Something old. Something new. Something borrowed. Something blue. Something … furry?
Brides and grooms follow traditions that mean something to them, whether it’s the “something old” or jumping over a broom or smashing plates. Different cultures, religions and beliefs can be infused into a wedding ceremony that will forever be remembered by the couple.
Guests at Riva Eisenberg’s nuptials were completely taken aback when a very special guest showed up looking polished and debonair in a black tux, crisp white shirt and spiffy black tie. He also spit a lot…
Five years ago, Riva’s brother Mendl taunted his sister about the wedding she was envisioning even though there was no love interest in her life. He made a promise that seemed far fetched at the time, but low and behold he followed through on that promise.
Poor Riva was aghast!
“My sister was talking about her wedding as if it were tomorrow when she wasn’t even dating anyone at the time. Just to make her mad and get a reaction, I told her if she makes me come to the wedding, I am bringing a llama with me. After a few minutes of arguing, she tried to use reverse psychology on me and said, ‘OK, the llama is invited to the wedding.'”
For the next several years, Mendl repeatedly reminded his big sister of just who was going to be his “plus one” at her wedding, even though there still wasn’t anyone special in her life.
But finally, Riva found someone. And finally, Mendl could follow through on his promise.
“He has been torturing me with this, in good fun, and has been reminding me of this probably twice a week for the last five years. I have tried striking so many deals, I have tried doing literally everything possible to make sure it didn’t happen, and lo and behold, there was a llama at my wedding.”
When Riva joyfully became engaged, Mendl instantly started searching for a llama to be his buddy at the wedding.
“When he sets his mind to something, he makes it happen. Literally, I called him to tell him I was engaged, and his response was, ‘Great, I’m calling the llama farm now.’ Probably not even an hour later, I got a text that said his llama rental was confirmed.”
As Riva slipped into her gown, her hair and makeup done perfectly for her special day, she received word that she needed to pop outside before the ceremony held in Cleveland on a sunny Sunday.
There, she laid eyes on Shocky the llama who was being led around with a leash by her ornery brother.
Mendl even had a llama-sized tuxedo specially made for the day.
“I promised him that I would take one picture. I said, ‘I will not stand next to the llama, I will not touch the llama, but I will take one picture.’ My friends can attest that I went outside, I took exactly one picture, and then I went right back inside and was not having any more of it.”
One photo was all it took. Mendl posted the picture on Reddit where thousands upon thousands of people saw it and loved it.
Neither sibling knew that their good-natured jest on Riva’s wedding day would go viral. Nor did they know that people love seeing llamas in formalwear and even that they attend weddings. In fact, there’s an Instagram account dedicated solely to llamas wearing fancy attire.
“I think it’s my facial expression, because I really don’t look particularly thrilled with the situation, but I think that’s what got people’s attention. That was my face from the moment I walked outside, and it was completely intentional. That’s pretty much my face constantly when I look at my brother.”
But it didn’t stop there. After the ceremony when Riva walked into the reception hall, she found inflatable llamas sitting in her and the groom’s chairs at the wedding party table.
Guests loved the llama and tons of photos were taken with Shocky. Eventually, he had to return home to his farm located an hour or so outside of Cleveland.
Riva vowed to get even with her baby brother though.
“He better sleep with one eye open, because I will definitely be exacting some revenge.”
How hilarious is this prank? Have you experienced a fun wedding guest like Shocky?
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