A groom who deliberately dropped his bride into a pool on their wedding day has exposed a worrying new trend that experts warn can be extremely damaging to relationships.
The alarming act was captured by wedding photographer Emad Joe, who lives and works in Egypt, after he attempted to create a special wedding shot for the newlyweds.
The snap should have shown the husband holding his new wife as they lean over the dark water, the pair lovingly looking into each other’s eyes.
But instead, he captured the horrifying moment the groom seemingly chose to let go of his wife as she leaned onto his arm, instantly breaking her trust.
After the young bride fell into the water, a look of sheer horror could be seen across her face as she emerged from the water.
In contrast, the groom can be seen appearing to cheer with delight at her suffering, with the footage showing him throwing his hands up in the air to celebrate his actions.
The clip has understandably sparked uproar online, prompting Australian relationship experts to weigh in, labelling the act “disrespectful” and “concerning.”
“Unless this has been specifically spoken about beforehand, and she’s given her consent to be in on the joke, this behavior is disrespectful and alarming,” Melbourne psychologist Carly Dober told news.com.au.
“We know that for so many people, a wedding day is a life highlight and something that they have been looking forward to for years.
“While not every wedding day will be ‘perfect’, ideally, all parties involved look back on the day with good feelings and good memories.
“Behavior such as this can highlight the disparities in some heterosexual relationships where women’s feelings aren’t valued and they might not be respected by their partner.”
Indeed, many social media users, notably predominantly women, were horrified by the groom’s antics, claiming it was an indicator that the couple might not last.
“This is grounds for an annulment,” reasoned one.
“She could have drowned; all that fabric from the wedding dress in the water is no joke,” pointed out another.
As another argued: “The way he just drops her, then pumps his fists in victory. Run, honey. This won’t get better.”
Others suggested the act was part of a growing “humiliation” trend that has seen grooms behave unfavourably towards their new brides, such as by making crude wedding vows or smearing cake on her face.
“Why do men constantly want to embarrass their wives?” one woman asked.
While one speculated, “The way he threw his arms up as if he triumphed over her.”
Lauren Muratore, an accredited psychosexual therapist from Melbourne, agrees.
“Embarrassing any human being is bullying, it is derogatory in nature, and this is not acceptable in any relationship,” she told news.com.au.
“There’s a difference between humour and jest, but there’s no place for degradation ever between couples, the trend suggests men are trying to reassert their power to some degree.
“Or perhaps maybe they feel like their masculinity is at stake.”
Dober, the clinic owner at Enriching Lives Psychology, echoed these concerns, stressing that viral videos of these sorts of antics can “normalize” the apparent poor behavior, while also urging people to take caution when passing judgment.
“It looks like a spur-of-the-moment decision, and it looks very disrespectful, so this is not something that we want to encourage more people to do,” she said.
“However, again, if this is a lighthearted joke between both parties who are fully consenting and open to it, that is a different story.
“If this isn’t a joke between them, and this is something that he’s done without her consent, there can be pretty catastrophic emotional consequences.
“Not only may she feel embarrassed, unsure about how seriously he takes her and their relationship, she may also experience a lack of confidence and security, anxious and depressed about how the day went, and she may also have to face some difficult conversations with her friends and family.”
Muratore, who gave a TEDx Talk titled “Sexual Sovereignty – who is the gatekeeper of sex?” in August 2024, added that anyone who “purposely erodes trust to make other people laugh” isn’t a person who appears to consider their partner’s needs.
“It’s showing a power balance and that there is a massive lack of respect in the relationship,” she said.
“There’s a chance this is a stunt for views, but if it wasn’t, you have to ask, ‘Would she be able to trust her husband?’
“Trust is a funny thing that can easily be corroded as well as built, but it takes the a long time to build back up and a willingness of two partners.”
Shawnda Patterson, a popular dating coach, warned that “every wedding season videos like this flood our timelines,” and it highlights how some men take little thought about the impacts “pulling a prank” on their bride can have.
“Whether it’s with their vows, smashing cake in her face, and now it’s letting her fall into the pool, ruining her hair, her make-up, and everything she did to prepare for that day,” she said in a viral video on TikTok.
“Two things men like this don’t consider, and that’s time and place. He could play like this on the honeymoon when the stakes aren’t high, when hundreds of thousands of dollars aren’t on the line … this isn’t the time to be playing around.
“A stunt like this is only funny if everybody laughs. Shame on you.”
Many viewers agreed, with one responding: “The day she felt she was prettier than ever, he destroyed everything in two minutes.”
“And this is why I’ll forever be single,” remarked another.
As one noted, “She trusted him and he showed her exactly who he is.”