Joseph Iwueke, from Nigeria, was on the verge of marrying Slovakian Ingrida Stojkova, 29, so he could remain in the UK when police and immigration officials burst in and cut short the nuptials on July 15 last year.
Authorities had received a tip off from a registrar who became suspicious when the pair attended the register office a month earlier and were unable to spell each other's names.
Iwueke, 33, was also caught reading information about his "bride" from his hand.
At Leeds Crown court, Iwueke was jailed for two years and nine months and Stojkova was handed a 15-month sentence after both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to facilitate a breach of immigration law.
Two other men - Obinna Odelugo, 49, and Robert Stojka - were also arrested at the ceremony and found in possession of bundles of cash.
Odelugo was found by cops hiding in a toilet cubicle while Stojka claimed he was at the ceremony as an interpreter for Stojkova.
Both were given sentences of two years and three months after also admitting conspiracy to facilitate a breach of immigration law.
Odelugo was ordered to pay back £2,000 and Stojka has seven days to pay back £1,000.
The court heard how Iwueke was desperate to be married to someone from an EU country so he could remain in the UK while Stojkova agreed to be his bride in the hope that she would make a financial gain to help make a better life in the UK for her and her son.
However when Iwueke failed to correctly answer simple questions like Stojkova's date of birth, where in Slovakia she was from, where she lived and what her house was like, he was soon rumbled.
Stojkova claimed she met Iwueke in a nightclub in Bolton and they met again for coffee the next day but she was unable to name and describe the club maintaining she loved Iwueke.
At the sentencing Judge Sally Cahill QC said to Iwueke, who will be deported once his sentence is completed: "This conspiracy involved you Iwueke, who had come to this country from elsewhere, you had been due to leave this country in July last year.
"Instead of staying through lawful channels you entered into an arranged marriage.
"You were the groom and in my view the person who had the most to gain as you would have been free to stay in this country."
She told Stojka and Odelugo they arranged this marriage "purely for financial gain" and an "opportunity to make some quick money".
Speaking to Stojkova, Judge Cahill added: "You entered this arrangement because you hoped you would be looked after. You clearly didn't know each other.
"You saw an opportunity for yourself to gain a better life. In my view you had the least to gain."
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