A pregnant bride-to-be stood up at the altar got hitched to a ceremonial knife instead.
Ni Putu Melina, 22, from Bali, tied the knot with a keris dagger as part of a Hindu custom to help deflect shame and humiliation from her family.
The groom missed the January 12 wedding date after stepping down two days earlier.
The family changed their mind last minute and no longer wanted him to move in with the bride and her family, the Daily Star reports.
Despite their hesitance, the groom declared his love for his almost-bride, saying they should elope to be together.
But Melina's family disagreed, advising him against any hasty decisions, opting instead for the symbolic ritual.
It is believed that the dagger, which represents manhood, can act as a replacement for grooms who cannot attend in cases including death or other exceptional circumstances.
Her family said their daughter needed to go ahead with the wedding to ensure that the baby wouldn't be seen as an illegitimate child when born, reports Coconuts.
But despite the symbolic ceremony, Melina's official documents will state that her child was born by a single mother as she is not legally married, according to the Gianyar Regency Population and Civil Registry.
The wedding has since gone viral on TikTok, with her family stating that it doesn't matter that Melina's devastation was shared far and wide in Indonesia.
Her father Ketut Suwardita commented: "We want this to be a lesson for other girls who are looking for a groom."
It is unknown at this time as to whether Melina is still in a relationship with her baby's father.
