A 39-year-old man was arrested at Disneyland Paris on Tuesday, June 24, after attempting to stage a wedding ceremony to marry a nine-year-old girl. The elaborate and deeply disturbing event was brought to an abrupt halt when alert Disney staff noticed the child, dressed in formal attire and wearing high heels, and immediately contacted authorities.
The so-called ceremony had been carefully orchestrated to mimic a lavish wedding, complete with white chairs, a large cake, musicians, and the iconic castle as a backdrop. The event was scheduled to be live-streamed on social media and included around 100 guests—many of whom were hired actors who had no idea what they were truly participating in.
The man reportedly spent over $110,000 to privatize an area of the park. According to French prosecutors in Meaux, Disneyland staff only realized the shocking nature of the event on the day itself, prompting swift intervention.
Authorities arrested not just the groom, but also others allegedly involved. Among those detained were the child’s mother, a 41-year-old Ukrainian woman; a 24-year-old Latvian woman posing as the bride’s sister; and a 55-year-old Latvian man who also took part in the fake ceremony.
Extras hired for the event later said they were recruited online under the impression they would be attending a traditional wedding. One guest told The Sun:
“We all thought we were going to a wedding. Everyone was stunned when we realized what was really going on. Disneyland acted extremely professionally—they shut everything down the moment they realized the bride was a child.”
A medical examination of the girl found no physical evidence of abuse, but investigations are ongoing.
