Fake Weddings Set a Trend in Argentina · Global Voices
Gabriela García Calderón Orbe

A scene from a typical wedding in Argentina. Photo: Flickr / Yon Garin CC 2.0.
Many couples today decide to live together without going through the civil registry. As a result, wedding ceremonies have became less frequent and, consequently, many people—especially in the younger generation—have never been able to attend or even celebrate a wedding.
With this predicament in mind, five friends from the city of La Plata, the capital of the Argentinian province of Buenos Aires, organized a fake wedding for 300 guests that included all the well-known rituals: a couple that was getting married, outfits that matched a wedding dress code, free food and drinks, a DJ, live music, and everything else. The “guests” pay for a ticket that grants them access to the celebration.
On Facebook, the page Falsa Boda (“Fake Wedding”), labeled “the most fun party in the world,” describes itself as:
Falsa Boda es un evento social para aquellas personas entre 23 y 35 que tienen ganas de compartir con amigos una Gran Boda. Surge bajo la necesidad de un grupo de amigos de tener una boda juntos, en un contexto en el que la gente no se casa tanto como antes y, si lo hace, es difícil que concurra todo la gente que a uno realmente le gustaría que esté…
Cansados de esperar, decidimos crear una Falsa Boda…
Evento donde se respetan muchos de los típicos rituales (barra libre, novios, ramo, torta, baile, recepción, mesa dulce, final de fiesta, etc.) en un ambiente joven y en la parte más divertida en este tipo de eventos, la que se da después de las 12.
Fake Wedding is a social event for people between the ages of 23 and 35, who want to share a Great Wedding with friends. It starts from the need of a group of friends to experience a wedding together, in a context where people don't get married anymore, or if they do, it's hard to invite all the guests we'd like to be there…
Having had enough waiting, we decided to create a Fake Wedding…
Events where many of the typical rituals are observed (free bar, bride and groom, bouquet, cake, dance, reception, sweet food, the end of the party, etc.) surrounded by a young environment and in the most fun part of this kind of event, which comes after midnight.
Martín Acerbi, one of the creators of the fake weddings, has this to say about the phenomenon:
Parte del “enganche” de estos eventos, según cuentan sus adeptos, es justamente la historia falsa que se crea para justificar la boda.
“Antes de cada fiesta publicamos un video en el que los supuestos novios –que son actores contratados- cuentan sobre su historia de amor e invitan al casamiento”.
Part of the “appeal” of these events, as shared by their supporters, is precisely the fake background created to justify the wedding. “Before each party, we post a video where the alleged bride and groom—both hired actors—share their love story and invite people to the wedding.”
The idea has been so successful that a “fake wedding” has even taken place in Moscow:
Esta fiesta temática ya es de exportación. La tercera edición cruzó las fronteras para llegar a Rusia. “La idea circuló de boca en boca y la hermana de uno de nosotros lo contó en Moscú, donde realiza performances de tango. El productor que recibió el comentario aceptó el desafío de hacer una Falsa Boda en su ciudad, por lo que viajamos hasta allá para realizar una ‘Fake Wedding’, que salió muy bien”, asegura Martín [Acerbi].
This thematic party is export quality. The third edition went beyond borders and arrived in Russia. “The idea spread by word of mouth and the sister of one of us talked about this in Moscow, where she carries out tango performances. The producer who heard the comment accepted the challenge of organizing a fake wedding in his city, so we went all the way there to organize a ‘Fake Wedding,’ which worked out just fine.
On Twitter, Fake Wedding posts wedding announcements, inviting anyone interested in joining in the fun:
Se viene Falsa Boda en La Plata el 17 de Octubre, ¿se la van a perder?. En breve les vamos a contar donde se… http://t.co/7BdegskTND
— Falsa Boda (@falsaboda) agosto 31, 2015
Next fake wedding in La Plata on October 17, will you miss it? Coming soon, we'll tell you where it will be…
BAHIA BLANCA – En Bahia, Lobo tiene un problema o una oportunidad? Cómo se lo dice a los amigos?! Hay Falsa Boda… http://t.co/gYn8ge7E7F
— Falsa Boda (@falsaboda) agosto 31, 2015
In the city of Bahia Blanca – In Bahia, Lobo has a problem or an opportunity? How shall he tell his friends?! A fake wedding is coming…
En una generación que cada vez se casa menos, #FalsaBoda es una opción para vivir este tipo de eventos http://t.co/BO8CR81N6D — Javier Lujan (@JLujanV) agosto 28, 2015
For a generations that gets married less and less, a fake wedding is an option to experience this kind of event.
Some men even offer themselves as “grooms”:
@falsaboda Es que JUSTAMENTE quiero ser el novio en una @falsaboda — Juan Diego Suarez (@suarezjdiego) agosto 31, 2015
That's precisely what I want, to be the groom at a fake wedding.
In Peru, one Twitter user considers a fake wedding to be a good solution for himself:
Encontré la solución a mi problema!! Ya que ninguno de mis amigos me invita a su matri, iré a #FalsaBoda!! https://t.co/sT6sfF5CVj — Rodrigo Vinces Abad (@RodrigoVinces) agosto 28, 2015
I found the solution to my problem!! As none of my friends invite me to their wedding, I'll attend a fake wedding!!
One hopes Rodrigo's adventures in the land of fake weddings lands him some real friends with a more inviting attitude.