Couple Thanks Their Wedding Guests with Bets on San Francisco 49ers Winning Super Bowl: 'Best Wedding Favor Ever' (Exclusive)
Matt and Jessica Grime tell PEOPLE they have both been 49ers superfans "since birth"
When planning their wedding, Lake Tahoe couple Matt and Jessica Grime decided to take a gamble.
Instead of showing their appreciation to their guests with a typical favor — like personalized treats or wine glasses — they leaned into their shared love for the San Francisco 49ers. The pair tells PEOPLE they purchased 180 $2 sports bets for the NFL team to win the 2024 Super Bowl and gave one to each of their guests, along with a note thanking them for helping them celebrate their nuptials.
"You bet on us, so we placed a bet for you," the note read. "We hope you get as lucky as us!"
Little did they know at the time of their September 2023 nuptials in Stateline, Nevada, the 49ers would make it all the way to the big game. On Sunday, they will face off against the Kansas City Chiefs to vie for the championship title. The couple says the bets had odds of +850 at the time they were purchased, so if the 49ers win, each guest will take home about $19.
Related: Diehard Fans Throw Philadelphia Eagles-Themed Wedding Just Before the Super Bowl
Jessica, an event planner and owner of SLT Events, tells PEOPLE the unusual favors were a perfect way to combine her and Matt's love for their team — they have both been 49ers superfans "since birth" — with the gambling scene in Lake Tahoe.
"I have seen many types of wedding favors as an event planner, so I wanted to do something unique and memorable for our wedding and our guests," she explains. "So many wedding favors do not get taken home, or are not thought of after the event, so we thought this was a perfect way to keep the fun going as the football season was just starting."
She says their guests loved the unexpected favors, with some even posting photos of their bet tickets on social media. One person declared, "Best wedding favor ever!"
"Our guests were very surprised!" Jessica adds of the bets. "Since my family and friends mostly traveled from the Bay Area, they are all diehard 49er fans, so they were stoked."
Related: Diehard Kansas City Chiefs Fans Will Marry on Super Bowl Sunday: 'Willing to Take the Back Seat'
Having grown up near San Francisco, Jessica has attended many of the team's games and tailgates over the years. "Being a Niners fan is just a part of me," she tells PEOPLE.
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Matt's father owned a bar in South Lake Tahoe — called the Thirsty Duck — where 49ers players and coaches would regularly visit. When he was 5 years old, he posed for a photo with NFL legend Dwight Clark, who was a member of San Francisco's first two championship teams (in 1981 and 1984).
The morning after their wedding last year, the Grimeses tuned into the 49ers' season-opening game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which they won 30-7. "Because we are #ForeverFaithful," Jessica says, quoting the 49ers' fan slogan.
For the new husband and wife, the team's triumphant season has helped them keep their happy wedding vibes going long after their special day.
"Getting married and committing our lives together is the best feeling ever," Jessica says. "And luckily for us, we are able to continue the feeling of excitement with our guests even six months after our wedding as they have been texting, calling and sharing their excitement for the 49ers to win the Super Bowl — and they have a chance to win, too!"
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Read the original article on People.