A Melbourne couple's marriage has been annulled after the bride claimed the wedding was a social media stunt orchestrated by the groom. The bride, in her mid-20s, and the groom, in his late 30s, initially met on a dating app in September 2023, and their whirlwind romance took an unexpected turn when they met in person the following day at a church. The groom, who had 17,000 followers on Instagram, denied being a social media influencer despite the bride's suspicions.
The bride believed the wedding was staged to boost the groom’s Instagram following. She alleged that the groom had told her he was organizing a prank wedding for his social media content. According to her account, "He told me that he’s organising a prank wedding for his social media. To be precise, Instagram, because he wants to boost his content and wants to start monetising his Instagram page."
In November 2023, the groom signed a notice of intention to marry, just weeks before formally proposing. The couple tied the knot in Sydney in December 2023. After the wedding, they remained in contact for three months. During this period, the groom invited the bride to a "white party" in Sydney, further fueling her belief that their relationship was more about appearances than genuine commitment.
The judge overseeing the annulment case concluded that the bride believed she was participating in a social media event rather than entering a legally binding marriage. In an October family court judgment, the judge described the circumstances as "so bereft of detail as to be near meaningless," questioning why the couple rushed into marriage less than two days after the proposal and why they chose Sydney as their wedding venue instead of Melbourne.
The judge remarked on the implausibility of the situation, stating that it "beggars belief" that the bride would agree to marry the groom under such conditions. The court could not ascertain any reasonable explanation for the hasty wedding or its location choice, adding to suspicions about the groom’s intentions.
Despite these claims, the groom maintained that he was not a social media influencer and disputed the bride's account of events. He insisted that there was no intention to deceive or manipulate for personal gain through social media platforms.