Australian woman annuls marriage after discovering fake wedding was real

A Melbourne woman has successfully annulled her marriage after discovering that what she believed to be a fake wedding for a social media stunt was, in fact, a legally binding ceremony.

The woman, who had been dating her partner for a few months, thought she was participating in a prank orchestrated by the man, a social media influencer, for his Instagram account.

The bizarre situation began in September 2023 when the woman met her partner on an online dating platform. Their relationship quickly progressed, and in December, the man proposed.

Two days later, the woman was invited to a "white party" in Sydney, told to wear a white dress.

Upon arriving, she was shocked to find no guests, only her partner, a photographer, and a celebrant. Her partner then revealed that he had organised a prank wedding for his social media followers.

Despite initial concerns, the woman was reassured by her partner's explanation. She believed that the ceremony, though staged for his Instagram content, would not be legally binding. She was further convinced by a friend who assured her that no marriage could be valid without the necessary paperwork, such as a notice of intended marriage.

The woman reluctantly participated in the ceremony, exchanging vows and kissing her partner for the camera. However, it wasn't until two months later, when the man requested to be added as a dependent on her permanent residency application, that she discovered the truth. Her partner revealed that the Sydney wedding was, in fact, genuine. She found their marriage certificate, along with a notice of intended marriage filed before their engagement, which she claimed she had not signed.

The man argued that they had both agreed to the circumstances, but the judge ruled in favour of the woman. The judge concluded that she had been "mistaken about the nature of the ceremony" and had not given real consent to the marriage. The woman had believed she was acting in a staged event to enhance the credibility of the video, not entering a legal contract.

In October 2024, the court annulled the marriage, accepting the woman's claim that she had been deceived into participating in a real marriage under false pretences.