Card Indexes in Wedding Crashers

While watching Wedding Crashers (2005, New Line), I noticed that John Beckwith (portrayed by Owen Wilson) and Jeremy Grey (Vince Vaughn) both have multiple card indexes in their offices in the movie.

One can’t help but wondering if their work leverages one of the variety of card index filing systems? Were they commonplacers? Zettelkasten users? Were they maintaining them as basic databases? Monster rolodexes? There are definitely a lot of them around.

It’s obvious that Jeremy actively uses his as in the opening scenes, his card index is on the credenza behind him and later in the movie it has moved.

If you’re just starting out on your indexing journey, you can purchase the same boxes that Wilson and Vaughn are using: the Globe-Weis/Pendaflex Fiberboard Index card storage box in “Black Agate”. If you need something bigger or different than one of these, try out the Ultimate Guide to Zettelkasten Card Index Storage.

Vince Vaughn as Jeremy Gray sits at his office desk with his fingers tented together as he makes a point. On the credenza behind him is a card index, a bubblegum machine, and a small office bar.
Vince Vaughn obviously explaining the most important points of knowledge management in the office: a zettelkasten (or card index), bubblegum, and plenty of bourbon.
Owen Wilson addresses Vince Vaughn in Wedding Crashers in Vaughn's office. On the bookshelf behind Wilson are two different sized card indexes
On a side desk in his office Jeremy Gray has a 3×5″ and a 4×6″ card index near all of his most important reference volumes.
Vince Vaughn (as Jeremy Gray) walks into John Beckwith's office (portrayed by Owen Wilson). On the bookshelves behind them are a multiple card index files in 3x5", 4x6" and 5x8" form factors.
Along with shelves full of reference books, John Beckwith has a huge collection of card index boxes of various sizes including 3 3×5″ boxes, 3 4×6″ boxes, and even one 5×8″ box.

A Zettelkasten for Wedding Crashers

Of course, the real aficionado of Wedding Crashers will suspect that at least one of Jeremy’s card indexes is full of weddings they’ve crashed, related research, and maybe women he’s encountered. Maybe names and legends of the people they’re pretending to be (“We lost a lot of good men out there.” “Guess who’s a broken man?”) Naturally there would also be a huge section with the numbered rules of wedding crashing as handed down by pioneer Chazz Rheinhold.

Typed index card that reads: Wedding Crashers Rule #32: Don't commit to a relative unless you're absolutely positive that they have a pulse.