The True Story Of ‘Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates’: How The Strangle Brothers Went From Craigslist To Major Movie

Wedding season has officially begun, which means scrambling to find a suitable plus one — a feat no one understands better than Mike and Dave Stangle, the men for which 20th Century Fox’s recent comedy, “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates” is named.

The film stars Adam Devine and Zac Efron as two brothers in need of a date to their sister’s destination wedding. The pair put out an ad and find themselves bringing two over-the-top women, played by Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza, along for their sister’s walk down the aisle. The film is loosely based of Mike and Dave’s experiences, which were documented in a memoir titled “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates: and A Thousand Cocktails,” which was published by Gallery Books in May 2015. While the film is expected to be action-packed, providing laughs at every turn, the real Mike and Dave are just regular guys who rode an unusual wave to stardom.

According to the Observer, the Stangle brothers are from upstate New York. They currently reside in New York City, where Mike is a bartender and Dave works for BarkBox, a subscription service geared towards dog owners and their four-legged companions. Their story began in 2013, when their cousin demanded that they bring dates to her wedding to avoid having her friends bombarded by them during the festivities. New York magazine reported that rather than ask one of their female friends and risk blurring the lines of their relationships, the pair put out a Craigslist ad seeking plus ones. Accompanying the ad was an illustration of Mike and Dave as centaurs in front of the Declaration of Independence. The Stangle brothers set several requirements for the prospective dates, asking that they be “attractive” to avoid judgment from some family members, “but not TOO attractive.” They also required that women respond in pairs, noting that twins would be a great fit. Women were asked to provide photos of themselves as well as a dress for the wedding if chosen. Sending a resume along for consideration was also encouraged. Despite the underlying misogyny, their unusual listing garnered tons of attention online, making its rounds on social media. Before long Mike and Dave were receiving national recognition. They appeared on “Good Morning America” and “The Today Show.” Although the original listing promised “true love” to their suitors, neither Mike nor Dave found themselves involved with the woman they brought to their cousin’s wedding.

“Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates,” was first announced in January 2015. Since then both Efron and Devine have met the men they are portraying in the movie. The film is hits theaters everywhere Friday, July 8.