Bride and Groom Surprise Wedding Guests with Witness Selection (Exclusive)

A bride and groom let chance decide who would have the honor of signing their marriage certificate.

Hannah and Harry Toonen’s wedding guests were in for a surprise when the couple suddenly stopped their Friday, Aug. 15 ceremony at Gabbinbar in Australia immediately after their vows. The pair paused, turned to face approximately 60 of their closest friends and family, and announced that they’d be selecting their two marriage certificate witnesses at random — right then and there.

The surprise was recorded by the couple’s Gold Coast-based content creators, Curated by Us, which is co-owned by Claudia McLeod and Sophia Cragnolini. They later posted the now 2.4 million-viewed wedding video on TikTok, writing, “Such a fun + memorable wedding idea they’ll never forget.”

“Guests were completely caught off guard but loved it,” Cragnolini tells PEOPLE. “The excitement in the room was contagious, and it added an unforgettable touch to the day”.

McLeod adds: “It’s such a great way to make the day memorable not just for the couple, but for everyone attending the wedding.”

The officiant brought forward a glass jar filled with folded slips of paper bearing guests’ names on them. After she shook up the jar, the Toonens each picked a piece of paper.

The bride happened to choose her sister and maid of honor, Abbie Fairbanks. Meanwhile, the groom selected Taylor Smith, the husband of one of the bridesmaids.

Cragnolini and McLeod remember the chosen ones being “visibly shocked, overjoyed, and honored.”

“You could clearly see how surprised and happy they were. The guests were equally thrilled for them,” Cragnolini says, with McLeod noting, “They were stoked!”

For McLeod, capturing “raw, unscripted emotions” like these is her favorite part of the job. The “unique approach to choosing a witness” made for an even more meaningful wedding day.

“This was the first wedding we’ve seen do this, and it’s such a fun way to include the people you love in your special day,” she says.

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“[It was] a wholesome, beautiful moment to witness and capture,” Cragnolini adds.

The Toonens were inspired to randomly pick their marriage certificate witnesses because they saw it previously done before on TikTok. They “loved how fun and unconventional it was,” and thought that the surprise could keep their ceremony “lighthearted and full of laughter.”