least seven police officers can be seen on the video, one of whom repeatedly uses his baton to strike a wedding guest. The person who took the video, who says that it’s his birthday and he wishes the wedding guests would just go to bed, at one point asks “Did they just deck the bride?” Police said a 57-year-old guest, reported to be the uncle of the bride, was found unconscious outside of the wedding at 2:06 a.m. He was taken to Jefferson University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead of a heart attack at 2:51 a.m.

The absolute worst and most disgusting part of this video is the fact that this is not a singular incident. Not in the least. One of the million jobs I’ve held in my lifetime was as a waiter at a banquet hall that was 5-star white-gloved service. We held Republican Party meetings with senators and large-scale weddings that went for $200+ a plate with helicopters and fireworks and brides on elephants (Indians). Yet, even with all of this place’s prestige and notoriety and otherwise fancy bullshit, I personally saw at least 3 fights just like this. How is that possible? Because women transform into insane people for their wedding.

Not to place all blame on the brides because it really ain’t all their fault, but their short fuse about a day that SHOULD be entirely about the love between them and their husbands causes everybody else to go berserk. And not to turn this into a nationality issue but of the 3 fights I witnessed while working all 3 were Italian weddings. One slick comment from drunk Anthony throws Uncle Chris into “protect his niece” mode, a punch gets thrown, then the next thing you know second cousin Mike and his boys are rolling up the doorman while the groom threatens to backhand the bride if she doesn’t get herself in check. TRUE STORY.

So yeah, this is a wild night and one of the guys died from a heart attack — but this ain’t nothing new. As long as there are weddings, alcohol, emotions, (and Italians) — there will be fights.

PS – And contrary to what kmarko says, my experiences were with central Jersey people, not Philly people.
PPS – Italians also tipped the best.