A Melbourne judge has annulled a marriage after a woman unknowingly participated in a fake wedding staged for her partner’s social media account.
**Social Media Prank Leads to Unexpected Marriage Annulment in Australia**
**Social Media Prank Leads to Unexpected Marriage Annulment in Australia**
Bride discovers reality of Instagram stunt after partner’s residency attempt.
In a dramatic turn of events, a woman in Australia was stunned to discover that the wedding ceremony she thought was a harmless prank for her partner's Instagram account was, in fact, a legitimate marriage. The incident came to light when her husband sought to leverage their nuptials to gain permanent residency in Australia, prompting the woman to seek annulment once she learned of the truth.
This unusual case began in September 2023 when the woman, who had met her partner on an online dating site, became romantically involved with him in Melbourne. Just two months later, he proposed, and she gladly accepted. However, the situation took an unexpected twist when she was invited to a “white party” in Sydney—where guests were expected to wear white attire—only to find it lacked any guests but their small entourage including a photographer and a celebrant.
According to court documents, the woman was simply informed by her partner that it was a social media prank wedding. “He said he wanted to boost his Instagram content,” the woman recounted, expressing her frustration over the deceit. Trusting her partner's claim, she decided to go along with the act, even exchanging vows and kisses as if it were a real wedding, unaware of the underlying deception.
Only two months later did the reality of the situation emerge when her partner asked her to list him as a dependent in her permanent residency application. Upon expressing her inability to do so since they were not technically married, he revealed that the ceremony had indeed been legal. The shocking moment unfolded when she tracked down their marriage certificate and found a notice of intended marriage, allegedly signed by her—only the signature did not resemble hers.
“I’m furious that I didn't know it was a real marriage,” she said, voicing her anger towards her partner's manipulation. During court proceedings, her partner countered that they had both agreed to the circumstances, yet the evidence showed otherwise.
The judge ruled in favor of the woman, noting that she did not provide genuine consent to participate in the wedding. The judge stated, “She believed she was acting,” highlighting the deception that framed the event. After much turmoil, the marriage was annulled in October 2024, leaving the woman seeking closure while the case serves as a warning against the overlap of social media theatrics and real-world consequences.
This unusual case began in September 2023 when the woman, who had met her partner on an online dating site, became romantically involved with him in Melbourne. Just two months later, he proposed, and she gladly accepted. However, the situation took an unexpected twist when she was invited to a “white party” in Sydney—where guests were expected to wear white attire—only to find it lacked any guests but their small entourage including a photographer and a celebrant.
According to court documents, the woman was simply informed by her partner that it was a social media prank wedding. “He said he wanted to boost his Instagram content,” the woman recounted, expressing her frustration over the deceit. Trusting her partner's claim, she decided to go along with the act, even exchanging vows and kisses as if it were a real wedding, unaware of the underlying deception.
Only two months later did the reality of the situation emerge when her partner asked her to list him as a dependent in her permanent residency application. Upon expressing her inability to do so since they were not technically married, he revealed that the ceremony had indeed been legal. The shocking moment unfolded when she tracked down their marriage certificate and found a notice of intended marriage, allegedly signed by her—only the signature did not resemble hers.
“I’m furious that I didn't know it was a real marriage,” she said, voicing her anger towards her partner's manipulation. During court proceedings, her partner countered that they had both agreed to the circumstances, yet the evidence showed otherwise.
The judge ruled in favor of the woman, noting that she did not provide genuine consent to participate in the wedding. The judge stated, “She believed she was acting,” highlighting the deception that framed the event. After much turmoil, the marriage was annulled in October 2024, leaving the woman seeking closure while the case serves as a warning against the overlap of social media theatrics and real-world consequences.
