Weddings are filled with emotions—but for one groom in Brazil, the moment his bride walked down the aisle was literally breathtaking.

In Salete, Brazil, 25-year-old teacher Gustavo Schmitz fainted at the altar in front of 200 guests after being overwhelmed by the sight of his bride, 23-year-old Pâmela Berto. The unforgettable moment was caught on video and has since gone viral. “When my bride walked in — looking even more stunning than usual — my body started to go weak,” Schmitz told Jam Press.

What was supposed to be a picture-perfect ceremony quickly turned into a moment of panic when Schmitz keeled over backward, collapsing in front of his bride and the pastor officiating the wedding.

Leading up to the ceremony, Schmitz said he had been under a lot of stress. “The week itself was hectic with all the preparations,” he shared. “The day itself was a rush — guests already arriving and loads of things to sort out. I was already breathless when things started.”

Though he takes medication for anxiety, he tried to stay lighthearted and even joked with some of the groomsmen that his body felt “tingling.” But they didn’t think much of it. “They didn’t believe me because I had a reputation for joking around,” he said.

Schmitz and Berto had grown up together in their small hometown of just 7,000 people. They were high school sweethearts, and their wedding was a long-awaited celebration of their love story.

As Berto walked into the ceremony, the emotion hit Schmitz like a wave.

“I went to meet her on the red carpet aisle, and, as the pastor began speaking, I told her I wasn’t feeling well,” he remembered. “I was still joking a bit, so she believed me but didn’t realize how serious it was.”

Moments later, he passed out.

“When I fainted, she grabbed my suit jacket, but I fell on her dress and she couldn’t hold me up,” Schmitz said. “The pastor ran over and grabbed my sleeve, stopping me from hitting my head on the floor.”

Thankfully, a friend named Eduardo—who’s also a doctor—was nearby and jumped in to help. “Eduardo came quickly, checked my pulse, and gave me first aid together with the pastor,” Schmitz explained.

He even passed out a second time before finally regaining his strength and finishing the ceremony.

Despite the dramatic start, Schmitz says the wedding was everything they had hoped for. “It ended up being beautiful and amazing,” he said.

Their story reminds us that love is powerful—and sometimes even overwhelming.