An Australian family court has annulled the marriage of a Melbourne couple after the bride testified she thought the ceremony was part of a social media stunt.

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Bride thought It was a prank for Instagram

The unusual case unfolded after the bride, who met the groom on a dating app in September 2023, was invited to what she believed was a “white party” in Sydney that December. However, upon arriving, she was shocked to find that the event was actually a wedding organised by her groom for his Instagram following.

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The bride told the court she was told by the groom that it was just a "prank" for his social media. "He said he was organising a prank wedding for Instagram to help boost his content," she explained. Although the couple exchanged vows and rings during the ceremony, the bride said they were merely "acting" to make the event appear real.

Groom’s hidden motive

The situation took a serious turn when the groom later asked the bride to add his name to her permanent residency application. This was when she realised the wedding was legally binding, making her feel deceived. She told the court that had she known it was a real marriage, she would never have agreed without her family’s involvement or a traditional wedding ceremony.

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 The groom, who has 17,000 Instagram followers, denied being an influencer and contested the bride’s version of events. He claimed they had agreed to a small, intimate wedding before a larger ceremony in their home country. However, the judge found his testimony lacking and noted inconsistencies, including the fact that the couple did not live together as he claimed.

The judge ultimately annulled the marriage.