Couple invited everyone to a fake wedding — then made an announcement that left the guests speechless

When you think of a wedding surprise, you might expect a choreographed dance, an unexpected speech or a funny toast. But Zahné and Arek Zabierek had something else in store. Their wedding ceremony was planned in a dreamy setup in Mexico and loved ones gathered to celebrate. But what guests didn’t see coming was that the couple had been married for an entire year. The video capturing the moment was posted by video creator Arturo Rodriguez (@one_cameraman) on Instagram and was also covered by PEOPLE. 

Their friend and officiant, Nicky Boggio, officially revealed the secret. He began, "I regret to inform you all today that Arek and Zahné will not be getting married today, nor will they be getting married anytime in the near future." The mood shifted instantly as he continued, "But that is because Zahné and Arek have already been secretly married for 365 days since they discreetly tied the knot in Vegas on February 23rd, 2024." That's when the crowd realized they were celebrating the couple’s first anniversary. Gasps and laughter rippled through the crowd, especially from the bride's sister-in-law, Taylor, whose shocked expression quickly went viral, per the outlet.

Migne, the bride’s sister and maid of honor, was equally stunned. Zahné later explained, "With how much those two stalk my location, they were definitely the hardest to keep the secret from." Only a handful of people had known about the secret Vegas elopement. That included their planner from Fresa Weddings (@fresa_weddings), a few vendors, and Zahné’s older brother, who also served as their witness and photographer. As she admitted, "I told my wax and nail girls I see monthly—I needed SOMEONE to talk to about it!!" The idea of getting married before their destination wedding was part necessity, part personal choice. Legally, marrying in Mexico can be a complicated process, so the couple opted for a Vegas ceremony instead.

The bonus was having a full year to themselves before the big public celebration. Zahné said, "Something I struggled with a lot when we got engaged was knowing that yes, a wedding is for us, but it definitely opens up for others to have opinions and insert themselves. We thought that eloping and keeping it to ourselves would allow us to keep the beginning of our marriage just for us without any outside noise." The couple said the decision made their wedding day more enjoyable, with no nerves or stress about the ceremony. And now, they only have one anniversary date to remember.

People watching the video also weighed in, sharing everything from admiration to amusement. @damnkels said, "Wait, I love the idea of the officiant not being near them." @j3hda added, "Celebrating 1 year of success…so cute." Others questioned their decision to keep it a secret from their family. @idalia wrote, "I think this is how it should be. We should celebrate your marriage, not your potential future marriage." @bettylizabeth admitted, "I’d be kinda pissed and I don’t know why. I guess, let the eating and drinking begin?" Zahné responded to the comments, saying, "It’s not about you." Looking back, Zahné has no regrets. "We really got the best of both worlds," she said.

You can follow Arturo Rodriguez (@one_cameraman) on Instagram for more wedding content.