Woman's marriage cut short as groom does shocking act hours into wedding and then she learns the truth

A woman has revealed the shocking reason why her marriage was cut short just minutes after exchanging vows and when she learned the truth.

What is meant to be the happiest day of your life can quickly turn into the worst as dozens of things can go wrong before saying 'I do,' as some of our favorite TV shows have shown us over the years.

Whether that's Mr Big suffering a bout of cold feet at the altar in Sex and the City, or Ross in Friends famously calling his bride the wrong name - an ex-lover no less - we're all too aware of the myriad of ways a wedding can be cancelled or made extremely awkward.

However, it's hard to imagine what could possibly happen in the minutes after signing the registry papers that would make you want to reach for divorce ones.

Carrie, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, had to make a swift exit when Mr. Big didn't show up (New Line Cinema/Warner Bros.)

Yet according to one bride from Melbourne, Australia, her six-year relationship with the 'love of my life' all came crashing down within an hour of walking down the aisle.

Speaking to Nova's Late Drive radio show, she said her husband ditched her and vanished immediately after tying the knot, leaving her crushed and forced to attend their own wedding party alone.

She said: "I had a really short marriage. It wasn't even 24 hours."

"We got married and had a beautiful wedding. And he was gone for the reception."

The jilted wife said her husband not only took off but she didn't hear from him for months afterwards.

The woman said he just disappeared once they exchanged vows (Getty Images)

She continued: "We had the ceremony, did the photos - he was beautiful during the photoshoot, he was the love of my life. And then he just disappeared.

"I didn't hear from him for months."

Despite his glaring absence, the abandoned bride tried the best she could to keep up appearances at the wedding reception with guests apparently oblivious to the ordeal.

And that's when the story takes an even more shocking turn as she said she later made the horrific discovery that he had been having an affair - and with her own cousin.

"Everyone was fine to stay and party the whole night - but I went back to my room by myself. He didn't want to be with me. He was seeing somebody else [the whole time], but he let us get married," she told the radio station.

She later learned the reason why (Getty Images)

She added friends and family continued to ask her about newlywed life and the honeymoon while others continued to send their congratulations, clearly unaware of the situation.

"It was really hard, especially talking to family members [who called to ask about the new husband the next day]," she added.

"He's with my cousin now - he was cheating on me with her. I don't see him or my cousin. That would be really awkward."

Yet despite the ultimate betrayal, she says she's come out of the other side with a funny story.

"My kids think it's hilarious," she added. "It's brought up all the time."