Officiant Announces Bride & Groom Will Not Get Married That Day In The Middle Of Their Wedding Ceremony — ‘All That Money Wasted”
The bride and groom’s family got a big surprise.
Photo: Jonathan Nenemann from Pexels | Canva Pro Sometimes, a fairytale wedding takes an unexpected turn. That’s exactly what happened at a wedding where the bride and groom surprised everyone with an unexpected twist. The officiant made an announcement that left the guests in disbelief.
The wedding officiant announced mid-ceremony that the bride and groom were not getting married that day.
“I regret to inform you all today that Eric and Zahne will not be getting married today, nor will they be getting married anytime in the near future…,” announced the officiant during the ceremony.
The couple had eloped a year prior and didn't tell anyone.
The officiant then explained that, in fact, Eric and Zahne had already tied the knot a year ago. On February 23, 2024, the couple secretly eloped to Las Vegas. Eric and Zahne exchanged vows in a simple, private ceremony — just the two of them, far from the spotlight. They sealed their love in one of the world’s most iconic cities.
So, while the ceremony that day may have seemed like just another wedding, it was, in fact, a celebration of a union that had already been thriving for an entire year. As the officiant revealed the news, the wedding guests reacted with a mix of surprise and joy, gasping in happy disbelief. The parents, overcome with emotion, laughed and cried.
Meanwhile, the bride and groom, beaming with pride, raised their arms in celebration, still holding onto each other. The crowd cheered with excitement as the couple was once again pronounced husband and wife.
Victoria Ditkovsky | Shutterstock
Traditional weddings are falling out of favor with younger couples who prefer less structured and simple affairs.
Elopements have become increasingly popular, with countless websites dedicated to elopement photographers and articles discussing the trend. While exact statistics on the number of elopement weddings are hard to come by, a 2022 survey of engaged couples in the U.S. revealed that 62% would consider eloping over a traditional extravagant celebration, and of those surveyed, 69% of women were more on board with the trend.
Las Vegas, in particular, sees a high volume of weddings, many of which are elopements. In 2022 alone, around 80,000 couples exchanged vows there, including several celebrities.
The truth for many young people looking to tie the knot is that eloping is much less expensive than a big reception. According to Zola, as of 2024, the national average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is $33,000. In an economy where most young people are struggling to afford rent, that's just not feasible. Elopement, on the other hand, can cost as little as $30 if you go the City Hall route. Obviously, you can go all out on an elopement depending on travel destinations, but it's much more controlled than the costs of a traditional wedding.
Whatever the reason, it's ultimately up to the couple to decide what kind of ceremony works best for them. Weddings are memorable and often require careful planning, but sometimes, eloping in the moment with the one you love can be more meaningful than a traditional ceremony. Spontaneity can be just as important as tradition.
Mina Rose Morales is a writer and photojournalist with a degree in journalism. She covers a wide range of topics, including psychology, self-help, relationships, and the human experience.