A 25-year-old bride identified as Heidi Zherelyev, pulled off a shocking prank on her wedding day when she sent her brother clad in her wedding gown to meet up with her groom, Valentin Zherelyev, instead of showing up for her own first look on their big day last month.
According to
Dailymail UK, the couple had eloped privately five years ago and decided to renew their vows during a second wedding day in Pinetop, Arizona, but this time surrounded by their families and loved ones.
The bride prepping her brother for the prank
It was gathered that as the important moment grew nearer, Heidi noticed Valentin seemed nervous and decided that a prank would be the perfect way to take the edge off.
She asked her 30-year-old brother Eric Dodds, to put on an old wedding dress before taking her place in what was supposed to be her first look with Valentin.
Eric, clad in a floor-length white gown, thus walked up to Valentin, who thought he was about to turn around to see his bride in her wedding dress.
Instead, the groom was met with the sight of Eric in his own mermaid-style frock, which was slightly too small for the bride's brother and remained open in the back.
Valentin seemed to find the joke hilarious, and images taken by photographer, Nichole Cline show him laughing out loud with Eric.
The bride and her groom after the prank
The groom and his brother-in-law posed together for some fun, romantic shots, with Valentin wrapping his hands around Eric's face or resting his hands on his brother-in-law's waist.
He appeared completely relaxed after the prank, and ready to be reunited with his bride. Heidi, too, had some fun orchestrating the switch. She was pictured helping Eric get into his gown.
She and Valentin later posed for shots of their own. Heidi looked radiant in her thin-strapped white gown with a low-cut back and a short train.
Valentin went for a dashing look in a dark suit, matching suspenders, a white shirt, and a peach-colored bow tie.