[5] The film was produced by Adam Fields, Will Packer Productions and Miramax, distributed by Screen Gems, and released on January 16, 2015.

Three of Jimmy's friends are recruited as groomsmen: Fitzgibbons, a federal prison escapee, Lurch, who has a nagging wife and Reggie, an airport security guard.

They interview for the four remaining spots: they choose Kip, who has a stutter; Endo, who has three testicles; Bronstein, who can dislocate and relocate his shoulder; and Otis, who can say sentences backwards.

Doug tells Gretchen that "Bic" is a military priest based in El Salvador, and she insists that he also come to the family brunch.

Doug meets his groomsmen, all with fake identities based on the last names of famous Los Angeles sports figures.

A prank involving peanut butter, a dog and a blindfolded Doug goes awry, requiring the groomsmen and Nadia to rush him to a hospital.

That night, she notices the Bic razors and Mitchum deodorant in the cabinet, and recognizes the last names of the groomsmen, deducing the scheme.

At the reception, Jimmy congratulates Gretchen, who exclaims that the wedding is a disaster as her zipper is torn, her grandmother has third degree burns, her dad's knee is blown out, the food is bad, and she does not love Doug (saying she only married him because he is nice and can afford her lavish lifestyle).

As Jimmy gives his best man speech, Doug stops him, revealing they are not married as "Bic" is not a real priest, nor are his groomsmen who they claim to be.

[10] By 2013, Screen Gems and Miramax had agreed to produce the film, which by then had both Kevin Hart and Josh Gad attached [11] and the name had officially changed to The Wedding Ringer and production had begun.

[13] However this was later moved to January 16 after Universal Pictures' Ride Along, another Kevin Hart comedy, proved viable during the previous year's MLK weekend.

[14] The film was originally set in Chicago but was rewritten for Los Angeles after the producers won a $2.8-million California tax credit.

"[30] Richard Roeper gave the film 1.5 out of 4 stars, acknowledging the chemistry between Hart and Gad but criticizing the "cockamamie premise".