**An Australian woman thought she participated in a humorous social media stunt, only to discover her marriage was real, leading to legal action.**
**Bride's Outrage After 'Prank' Wedding Turns Out to Be Real Ceremony**
**Bride's Outrage After 'Prank' Wedding Turns Out to Be Real Ceremony**
**Woman's marriage annulled as she discovers the "prank" wedding was genuine.**
In a bizarre incident that highlights the blurred lines between reality and social media antics, a woman from Australia annulled her marriage after realizing a prank wedding she believed was staged for her partner’s Instagram was, in fact, authentic. The shocking turn of events emerged when the woman learned her partner, a social media influencer, intended to use their wedding to secure permanent residency in Australia.
The case, which reached the courts in Melbourne, began in September 2023 when the woman and her partner, who they met on a dating app, began dating regularly. By December, the man proposed, and two days later, they attended an event he described as a "white party," requiring the woman to don a white dress. Upon arrival in Sydney, she was met with an empty venue, where only her partner, a photographer, and others were present, leading her to confusion and anger.
During the event, her partner informed her it was a "prank wedding" intended for his online audience, suggesting that it was merely a way to boost his content. Despite her immediate concerns, the woman believed she was acting in a simulated wedding for social media, convinced by her partner's assurances and reassured by a friend that the event could not be real without a prior notice of intended marriage being filed.
After the ceremony, in which vows were exchanged and a kiss captured on camera, she attempted to carry on as if it were a joke. However, two months later, when he requested to be added to her resident application as a dependent, the woman realized the truth—that their marriage was legitimate and recorded.
Discovering their signed marriage certificate and a notice of intended marriage that bore a signature she claimed did not resemble her own, the woman felt betrayed and furious. In court, she expressed her anger over being deceived and the implications of being included as a necessary component of her partner’s residency application.
The issue was escalated to a court in Melbourne, where the judge ruled that she had been misled about the nature of the ceremony and had not genuinely consented to the marriage. The judge stated, “She believed she was acting. It made perfect sense for her to adopt the persona of a bride...to enhance the credibility of the video.”
The annulment was granted in October 2024, highlighting the legal ramifications of what began as a purported social media prank.
